Grand Prix (1966)

Not even bad in a good way

A Disappointing Continuation

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.

I, for one, would certainly like to know what director, John Frankenheimer's justification was for this film's absolutely gruelling 3-hour running time. It certainly made no sense to me why this film needed to be so long. No sense, at all.I found that the more background and more personal dramas that were revealed to me about the story's characters only served to make me like them even less.Filmed at various world locations (such as - England, France, Monaco, and the USA) - This $9 million "Gals, Guts & Glory" picture was one of the highest grossing films of 1966.Yes. There was a lot of really exciting, "hard-driving" action in "Grand Prix" (Indeed) - But - IMO - Had this film been edited down to a reasonable 2-hour running time - I probably would have enjoyed it a whole lot more than I inevitably did.

This is a movie with a really sappy love story. The people are a little cardboard in their interactions with one another. We have James Garner who was on the original Maverick and later Rockford Files. He has that cool collected being about him, unflappable. The star of this show is the incredible cinematography that gives us as honest a portrayal of the Grand Prix circuit (or any race for that matter) as we have seen. The course of things is really predictable. It is almost documentary in its adoration of the sport it presents. The close ups and actual races are so incredible. Now, that's from someone who has little or no interest in auto racing. I respect the people of the sport for the dangers they face, but its never really caught my attention.

It's Formula One. The movie starts at the Monaco Grand Prix. Jean-Pierre Sarti (Yves Montand) is the past champ tired of racing. Nino Barlini is his brash Italian teammate. American Pete Aron (James Garner) crashes his car severely injuring teammate Scott Stoddard. Scott's wife Pat (Jessica Walter) is eager to leave the racing life. American journalist Louise Frederickson (Eva Marie Saint) covers the races.The technical aspect of the race filming is ahead of its time. Director John Frankenheimer uses the real tracks and gives the movie a real racing feel. It is miles ahead of its competitors and comparable to modern race coverage. It isn't always clear between the drivers but there are plenty of great shots of the drivers' faces while driving. Away from the races, the movie is rather ponderous and slow. Those scenes are static in comparison both in movement as well as drama.

Films dealing with Grand Prix racing have always mis-fired. Some of have tried to be realistic such as Le Mans and ended up boring its audience. Others such as Days of Thunder or Driven have gone more for the crash, bang wallop but been let down with its soap opera plots.Grand Prix tries to do both but its seriously let down by its length which is almost 3 hours, a bland lead in James Garner whose character is underwhelming and the laughably poor romance plotting.The film concentrates on four grand prix drivers. James Garner (Pete Aron) has lost his drive after an accident which severely injures another race driver Brian Bedford (Scott Stoddard) and manages to find a Japanese team whose owner likes his winning mentality. Scott's wife, Jessica Walter walks out on Bedford as she cannot stand his racing attitude and takes up with Garner, a fellow driver which makes little sense.The most effective character is Yves Montand (Jean-Pierre Sarti) the champion racer who has had enough of the dangers of the sport and his sub romance with a magazine journalist, Eva Marie Saint works much better. Antonio Sabato (Nino Barlini) is the young hot shot, a team mate of Sarti and a playboy.The film was made at a time when safety in F1 Grand Prix races belonged to the stone age. Crashes and deaths in races were common. In fact drivers seem to spend a lot of time attending funerals of fellow racers and the film taps into this era hence why Montand looks like veteran who has lost his nerve. Bedford needs help just to get in and out of his car after he comes back from his injuries and needs painkilling injections but still has the need for speed and the ability to win races.Director John Frankenheimer catches the thrill of the racing, some of the machinations of the Grand Prix teams such as Ferrari playing mind games with Montand. The film has real life race drivers in the background such as Graham Hill.James Garner as the main lead, although a capable actor is let down by the script. His character is bland and fails to convince as a leading racer and the romance with Walter looks misconceived. Racing drivers are driven, selfish even while enjoying a playboy lifestyle.It now looks like a film of its time but its not going to be destined as a classic.