Le Mans '66 Film Review - James Mangold Directs Ford v Ferrari With Matt Damon & Christian Bale - Not Just For Petrolheads

Rating: 10/10 (26 November 2019)

James Mangold directs as Tracy Letts, playing rich dickhead Henry Ford II in Le Mans '66, (Ford v Ferrari), throws a spanner in the works, and tells his staff to come up with an answer to falling sales, or walk. And Jon Bernthal's Lee Iacocca puts his wheel nuts on the line, and tells Ford that no one aspires to buy a Ford. James Bond, (that degenerate), does not drive a Ford! Hell they all want Ferraris. Because they are thoroughbred sports cars winning the Le Mans 24 hour race. And Henry, thank god for Lee, actually thinks it's a good idea. So armed with a cheque book and pen, Lee flies to Italy to make Ferrari an offer. Maybe Remo Girone's Enzo played them, because he accepts another inflated Fiat offer. Not sure if it was already on the table, it would appear not. But with Ferrari in play Fiat took a swipe. And by the way Henry Ford is a fat pig Enzo tells Lee, as a parting shot. Who then repeats what he said to Henry. Rightly pissed Henry decides that Ford Motor Cars are going to build their own sports cars. And beat Ferrari at their own endurance race game.
But how? Well with Matt Damon's Carroll Shelby for a start. And the winner of the 1959 Le Mans has form. Retired due to a heart problem, in 1966 he's now building AC Cobras. Such a beautiful car. But to build a car to take on Ferrari is a different animal. And needs a pure racer, in the form of mouthy mechanic Christian Bale's Ken Miles, who's looking for the perfect lap. A wrench may be the sum of their abiding brotherly love for each other.
I cannot say I'm a fan of motor-racing, but Le Mans '66 had me on the edge of my seat, with definitely no drag in the 150 minute run time. But Ken Miles was not Ford's first choice of driver for their new GT40. Josh Lucas is the nasty Leo Beebe, soon to be Ford Racing Director, and determined to keep him off the team. He and Ken get off to a bad start with the unveiling of the new Ford Mustang. And Ken does have the sort of temperament to say anything on camera. That makes the Ford suits a little uneasy! But you have to love Christian Bales's bluntness. I feel sure this is another Oscar worthy performance from Bale, among a very talented cast. And he spars well with wife Mollie, played by Catriona Balfe, and Noah Jupe is his adoring son. But Ken has to drive because it's in his blood. Fuelled by British tea. And he has the courage to drive a car at 218mph in the Le Mans Mulsanne Straight. The GT40's top speed, as Ferrari looked on. Let's just hope the car can hold it together, with a throaty engine shoehorned in. And pray the brakes don't give out. As Shelby says, at 7,000 revs man becomes machine, and James Mangold makes you feel every one of them.
But Ford's entry into Le Mans was not without disaster. And when Henry Ford II is idling in the slow lane on the track with Shelby one day, he puts his money where his mouth is. And through the tears, tells Shelby to go to war. The driving seat is now 48 year old former tank driver Ken's to lose. But first he has to win the 24 Hour Daytona.
I cannot pretend to know much about the technology of the car, but I thought Ray McKinnon's Phil Remington adding go faster strips was great fun. They were really for the aerodynamics of the car! But what a rocket blast. Behind the scenes below explains better with Christian Bale.
With cinematography by Phedon Papamichael, amazing photography and a cracking storyline, James Mangold proves that a driving based film can have massive appeal to all. A terrific job.