Why People Don't Get Le Mans

There are lots of movies out there. One in particular has struck a chord with a handful of us out there. When we run across one another it's like finding a long lost sibling and the feeling of joy you have is something to be experienced. What movie might that be? Why it's Steve McQueen's classic, "Le Mans".

I discovered the movie several years ago when I was getting back into my interest of racing full time. It happened to be aired back when Speed Channel used to show movies. I caught it late one day and sat mesmerised. The sound of the engines, the cars zooming by, the noise, the glamour, the crowds. It was all so masterfully done. But most people out there don't get it. My good friend Heather, she does. We look up to the movie as exactly what it is, a tribute to the great cars and drivers of an era gone by. Days when racing was even more dangerous and the cars were just as fast.

Now what's wrong with a movie on racing you ask? I mean people have enjoyed racing movies since they first came out. When discussing racing movies the most commonly referenced ones are "Days of Thunder" and "Driven". I shudder to even attempt to compare these to a classic like "Le Mans" or the other great racing movie, "Grand Prix". But we're focussing on "Le Mans" here so let's stick with it.

"Le Mans" is difficult for a lot of people to get simply because they don't love cars as much as the rest of us. The movie is over two hours of driving punctuated by a few minutes of talk. In essence it's the opposite of what every other racing movie shows. They will try to humanize the drivers to a level that we try to understand why they do what they do. It's hard to put it into words. And when you have an hour and a half of talk and half an hour of racing, it's hard to get the point in. In "Le Mans" it's more like twenty minutes of talk, and two hours of racing, but the point is more eloquently put across. To quote the King, "Life is racing, everything else is just waiting." That quote resonated with me so much that I constantly quote it to myself.

The movie is not obviously for everyone. You can usually tell who will like it and who won't if after 20 minutes the first question comes up, "Why aren't they saying anything?" To me, the sounds of the cars and the race say more than what many screenwriters could say to convey the affection many people have for driving and racing. The movie is a true test of those who love cars and racing and those who don't. Those of us who love the movie are still in a relatively small fraternity, but there's nothing wrong with that. We will continue to watch the movie in our racing jackets, firesuits, and other paraphenilia, smiling incessantly and grinning at each car zooming past. So pull up a glass of root beer and toast to one of the best movies on racing out there. If you don't get it, don't worry, you're in fine company too! ;-)