Movie of the Week: Ford v Ferrari
GSN
Jun 09, 2024
On hindsight, Ford v Ferrari can sound like a simple brand rivalry between two big dogs of automobiles. But in fact it was a matter of pride, power, speed & glory over the other that made 1966’s “24 Hours of Le Mans” one of the most memorable in F1 history.
Ford v Ferrari (also titled as Le Mans '66) is an American biographical sports drama film directed by James Mangold. It came out in 2019.
The “24 Hours of Le Mans” is an annual Grand Prix of Endurance that takes place for two days at the Circuit de la Sarthe in Le Mans, France.
Basically, Henry Ford II (played by Tracy Letts) and Lee Lacocca (played by Jon Bernthal) build a race car to defeat the perennially dominant Italian racing team Scuderia Ferrari at the 1966.
A fun and intense ride for all sports fans, especially F1 enthusiasts, the plot follows a determined team of American and English engineers and designers led by automotive designer Carroll Shelby (played by Matt Damon) and his British driver, Ken Miles (played by Christian Bale). Both actors do a good job to build and carry the anticipation, desperation and intensity throughout the movie.
It won two Academy Awards for Best Editing and Sound Mixing respectively in 2020 edition of the prestigious event. Critics praised the performances (particularly Bale and Damon), Mangold's direction, the editing, the sound design and the racing sequences. It was chosen by the National Board of Review as one of the ten best films of the year, and at the 92nd Academy Awards received four nominations, including Best Picture. Bale also received nominations for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor.
