Without a doubt, the greatest motor racing movie of all time! Steve McQueen's Le Mans doesn't come close. The storyline is OK but where this movie excels is in the groundbreaking cinematography. The shots of the old tracks particularly Spa and Monza are truly superb. Ever wanted to know what it's like to blast along the Masta straight down to Stavelot at Spa, you'll see it here. Want to know what driving on the steep Monza banking was like at 160+ mph, you'll see it here with in car footage. On top of that you've got circuits like Zandvoort in Holland which is not used for today's F1. These were the days when drivers partied the night before and after the race, when the sport was glamorous and exciting. The soundtrack is also brilliant. When oh when will we get the DVD version?
152 Reviews
Brilliant on, mediocre off the track
sascha-178 August 2007
Grand Prix is one of those films that simply couldn't be made today. This fact is mentioned over and over in the extras on the excellent DVD-edition, and rightly so. Back in the 60s, F1 racing was still much more "innocent" (and more exciting) than the multi-billion-dollar media-circus it is today. Just imagine someone trying to get Bernie Ecclestone and the teams to allow a film-crew to use F1-tracks on a race-weekend or even to film in the pits/paddock-area of today's F1 - for free! Or imagine having a bunch of actors drive around in real race-cars on real tracks at break-neck speed in today's safety-obsessed world - impossible.
Well, Frankenheimer did all that back in the 60s and for that reason alone the movie is required watching for anyone who has even a slight interest in cars or motor sports. GP offers us a pretty realistic glimpse of an era gone-by - and it doesn't shy away from the gruesome reality and dangers of motor-racing in the 60s. This realism alone makes GP stand out. The filmmakers didn't simulate races, they actually had the actors racing cars on the original tracks and filmed it. The result is astonishing and really gives a feeling of what it must've been like to sit in one of those beautiful deathtraps at speeds of around 300 km/h. The excellent cinematography, editing and music add to this unique experience and they also give the picture that typical 60s-feel (the opening credits alone are worth the price of admission in my book).
On a side note: Being a racing-fan myself, I can't help but wonder why Frankenheimer didn't include the race at the Nürburgring. Back in those days, F1 still used the 20km+ Nordschleife-version of the track, possibly the most demanding and "scary" circuit ever.
Naturally: Between races the movie loses momentum. That's not so much caused by some weak dialog or the predictable plot - it's s just that those incredible scenes on the tracks simply steal the show. No wonder that I find myself fast-forwarding through a lot of the dialog.
In short: 10/10 for the action on the racetracks - 6/10 for the scenes off the track = 8/10
Well, Frankenheimer did all that back in the 60s and for that reason alone the movie is required watching for anyone who has even a slight interest in cars or motor sports. GP offers us a pretty realistic glimpse of an era gone-by - and it doesn't shy away from the gruesome reality and dangers of motor-racing in the 60s. This realism alone makes GP stand out. The filmmakers didn't simulate races, they actually had the actors racing cars on the original tracks and filmed it. The result is astonishing and really gives a feeling of what it must've been like to sit in one of those beautiful deathtraps at speeds of around 300 km/h. The excellent cinematography, editing and music add to this unique experience and they also give the picture that typical 60s-feel (the opening credits alone are worth the price of admission in my book).
On a side note: Being a racing-fan myself, I can't help but wonder why Frankenheimer didn't include the race at the Nürburgring. Back in those days, F1 still used the 20km+ Nordschleife-version of the track, possibly the most demanding and "scary" circuit ever.
Naturally: Between races the movie loses momentum. That's not so much caused by some weak dialog or the predictable plot - it's s just that those incredible scenes on the tracks simply steal the show. No wonder that I find myself fast-forwarding through a lot of the dialog.
In short: 10/10 for the action on the racetracks - 6/10 for the scenes off the track = 8/10
The Star Is The Sport
bkoganbing17 December 2008
According to a recent biography of Steve McQueen, Grand Prix was supposed to be a project that he and John Frankenheimer were originally to work on. But the two had creative differences and went their separate ways doing separate racing pictures. What McQueen eventually did was Le Mans. I think Frankenheimer wound up with the far better product.
Grand Prix is a Grand Hotel type film involving several people and their lives over the course of a few months on the European racing circuit. Many of the types fans of the sport will most likely recognize.
James Garner is the American driver who's had a run of bad luck. A car crash has forced him to try and be color commentator for television, a role he can't fit in. Japanese auto industrialist Toshiro Mifune is offering him a way back into the circuit.
Brian Bedford's sustained a serious crash and even before's he's healed he's driving through a lot of pain. His wife Jessica Walter thinks he's certifiable and she drifts into an affair with Garner whom she thinks is showing good sense in going for the life of sports television commentator.
Antonio Sabato, father of the famed Calvin Klein model of the last decade, is the Epicurean live for the moment driver who doesn't take anything seriously except for the time he's actually competing. Definitely not his women as Francoise Hardy finds out.
The veteran of the circuit, the Michael Jordan of the profession, is Yves Montand. The only real happiness he has is driving, not even an affair with journalist Eva Marie Saint is bringing him that. Montand is trapped in a loveless marriage to Genevieve Page who's the daughter of another automobile industrialist. His name means more prestige for daddy's firm, so she'll tolerate all infidelities.
Montand is getting old and like many afraid his reflexes won't be there for him at one critical point too many. Back then these guys were racing at speeds of 180 miles an hour. Your life saving decisions at some point are taken out of your hands at those speeds.
Whether it's the NASCAR circuit in the USA, the Grand Prix of Europe or even midget go cars, auto racing may in fact be the only truly international sport there is. It's stars come from every corner in this world except Antarctica. The sport is held in just about every country there is. It's also never become has politicized as the Olympics have become on occasion. The drivers who compete and the supporters and sponsors around them are an international fraternity that national boundaries have no meaning for.
Despite the presence of so many international names, the star of the film is the sport itself. All the stories of the players are done against that backdrop. It's a tribute to John Frankenheimer that the individual stories did not get lost in the making of Grand Prix. The film won three Oscars, for Sound, for Sound Effects, and for Film Editing.
Grand Prix is the best film on auto racing ever done. And it's presented in such a way that even people who don't follow the sport, can appreciate what the drivers go through. If possible see this one on the big screen.
Grand Prix is a Grand Hotel type film involving several people and their lives over the course of a few months on the European racing circuit. Many of the types fans of the sport will most likely recognize.
James Garner is the American driver who's had a run of bad luck. A car crash has forced him to try and be color commentator for television, a role he can't fit in. Japanese auto industrialist Toshiro Mifune is offering him a way back into the circuit.
Brian Bedford's sustained a serious crash and even before's he's healed he's driving through a lot of pain. His wife Jessica Walter thinks he's certifiable and she drifts into an affair with Garner whom she thinks is showing good sense in going for the life of sports television commentator.
Antonio Sabato, father of the famed Calvin Klein model of the last decade, is the Epicurean live for the moment driver who doesn't take anything seriously except for the time he's actually competing. Definitely not his women as Francoise Hardy finds out.
The veteran of the circuit, the Michael Jordan of the profession, is Yves Montand. The only real happiness he has is driving, not even an affair with journalist Eva Marie Saint is bringing him that. Montand is trapped in a loveless marriage to Genevieve Page who's the daughter of another automobile industrialist. His name means more prestige for daddy's firm, so she'll tolerate all infidelities.
Montand is getting old and like many afraid his reflexes won't be there for him at one critical point too many. Back then these guys were racing at speeds of 180 miles an hour. Your life saving decisions at some point are taken out of your hands at those speeds.
Whether it's the NASCAR circuit in the USA, the Grand Prix of Europe or even midget go cars, auto racing may in fact be the only truly international sport there is. It's stars come from every corner in this world except Antarctica. The sport is held in just about every country there is. It's also never become has politicized as the Olympics have become on occasion. The drivers who compete and the supporters and sponsors around them are an international fraternity that national boundaries have no meaning for.
Despite the presence of so many international names, the star of the film is the sport itself. All the stories of the players are done against that backdrop. It's a tribute to John Frankenheimer that the individual stories did not get lost in the making of Grand Prix. The film won three Oscars, for Sound, for Sound Effects, and for Film Editing.
Grand Prix is the best film on auto racing ever done. And it's presented in such a way that even people who don't follow the sport, can appreciate what the drivers go through. If possible see this one on the big screen.
a period piece-- but of a great period
lotus4917 January 2000
It's hard to rate this film. Its got a soap opera plot pasted on to some really fine cinematography, editing, music and racing sequences. The real stars of this film are the cars, the beautiful F1 'cigar' cars of the 60's with their exposed engines and elegant lines. Within a handful of years aerodynamics and advertising would change the look of racing forever. Even the plot hints at the change taking place at the time-- from the gentlemen's league of the 50's to the ravenously commercial and brutally competitive environment that Formula 1 was to become. Frankenheimer followed the tour through a season, to the storied old tracks such as Nurburgring, Spa and Monza (before safety and television considerations changed them to much shorter, less idiosyncratic shadows of their former selves). There are cameos by Graham Hill, Bruce McLaren, Jim Clark and Lorenzo Bandini, names tinged with tragedy in retrospect. Technically this film is quite an achievement. Many of its developments, however, did not really take, such a multiple images, and the splicing of soft music to intense action scenes. The film, then, is not one of great importance in movie history. But there are a lot of racing fans who hold a special, if not top, place for Grand Prix in their lists of favourite films.
Rather amazing to watch, but not a whole lot of depth.
planktonrules16 August 2012
Warning: Spoilers
"Grand Prix" is a pretty spectacular film to watch and I sure wish I could see it on the big screen--especially since it was apparently shown in the Cinerama format. Not surprisingly, it won several technical Oscars in 1967. It was simply amazing how much better the camera-work and sound was than in previous racing films. However, while spectacular, it's also a film with very little depth. After all, with most of the film spent showing various races, there wasn't a whole lot of time left for character development. Now this isn't to say it's a bad film--but it's one that lacks a lot in the way of characters. The actors are more one-dimensional than you'd normally find in a film. Sadly, there were only a few times you really got a good look into a character (such as how Sarti, Yves Montand, reacted after his car ran over two teens). Lovely to look at and exquisitely made but its value as a film limits itself.
It's amazing how short my review is for a nearly three hour film, but after the picture concluded, there just wasn't much to say or add.
It's amazing how short my review is for a nearly three hour film, but after the picture concluded, there just wasn't much to say or add.
Grand Prix
pehibbs8 April 2005
Although it is almost 40 years old, it is still the standard by which racing movies are judged. The good news is the plot doesn't interfere with the racing scenes. It's also great to see drivers like Graham Hill, Phil Hill (glad he didn't quit his day job), Chris Amon, Jimmy Clark, and others on screen. The cars are incredible, even with their lack of aerodynamics and their skinny tires. The opening scene with the engines starting and watching the throttles work is just too cool. These were the 3-litre engines and it was back when drivers actually had to clutch and shift! It's also great to see the tracks as they were back then, especially Spa. Unfortunately they were incredibly dangerous and have been updated for safety reasons, but they were good to see in their old form.
Lavish production values and even by modern standards, breathtaking speeds
tonypeacock-18 April 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I was intrigued to watch a movie I had never heard about but wanted to compare to another Formula One film I saw a couple of years ago, Rush.
Here James Garner is the main star (he sadly died a few years ago). Garner was quite a competent driver in his own right.
The film shows off lavish cinematography in terms of colour, and speed of the cars. The film stock/cameras used must have been the best available.
The film isn't just about fast cars endlessly lapping racing circuits but explores the drivers and their partner's emotions about fear, injury, death and triumph.
Similar to the film Rush directed by Ron Howard which exolores the real life rivalry of star drivers Niki Lauda and James Hunt this film explores rivalries albeit in a fictional manner.
The film uses teal locations and features good camerawork to show the speed of the cars which even in 1966 reached speeds of 180-200 miles per hour.
It would have been interesting to see James Garner and friend and car afficionado Steve McQueen in this film together as rivals.
Definitely a film for racing fans only.
Here James Garner is the main star (he sadly died a few years ago). Garner was quite a competent driver in his own right.
The film shows off lavish cinematography in terms of colour, and speed of the cars. The film stock/cameras used must have been the best available.
The film isn't just about fast cars endlessly lapping racing circuits but explores the drivers and their partner's emotions about fear, injury, death and triumph.
Similar to the film Rush directed by Ron Howard which exolores the real life rivalry of star drivers Niki Lauda and James Hunt this film explores rivalries albeit in a fictional manner.
The film uses teal locations and features good camerawork to show the speed of the cars which even in 1966 reached speeds of 180-200 miles per hour.
It would have been interesting to see James Garner and friend and car afficionado Steve McQueen in this film together as rivals.
Definitely a film for racing fans only.
Magnificent
bholly727 October 2003
The plot is ho-hum, the acting is superb, with Jessica Walter and James Garner especially terrific, but the movie is about formula 1 racing, and there has never been anything like it. The racing scenes merge image and movement and music and become transcendent. Even on the small tv screen, this movie is remarkable. But if you ever find it playing in a theatre, you'll be amazed.
Dynamite Stuff
JasparLamarCrabb26 April 2006
Yes, it's a soap opera set against the backdrop of the International racing world, but it's so well done, it has to be recommended. Director John Frankenheimer assembled a top cast including James Garner, Yves Montand, Brian Bedford and Antonio Sabato as the racers and Eva Marie Saint, Jessica Walter and Francoise Hardy as the women in their lives. Garner and Bedford both vie for Walter, classy reporter Eva Marie Saint hooks up with Montand and Sabato and Hardy are the swinging Europeans. Toshiro Mifune plays a Japenese race car manufacturer. Jessica Walter is stunning and most of the acting is first-rate although Montand's accent is too thick and is pretty distracting. Bedford spends most of the movie in body cast. How they all end up is unimportant.
Frankenheimer's direction is stellar and he's helped out by the great Saul Bass who supplied some very nifty montage sequences.
Frankenheimer's direction is stellar and he's helped out by the great Saul Bass who supplied some very nifty montage sequences.
little known info about the film
whythehellnot21 May 2007
The film Grand Prix was originally filmed in Cinerama and was designed for that medium. It has to be seen in Cinerama to get the full effect. When first shown people had to leave because they felt sick, you were really in the car and the sense of speed and movement was fantastic. When released in Cinemascope it lost much of that impact. Its a shame it will probably never be seen again in all its original glory.
I have raced at Brands many times on the old circuit, the one used in the film and knew Graham Hill and some of the other drivers used in the film Graham had an incredible sense of humour.
It is good to see the Monza banking being used. It is no longer part of the circuit as it was considered too dangerous at the speeds of modern cars especially since the suspensions would bottom out and throw the car out of control on the bumps and the banking was very bumpy.
Tony Pollock
I have raced at Brands many times on the old circuit, the one used in the film and knew Graham Hill and some of the other drivers used in the film Graham had an incredible sense of humour.
It is good to see the Monza banking being used. It is no longer part of the circuit as it was considered too dangerous at the speeds of modern cars especially since the suspensions would bottom out and throw the car out of control on the bumps and the banking was very bumpy.
Tony Pollock
is this the oldest formule 1 film ?
petersjoelen25 February 2024
In the 1960s they were virtually outlaws and died in droves. The circuits of Monaco, Spa, Zandvoort and Monza almost guaranteed a fatal accident. Nothing was done about the safety of the circuits and the cars. It is thanks to Jackie Stewart that the drivers made their voices heard and some improvements were slowly enforced.
Grand Prix does show some of the dangers and fatal accidents, but it is mainly about the excitement of the races. Because it is a feature film and not a documentary. An excellent film, by the way, with beautiful images, excellent camera work and varied editing. I had a great time with it. Three hours is a long time, but the film never bored me for a minute. Frankenheimer knows how to keep a film exciting.
The drama plot is of less importance, it is mainly about the beautiful action shots and racing scenes that absolutely impress, especially when you consider how old the film is.
Grand Prix does show some of the dangers and fatal accidents, but it is mainly about the excitement of the races. Because it is a feature film and not a documentary. An excellent film, by the way, with beautiful images, excellent camera work and varied editing. I had a great time with it. Three hours is a long time, but the film never bored me for a minute. Frankenheimer knows how to keep a film exciting.
The drama plot is of less importance, it is mainly about the beautiful action shots and racing scenes that absolutely impress, especially when you consider how old the film is.
Good or Bad, Most Reviewers Miss the Point
busy-boy11 December 2012
If you are a car racing fan, you'll love this movie automatically. If you are a cinephile, you will appreciate it technically. If you are a writer, you will spit on the script. No matter.
"Titanic" wasn't about that pathetic love triangle story. It was a vehicle to get you into the night the great ship was lost. Grand Prix uses a relatively lame storyline about the private lives of the drivers to get you into their circle. I think it's all just a part of putting the audience into the car.
And I DO mean the car. Not a green screen half car and a CGI effect. A car. Several cars. At high speed, with cameras mounted and actors trained to actually drive them. No phony backgrounds projected. Watch NASCAR or INDY coverage on the SPEED Channel any weekend and you will see on-board shots from vidcams in real time. We're used to that now. Prior to "Grand Prix", there was NO such thing. Grand Prix stands with "Bullitt" and "The French Connection" as the greatest "cut to the chase" movies of all time.
Nothing is done like this any more. If you want to see the masters at work, rent these movies. This is pure analog fun at it's best, and it just doesn't get better with the switch to digits, because the thrill leaves along with the risk factor.
So tolerate the maudlin romantic claptrap. Laugh as you watch some of the stars of Formula 1 racing standing around grimacing into the camera at the infidelities of the British driver's wife (it is a riot), but stand and applaud in awe at the astounding achievement of John Frankenheimer and company at shooting a fictional Grand Prix season against the background of an actual Grand Prix season. It is awesome and worthy of your viewing time, even though the basic story falls short of Oscar caliber scripting.
"Titanic" wasn't about that pathetic love triangle story. It was a vehicle to get you into the night the great ship was lost. Grand Prix uses a relatively lame storyline about the private lives of the drivers to get you into their circle. I think it's all just a part of putting the audience into the car.
And I DO mean the car. Not a green screen half car and a CGI effect. A car. Several cars. At high speed, with cameras mounted and actors trained to actually drive them. No phony backgrounds projected. Watch NASCAR or INDY coverage on the SPEED Channel any weekend and you will see on-board shots from vidcams in real time. We're used to that now. Prior to "Grand Prix", there was NO such thing. Grand Prix stands with "Bullitt" and "The French Connection" as the greatest "cut to the chase" movies of all time.
Nothing is done like this any more. If you want to see the masters at work, rent these movies. This is pure analog fun at it's best, and it just doesn't get better with the switch to digits, because the thrill leaves along with the risk factor.
So tolerate the maudlin romantic claptrap. Laugh as you watch some of the stars of Formula 1 racing standing around grimacing into the camera at the infidelities of the British driver's wife (it is a riot), but stand and applaud in awe at the astounding achievement of John Frankenheimer and company at shooting a fictional Grand Prix season against the background of an actual Grand Prix season. It is awesome and worthy of your viewing time, even though the basic story falls short of Oscar caliber scripting.
Dramatic but slightly boring
tornikes15 September 2021
This director is clearly obsessed with racing. The racing part from Ronin (another of his movies) lasts for at least 15 minutes and is truly exciting. Raving parts are good in this movie too (obviously) and there are some outstanding actors here, but still quite boring.
Overreaches
bigverybadtom27 July 2014
I saw this after the death of James Garner. The idea was good, but this was not one of his better movies.
The concept was interesting-a mixture of Formula One racing and the intrigues and romances of the people involved. Trouble is, the movie tries to include too much and ends up overlong and tedious.
We do get a feel of what it is like to be in the race-the high speeds, the tight curves, the dangers of other drivers or cars that break down, leading to serious accidents. We also see the strains and divided loyalties of the drivers and their respective friends and spouses. We also see the rocky relationships between drivers and their employers.
But the film becomes overlong because it just tries to incorporate too much. It is easy to see why most films try to simplify their stories as much as they can.
The concept was interesting-a mixture of Formula One racing and the intrigues and romances of the people involved. Trouble is, the movie tries to include too much and ends up overlong and tedious.
We do get a feel of what it is like to be in the race-the high speeds, the tight curves, the dangers of other drivers or cars that break down, leading to serious accidents. We also see the strains and divided loyalties of the drivers and their respective friends and spouses. We also see the rocky relationships between drivers and their employers.
But the film becomes overlong because it just tries to incorporate too much. It is easy to see why most films try to simplify their stories as much as they can.
A Technically Superb Film
BikeBill12 April 2000
I won't bore you with the plotline; you can get all that elsewhere. The main reason one should see this film is for the camera effects. And remember too -- these were all done the hard way; there was no computer imaging back in 1966!
If you get the chance to see this in a theater, DO NOT BE LATE!! The opening -- with the driver plugging his ears with cotton before putting on his helmet -- is aptly appropriate. The split-screen and multiple-image effects are first seen in the opening and crop up throughout the movie -- and always to good advantage, not just a "gee whiz, look what we can do" use of technique and technology. ESPN and the other networks, in their NASCAR telecasts, have just now started to adopt techniques first used by Frankenheimer 30-plus years ago.
One of the best scenes in the film is in the early minutes. You are actually *in* the cockpit of a F-1 car as it spins out of control, slides off the track, and launches itself into the harbor. I might add that this was *NOT* done with models, but used real, full-sized cars and took long hours to produce -- and these were truly "state-of-the-art" effects in 1966 (I won't give away the secrets here but will say that if you can locate a copy of the appropriate issue of "Popular Mechanics" [March 1966?] you will enjoy the article about the film and the techniques). The end result was about 15 seconds of some of the best racing footage committed to film. Needless to say, this is a very quick-running sequence!
I saw this picture in Cinerama in 1966, and I too echo the sentiment for a re-release of this picture to the large screen. More is the pity that Cinerama is no more. There are few pictures where Cinerama could be used to its fullest advantage; the in-car and on-track sequences of this film, however, were some of those.
If you get the chance to see this in a theater, DO NOT BE LATE!! The opening -- with the driver plugging his ears with cotton before putting on his helmet -- is aptly appropriate. The split-screen and multiple-image effects are first seen in the opening and crop up throughout the movie -- and always to good advantage, not just a "gee whiz, look what we can do" use of technique and technology. ESPN and the other networks, in their NASCAR telecasts, have just now started to adopt techniques first used by Frankenheimer 30-plus years ago.
One of the best scenes in the film is in the early minutes. You are actually *in* the cockpit of a F-1 car as it spins out of control, slides off the track, and launches itself into the harbor. I might add that this was *NOT* done with models, but used real, full-sized cars and took long hours to produce -- and these were truly "state-of-the-art" effects in 1966 (I won't give away the secrets here but will say that if you can locate a copy of the appropriate issue of "Popular Mechanics" [March 1966?] you will enjoy the article about the film and the techniques). The end result was about 15 seconds of some of the best racing footage committed to film. Needless to say, this is a very quick-running sequence!
I saw this picture in Cinerama in 1966, and I too echo the sentiment for a re-release of this picture to the large screen. More is the pity that Cinerama is no more. There are few pictures where Cinerama could be used to its fullest advantage; the in-car and on-track sequences of this film, however, were some of those.
a tale of two speeds
SnoopyStyle28 August 2016
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.
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.
The good old days?
tomsview27 October 2021
Jeremy Clarkson, in an interview with Eric Bana, thought the "good old days" of motor racing changed after Niki Lauda's accident in 1972, and when "Jackie Stewart really got into his stride with the safety thing".
He wasn't alone in thinking the safety measures Stewart advocated detracted from the sport. "Grand Prix" gives an insight into what Formula One was like before the changes.
Most of what I know about Formula One comes from this movie and the eye-opening 2013 documentary, "Life on the Limit".
I may not be a motor racing fanatic, but I do love movies, and I think "Grand Prix" has a great script. It focuses on the lives and loves of four drivers. Only Italian Nino Barlini (Antonio Sabàto) loves the sport for the thrills and the glory. The others, Pete Aron (James Garner), Jean-Pierre Sarti (Yves Montand) and Scott Stoddard (Brian Bedford) do it for other reasons, often against their instincts.
Although Garner was top billed, Yves Montand stole the show as the most philosophical of the drivers. However, when Jean-Pierre suggests that the crowds only come to see the accidents, Eva Marie Saint as Louise Frederickson best sums up what draws spectators to the sport, "There are some who come for the accidents and the fires. But the others... the others ride with you all. You put something in their lives they can't put there themselves".
Seeing this on the wide-screen was awesome. When the curtains parted after the overture, and the camera pulled back to reveal the thundering exhaust as the flag went down on the Monaco Grand Prix you automatically pressed back against your seat.
You would think starting with that amazing street-race risked making everything else anti-climatic, but no! The final race at Monza on those banking curves is even more spectacular.
Maurice Jarre's monumental score gave a feeling of the cars shooting past. Even in its quieter moments, the score gives a sense that the track ominously awaits the protagonists.
And what about beautiful Françoise Hardy as Lisa? She epitomised the off-the-track glamour of Formula One. I was sorry to learn she is not well these days.
Director John Frankenheimer and the stars that played the drivers have gone now, but what a movie they left behind; whenever you see a list of motor racing movies, "Grand Prix" is at the top.
He wasn't alone in thinking the safety measures Stewart advocated detracted from the sport. "Grand Prix" gives an insight into what Formula One was like before the changes.
Most of what I know about Formula One comes from this movie and the eye-opening 2013 documentary, "Life on the Limit".
I may not be a motor racing fanatic, but I do love movies, and I think "Grand Prix" has a great script. It focuses on the lives and loves of four drivers. Only Italian Nino Barlini (Antonio Sabàto) loves the sport for the thrills and the glory. The others, Pete Aron (James Garner), Jean-Pierre Sarti (Yves Montand) and Scott Stoddard (Brian Bedford) do it for other reasons, often against their instincts.
Although Garner was top billed, Yves Montand stole the show as the most philosophical of the drivers. However, when Jean-Pierre suggests that the crowds only come to see the accidents, Eva Marie Saint as Louise Frederickson best sums up what draws spectators to the sport, "There are some who come for the accidents and the fires. But the others... the others ride with you all. You put something in their lives they can't put there themselves".
Seeing this on the wide-screen was awesome. When the curtains parted after the overture, and the camera pulled back to reveal the thundering exhaust as the flag went down on the Monaco Grand Prix you automatically pressed back against your seat.
You would think starting with that amazing street-race risked making everything else anti-climatic, but no! The final race at Monza on those banking curves is even more spectacular.
Maurice Jarre's monumental score gave a feeling of the cars shooting past. Even in its quieter moments, the score gives a sense that the track ominously awaits the protagonists.
And what about beautiful Françoise Hardy as Lisa? She epitomised the off-the-track glamour of Formula One. I was sorry to learn she is not well these days.
Director John Frankenheimer and the stars that played the drivers have gone now, but what a movie they left behind; whenever you see a list of motor racing movies, "Grand Prix" is at the top.
Must go faster
CuriosityKilledShawn27 June 2011
"When I look back, I don't know how the hell we ever did that film." - John Frankenheimer
At 176 minutes, Grand Prix is the very definition of epic, but is so perfectly edited and shot that it never really feels that length. I'm always weary of movies with bloated running times, but Grand Prix even features the 5-minute intermission as seen in theatres, so there's no reason to feel guilty for getting up and stretching your legs a bit.
The film follows four Formula 1 drivers as they question life, chase women, and face a crisis of confidence. It's very Day-of-Thunder-ish, but I guess there's only so much story you can shoehorn in-between racing scenes in a film like this. The documentary feel adds an authentic edge to it, which helps keep a far distance from Tony Scott's similarly-themed disaster.
Shot in 70mm and originally projected in Cinerama (a curved screen for an immersive experience, an early form of IMAX in a way), John Frankenheimer does not hold back and thrusts the audience right into the middle of real races. Up until this point racing movies were mostly b-grade drive-in material with actors shot against a projected backdrop (think of Clark Gable in To Please a Lady) and audiences had never really seen it for real, in color, and especially not from the driver's point-of-view. Some shots are mesmerizing, especially the camera, one inch above the surface of the tarmac, hurtling down the road. Few movies have ever given you this sense of speed. And it's all done for real. I'm not saying that there's no place for CGI in movies, but if you want something to look good, you're going to have to do it the hard way.
Frankenheimer had little regard towards the end of his career after making drek like The Island of Doctor Moreau and Reindeer Games (though Ronin more than makes up for it). I always thought he was an underrated filmmaker who deserved more acclaim. Grand Prix deservedly won three Oscars for Best Sound, Best Sound Editing, and Best Film Editing. It will never win awards or recognition for the story, but for sheer sight and sound it's a force to be reckoned with.
At 176 minutes, Grand Prix is the very definition of epic, but is so perfectly edited and shot that it never really feels that length. I'm always weary of movies with bloated running times, but Grand Prix even features the 5-minute intermission as seen in theatres, so there's no reason to feel guilty for getting up and stretching your legs a bit.
The film follows four Formula 1 drivers as they question life, chase women, and face a crisis of confidence. It's very Day-of-Thunder-ish, but I guess there's only so much story you can shoehorn in-between racing scenes in a film like this. The documentary feel adds an authentic edge to it, which helps keep a far distance from Tony Scott's similarly-themed disaster.
Shot in 70mm and originally projected in Cinerama (a curved screen for an immersive experience, an early form of IMAX in a way), John Frankenheimer does not hold back and thrusts the audience right into the middle of real races. Up until this point racing movies were mostly b-grade drive-in material with actors shot against a projected backdrop (think of Clark Gable in To Please a Lady) and audiences had never really seen it for real, in color, and especially not from the driver's point-of-view. Some shots are mesmerizing, especially the camera, one inch above the surface of the tarmac, hurtling down the road. Few movies have ever given you this sense of speed. And it's all done for real. I'm not saying that there's no place for CGI in movies, but if you want something to look good, you're going to have to do it the hard way.
Frankenheimer had little regard towards the end of his career after making drek like The Island of Doctor Moreau and Reindeer Games (though Ronin more than makes up for it). I always thought he was an underrated filmmaker who deserved more acclaim. Grand Prix deservedly won three Oscars for Best Sound, Best Sound Editing, and Best Film Editing. It will never win awards or recognition for the story, but for sheer sight and sound it's a force to be reckoned with.
The BEST Racing Movie
Revlis322 August 2001
If you've seen Days of Thunder and Driven you probably laughed at some of the unrealistic stunts and the silly storylines. Grand Prix is by far the best racing movie out there. The racing scenes are realistic and exciting. James Garner portrays a US Formula 1 driver with wonderful action scenes. If you liked drivers like Jimmy Clark, you'll love this movie.
It's All About the Racing
Hitchcoc11 December 2016
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.
A must-see for all Formula One fans.
camcurwood30 July 1999
If you are a racing fan, then this movie is a must. The in-car camera shots are amazing, and put to shame the pictures we get today, from real races with modern technology. It serves as a great historical piece, with wonderful shots of the old Spa circuit and the oval banking at Monza. The effects are amazing. They somehow made it look like James Garner was actually driving the car, with another car buzzing behind him. The crash scenes are very spectacular. In terms of the story, it is OK, and improves greatly during the last race, where flashbacks are featured on each driver, and the suspense builds. It`s probably best seen on the biggest screen you can find.
Fast Cars, Slow Romance
wes-connors9 April 2011
Here is the story of four "Grand Prix" race-car drivers. We follow not only their competitions on the track, but also their mating habits off the track. First-billed James Garner (as Pete Aron) is an American who accidentally wipes out Brian Bedford (as Scott Stoddard) from Britain. The opening crash causes Mr. Garner to lose his sponsor and Mr. Bedford to be hospitalized. As both men plan comebacks, Garner takes up with Bedford's wife, a cynical and sexy Jessica Walter (as Pat Stoddard). Garner tells Ms. Walker she's different from the usual $100 hooker...
Meanwhile, retiring Yves Montand (as Jean-Pierre Sarti) from France is turning sour on the sport, while turning sweet on beautiful fashion magazine editor Eva Marie Saint (as Louise Frederickson). He's married to another woman, of course. The fourth racer is handsome young Antonio Sabato (as Nino Barlini), an Italian who attracts delicious Francoise Hardy (as Lisa). Mr. Sabato takes his other women in pairs. Yum, yum
The long romantic parts of "Grand Prix" become very tiresome...
Garner never captures the passion of either a racer, or lover of Ms. Walter. Montand and Ms. Saint play their roles well, but it's not much of a story. Bedford's part is the most engaging. Sabato is around to be sexy, but the end shows he and Montand on contrasting ends of careers. While the plot lines meander, the racing is exciting. Director John Frankenheimer and photographer Lionel Lindon thrillingly put you in the car. "The Cruel Sport" is acknowledged for its danger appeal. Every race in this movie includes some sort of accident, which is one reason people watch these drivers. But, don't tell.
****** Grand Prix (12/21/66) John Frankenheimer ~ James Garner, Eva Marie Saint, Brian Bedford, Yves Montand
Meanwhile, retiring Yves Montand (as Jean-Pierre Sarti) from France is turning sour on the sport, while turning sweet on beautiful fashion magazine editor Eva Marie Saint (as Louise Frederickson). He's married to another woman, of course. The fourth racer is handsome young Antonio Sabato (as Nino Barlini), an Italian who attracts delicious Francoise Hardy (as Lisa). Mr. Sabato takes his other women in pairs. Yum, yum
The long romantic parts of "Grand Prix" become very tiresome...
Garner never captures the passion of either a racer, or lover of Ms. Walter. Montand and Ms. Saint play their roles well, but it's not much of a story. Bedford's part is the most engaging. Sabato is around to be sexy, but the end shows he and Montand on contrasting ends of careers. While the plot lines meander, the racing is exciting. Director John Frankenheimer and photographer Lionel Lindon thrillingly put you in the car. "The Cruel Sport" is acknowledged for its danger appeal. Every race in this movie includes some sort of accident, which is one reason people watch these drivers. But, don't tell.
****** Grand Prix (12/21/66) John Frankenheimer ~ James Garner, Eva Marie Saint, Brian Bedford, Yves Montand
Awesome film!
grahamsj315 March 2003
Warning: Spoilers
This was the first film I ever saw that used split-screen shots and it flat blew me away. I saw it at the theater and the sound was also fantastic. Nothing like a race car sound to get the blood pumping! The acting is, for the most part, good and the story is good but not great. The basic premise is that the person driving the race car is, to the sponsors and the crowd, just part of the race car, not a person. The film, however, lets the viewer get to know the drivers. However, what really sets this film apart from all others is the cinematography, which is just awesome! This was one of the first times a camera ever went for a ride in a race car and the results are stunning. This is one of my favorite films of all time. All you Days of Thunder fans - it can't hold a candle to this one! How about LeMans? Nice try, but not up to this one either. This film stars James Garner and Eva Marie Saint, Toshiro Mifune, Jessica Walter and Yves Montand. When will this come out on DVD? It deserves a dolby 5.1 soundtrack. Make it a DVD with special features and commentary while much of the cast is still alive! The DVD is out and it's great AND has special features!
Cars Go FAST.
rmax30482313 March 2014
Warning: Spoilers
What a spectacle -- these bullet-shaped racing cars shooting ballistically along the straightaways in Monaco and elsewhere, engines buzzing like a swarm of enormous bees, popping from one frequency to another in quantum leaps as the drivers manipulate the clutch in their bowling shoes.
Bowling shoes? Well, that's what they look like. We get to see a lot of them, and the driving gloves and helmets and wrenches and nuts that director Frankenheimer made sure to include in order to stage authenticity.
The cast is impressive, from James Garner through Yves Montand to Toshiro Mifune. And the LADIES! Elegant blond Eva Marie Saint, stony and sluttish Jessica Walters, and a few glimpses of a stunning young Genevieve Page. Page is being flirted with by a happy-go-lucky young Italian driver. "Drink?" "I don't drink." "Smoke?" "I don't smoke." "Well -- what DO you do?" (She silently looks him up and down.) When you're that lucky, happiness follows as the night the day.
Not all the dialog is clever. It has an elliptical quality, as if somebody had gotten Hemingway mixed up with Sartre. The non sequiturs emerge from the script clipped. "The truth is that I don't get lonely." "I don't follow you." "Don't you?" "Do you?" "What is existence?" "Only a pageant of illusions." Well, I made that last part up but you get the flavor.
The personal lives of the drivers impinge on their professional activities to varying extents, but so what? If you're into racing, this is your kind of movie. The director steps wrong only a few times, mostly at the beginning, when the screen is filled with multiple images, sometimes of the same shot. It's dizzying, like looking in a store window filled with a hundred TV sets, all tuned to the same channel. But the location shooting is fine. There are no crummy special effects and of course no CGI's. Maurice Jarre has written a pleasant melody for the score.
If I were more of an internal adrenalin addict I'd have given it an extra point. It's not at all a stupid movie. We don't have somebody shouting into Tony Curtis' ear, "Take him on the straightaway, Johnny!"
Bowling shoes? Well, that's what they look like. We get to see a lot of them, and the driving gloves and helmets and wrenches and nuts that director Frankenheimer made sure to include in order to stage authenticity.
The cast is impressive, from James Garner through Yves Montand to Toshiro Mifune. And the LADIES! Elegant blond Eva Marie Saint, stony and sluttish Jessica Walters, and a few glimpses of a stunning young Genevieve Page. Page is being flirted with by a happy-go-lucky young Italian driver. "Drink?" "I don't drink." "Smoke?" "I don't smoke." "Well -- what DO you do?" (She silently looks him up and down.) When you're that lucky, happiness follows as the night the day.
Not all the dialog is clever. It has an elliptical quality, as if somebody had gotten Hemingway mixed up with Sartre. The non sequiturs emerge from the script clipped. "The truth is that I don't get lonely." "I don't follow you." "Don't you?" "Do you?" "What is existence?" "Only a pageant of illusions." Well, I made that last part up but you get the flavor.
The personal lives of the drivers impinge on their professional activities to varying extents, but so what? If you're into racing, this is your kind of movie. The director steps wrong only a few times, mostly at the beginning, when the screen is filled with multiple images, sometimes of the same shot. It's dizzying, like looking in a store window filled with a hundred TV sets, all tuned to the same channel. But the location shooting is fine. There are no crummy special effects and of course no CGI's. Maurice Jarre has written a pleasant melody for the score.
If I were more of an internal adrenalin addict I'd have given it an extra point. It's not at all a stupid movie. We don't have somebody shouting into Tony Curtis' ear, "Take him on the straightaway, Johnny!"
Fair for racing, poor for acting and life
SimonJack17 June 2012
If some distant civilization were to discover a copy of this film all alone, with no other examples of filmdom in the 1960s, I can only imagine what they would have thought of the civilization of the mid-20th century. How about, "they had great sport watching people get killed or maimed in car races." And another: "They didn't believe much in fidelity in marriage (four of the six leading characters are adulterous throughout)." And, "All race car drivers of that time were loose and carefree about sex." And finally, "They sure were terrible actors."
So, how is it that this film won three Academy Awards? Well, for sound and technical aspects all related to the car and racing scenes. Indeed, the only thing about this film that is any good at all (and that's not great, but good) is its racing cinematography and sound.
The plot is loosely connected throughout, the script is very choppy and poor, and the directing is not good at all. And, besides the notion of adultery and free sex throughout as part of the race-driving milieu, the acting is abominable by most of the cast. James Garner was 38 at the time but had several years of acting under his belt, with many fine films. In "Grand Prix," he appeared almost lifeless. Yves Montand was not as stiff, but still failed to show any life in his character – he was bland. Without a doubt, the worst performance of all was that of Eva Marie Saint. She too, had several good acting years behind her, including an Oscar performance in "On the Waterfront" a dozen years before. But this was hardly the same actress. In each scene she was in, it seemed as though there was a pause before she spoke, as though she had to read the cue card somewhere first. She had zero emotion in this film, and spoke in a monotone throughout.
In a year that had so many high quality films ("A Man for All Seasons," "The Sand Pebbles," "The Shop on Main Street," "The Russians Are Coming, the Russians are Coming," "Georgy Girl," "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?," "The Fortune Cookie," "Alfie," and others), Grand Prix was far off the mark.
For a really great racing movie – that really captures the feel of the sport – see "Le Mans." That sports car movie is devoid of the Hollywood distractions from the main subject (and consequently the poor script and acting) that take up far too much of the time and footage in "Grand Prix." Steve McQueen, another race-car driver and enthusiast, stars in "Le Mans" which was done just five years after this dud.
So, how is it that this film won three Academy Awards? Well, for sound and technical aspects all related to the car and racing scenes. Indeed, the only thing about this film that is any good at all (and that's not great, but good) is its racing cinematography and sound.
The plot is loosely connected throughout, the script is very choppy and poor, and the directing is not good at all. And, besides the notion of adultery and free sex throughout as part of the race-driving milieu, the acting is abominable by most of the cast. James Garner was 38 at the time but had several years of acting under his belt, with many fine films. In "Grand Prix," he appeared almost lifeless. Yves Montand was not as stiff, but still failed to show any life in his character – he was bland. Without a doubt, the worst performance of all was that of Eva Marie Saint. She too, had several good acting years behind her, including an Oscar performance in "On the Waterfront" a dozen years before. But this was hardly the same actress. In each scene she was in, it seemed as though there was a pause before she spoke, as though she had to read the cue card somewhere first. She had zero emotion in this film, and spoke in a monotone throughout.
In a year that had so many high quality films ("A Man for All Seasons," "The Sand Pebbles," "The Shop on Main Street," "The Russians Are Coming, the Russians are Coming," "Georgy Girl," "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?," "The Fortune Cookie," "Alfie," and others), Grand Prix was far off the mark.
For a really great racing movie – that really captures the feel of the sport – see "Le Mans." That sports car movie is devoid of the Hollywood distractions from the main subject (and consequently the poor script and acting) that take up far too much of the time and footage in "Grand Prix." Steve McQueen, another race-car driver and enthusiast, stars in "Le Mans" which was done just five years after this dud.
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