Grand Prix (1966)

VHS COVER/SIDE

Length of film:  179 Minutes

Rated: PG

Genre: Drama, Sport

Director: John Frankenheimer

Starring: James Garner, Yves Montand, Brain Bedford, Eva Marie Saint, Toshirô Mifune, Jessica Walter, Antonio Sabato, Françoise Hardy, Adolfo Celi

IMDB Rank: 7.2/10

Part 1 Time: 105 Minutes      

Part 2 Time:  74 Minutes

Where does the first part end? The father of one of the dead men attacks Jean- Pierre Sarti (Yves Montand) as Pete Aron (James Garner) receives his flowers, the American anthem plays.

Final line of dialogue on the first part: “Oh Stop!” Louise Frederickson (Eva Marie Saint) shouts as her and Jean- Pierre Sarti embrace each other.

First line of dialogue on the second part: “Thing is will it start?” speaking about Roger’s old front engine green racer. 

How jarring is it when the first part ends? Minimal, the Belgian GP race is over with Aron the victor. The audience knows the dangers of Formula One racing and the collateral damage that follows. At this point in the film Aron is back to number one seed in the Formula One division.

Which part is better? Part one allows the audience to really appreciate the tolls and dangers that Formula One drivers put themselves and their family members through. The Monaco Grand Prix uses accrual Formula One footage and shows the horrors of this sport.

Academy Awards: Best Sound, Best Film Editing, Best Effects, Sound Effects