In looking over the previous reviews of Le Mans most of the people are first racing fans, secondly Steve McQueen fans. Their support of Le Mans is natural.
I like Steve McQueen, liked him in The Great Escape, The Magnificent Seven, The Cincinnati Kid, Nevada Smith and a whole lot more. And I certainly don't knock the skill and courage it takes to be an auto racing driver.
But I like Steve McQueen the actor first and that's what I want to see him do on the screen, act. For what I saw in Le Mans I'd have preferred it be labeled what it is, a documentary.
In the book The Films of Steve McQueen the story of the making of Le Mans the project started out a few years earlier with McQueen, James Garner, John Frankenheimer, and John Sturges all agreeing to try and make the ultimate racing film. Lots of creative differences ended in all these folks walking away from McQueen. John Frankenheimer and James Garner went and did their own film Grand Prix which if it's not the ultimate racing film, it sure comes closer than Le Mans.
All we got in the end is some of Steve McQueen's home movies brilliantly photographed for the big screen. But that's all it really is people.
I like Steve McQueen, liked him in The Great Escape, The Magnificent Seven, The Cincinnati Kid, Nevada Smith and a whole lot more. And I certainly don't knock the skill and courage it takes to be an auto racing driver.
But I like Steve McQueen the actor first and that's what I want to see him do on the screen, act. For what I saw in Le Mans I'd have preferred it be labeled what it is, a documentary.
In the book The Films of Steve McQueen the story of the making of Le Mans the project started out a few years earlier with McQueen, James Garner, John Frankenheimer, and John Sturges all agreeing to try and make the ultimate racing film. Lots of creative differences ended in all these folks walking away from McQueen. John Frankenheimer and James Garner went and did their own film Grand Prix which if it's not the ultimate racing film, it sure comes closer than Le Mans.
All we got in the end is some of Steve McQueen's home movies brilliantly photographed for the big screen. But that's all it really is people.