I know absolutely nothing about auto racing, and even less about the famous French 24 Hours of LeMans endurance race. Did you know that the race is exactly what it says – a 24 hour auto race at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour? I didn’t know that. Did you know that a team of two racers take turns driving in four hour shifts? I didn’t know that either. This movie was quite an education for me, and it entertained me too! Ford vs. Ferrari tells the true story of car designer (and one-time racer) Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) and his friendship with driver Ken Miles (Christian Bale). When Ferrari patriarch Enzo Ferrari rejects a deal for a merger with Henry Ford II in an insulting way, Ford decides he is going to win the next LeMans. Shelby is hired to design and build the car, price is no object, as long as he is willing to listen to a committee of executives that include sympathetic Lee Iacocca (Jon Bernthal) and Leo Beebe (Josh Lucas), who doesn’t like the driver Shelby has hand picked. Ken Miles is rebellious to say the least and is apt to do or say something that doesn’t reflect the image Ford wants to project (this is the 60’s). The movie does a really good job of showing the ins and outs of the auto racing industry, as well as the excitement and hazards of racing itself. It also shows the deceit and venality that seem to continue to be a hallmark of how business men conduct themselves. There is some good acting on the parts of Matt Damon and Christian Bale, but all the supporting actors are excellent too. After you see the movie, google Carroll Shelby and Ken Miles – the movie is really good but still doesn’t do either men full justice.
Leave a Reply