Movie Review: Le Mans

Le Mans
Cinema Center Films, Solar Productions, USA, France, 1971. 

American Porsche-driver Michael Delaney (Steve McQueen) returns to 24 Hours of Le Mans race year after the fatal accident that took his friend's life. Michael's worst rival is Ferrari-driver Erich Stahler (Siegfried Rauch). Lisa (Elga Andersen), widow of the dead driver is also watching the race. 

Michael Delaney

Lisa

The race is exhausting and dangerous. Lisa's new boyfriend is injured in a crash. Michael explains to Lisa why it is important for men to drive fast.

Michael drives a Porsche

Presented with minimal plot the movie's enjoyability depends on the visual look and realistic racing. There is no dialogue for the first half hour. The cinematography is great and looks like French art house cinema. Fast cutting enhances the excitement of dramatic racing scenes. With real footage it is also a pseudo-documentary about the famous racing event. Racing car enthusiast Steve McQueen did most of his racing scenes for this film. However the production was troubled and it flopped. Due the realistic view on motorsports it has later gained a cult reputation.

Rating: Very good

Starring: Steve McQueen, Siegfried Rauch, Elga Andersen, Ronald Leigh-Hunt, Fred Haltiner, Luc Merenda, Christopher Waite, Louise Edlind, Angelo Infanti, Jean-Claude Bercq, Michele Scalera, Gino Cassani, Alfred Bell, Carlo Cecchi, Richard Rüdiger, Hal Hamilton, Jonathan Williams, Peter Parten, Conrad Pringle, Erich Glavitza, Peter Huber, Jocelyne Jeanssen, Karine Lafabrie, Anne Libert, Jacques Mayar, Alan Rossett, Nathalie Vernier
Director: Lee H. Katzin