For enthusiasts of motorsport seeking authentic portrayals of racing’s golden era, Le Mans stands as a cinematic benchmark. Released during a pivotal time in motor racing history, just before corporate dominance fully eclipsed the sport’s inherent nobility, this film from 1970 captures a unique balance between sponsorship and the raw spirit of competition. What sets Le Mans apart is its unwavering commitment to realism, a quality so profound that even the legendary Steve McQueen embodies a sense of understated authenticity within its narrative. No other film about racing has achieved such transparency and genuine portrayal.
Modern motorsport, while still demanding courage and skill from its drivers, has undeniably shifted. The pervasive influence of high technology and relentless hype has altered its essence. Le Mans transports viewers back to a time when the scent of high-octane fuel and hot engine oil permeated the air, where human interaction prevailed over computer interfaces. Drivers communicated directly, their voices rising above the roar of powerful engines, a stark contrast to today’s world of headsets and telemetry. This film is fundamentally human. Compared to overwrought and sensationalized racing movies, Le Mans exudes a pure, almost ascetic dedication to the sport. Characters like Cole Trickle from Days of Thunder, with their manufactured drama, are simply incompatible with the genuine world depicted in Le Mans.
At its core, Le Mans is about the relentless intensity of endurance racing. Yet, adhering to American narrative conventions, the film subtly weaves in a romantic dimension. This is cleverly structured through two parallel storylines, each exploring boy-girl dynamics, preventing any single narrative from becoming overly sentimental while satisfying the demands of the cinematic form. One thread follows a European driver and his exceptionally understanding wife, navigating towards a mature decision for him to retire from the sport while he still can. The other, more central storyline, explores the burgeoning connection between McQueen’s American racing star and the widow of an Italian driver tragically killed in the previous year’s Le Mans race.
The fatal accident that claimed her husband’s life also involved McQueen’s character, although it was deemed a racing incident, devoid of fault. The widow, still grappling with her loss but ready for a new chapter, finds herself drawn to McQueen’s character – someone who inherently understands the profound nature of her grief and could potentially offer solace and justification for it. Steve McQueen excelled at portraying characters who sought no external validation, remaining authentically themselves without a hint of arrogance. This inherent authenticity is what his racing driver character embodies in Le Mans. In a poignant scene during a driver change pit stop (a necessity in the 24-hour Le Mans race), McQueen’s character subtly begins to mend the widow’s wounded heart. Across a dining table, she resists the urge to retreat from her emotions, but McQueen’s understated yet unwavering presence prevents her from doing so. Much of their dialogue remains inaudible, the scene deliberately framed from outside the dining area, the camera retreating through the window. This brief but powerfully acted scene underscores the film’s humanity, a quality that remains constant amidst the high-speed action and engine screams.
The racing sequences in Le Mans are masterfully executed. The moments leading up to the race start are intensely palpable. Drivers inside their cars, adjusting shifters, activating ignitions one by one as the countdown progresses against the backdrop of a rhythmic heartbeat sound, immerses the viewer directly into the cockpit. The high-speed scenes were brought to life by actual racing legends of the era, including McQueen himself, pushing the limits of camera technology to capture authentic velocity. The film also features impactful crashes, filmed with interwoven stop-motion techniques, allowing viewers to witness the violent deconstruction of metal as cars disintegrate. As the race nears its climax, a realistic scenario sets the stage for a gripping final lap duel between McQueen and his primary rival, a formidable German driver portrayed by Sigfried Rauch (who notably also played the seasoned Wehrmacht Sergeant in Sam Fuller’s The Big Red One). An earlier, brief encounter between these two drivers establishes a clear sense of mutual respect and camaraderie, a bond that permeates the entire film and transforms their final lap battle into a display of pure sportsmanship.
And then there are the cars. The open-class Le Mans machines of this era, still echoing the elegant design language of the preceding decade, are visually captivating. McQueen’s ride, the Gulf Porsche 917, is arguably the most charismatic racing car ever conceived. Interestingly, one of the cars used in the film, a Lola (as far as memory serves), was recently discovered in a German barn, missing its engine and transmission, which had been loaned by Porsche for the movie production.
To fully appreciate Le Mans, experience it on an audio system capable of delivering robust sound. Adjusting the EQ slightly towards the bass can compensate for the accurate but slightly thin 1970s recording technology. Turn up the volume, and you’ll be sonically transported to the racetrack. While the Rat-Pack-esque score is arguably the film’s weakest element, it’s a minor detraction from this exceptional film. Le Mans is as enduring as a classic design, a must-have for any genuine motorsport aficionado, particularly those who appreciate the sport’s historical context. For those drawn to character-driven, semi-documentary style films, Downhill Racer, released the year before Le Mans, offers a similar experience in the world of skiing. While Robert Redford’s ski star is far from noble, he is convincingly flawed, as are Gene Hackman and Dabney Coleman as his coaches. It was a favorite of the late film critic John Simon, and for good reason, much like Le Mans deserves its critical acclaim for capturing a pivotal era in racing history.
