Directed by the legendary James Mangold, ‘Ford v. Ferrari’ tells the story of British race car driver Ken Miles (Christian Bale) and American car designer, Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon). They try to defy the odds and build a groundbreaking race car for Ford to beat Ferrari at the famous sports car race, 24 Hours of Le Mans, in 1966.
Bale and Damon face petty bureaucracy, corporate meddling, and the laws of physics in this fascinating, brilliant film based on a true story. The film, released in 2019, was critically acclaimed and received four Oscar nominations at the 92nd Academy Awards. It won two Oscars, for Best Film Editing and Best Sound Editing.
The French Connection
Another classic car movie is 'The French Connection' (1971). Gene Hackman and Roy Scheider are an NYC detective team on the trail of a European international narcotic crime syndicate. It’s based on a true story. The movie is legendary. At the Times UK, a reviewer observed, “It’s hard to imagine it now, but there are only two types of cop movies: pre and post-The French Connection. That’s how big it is.”
It wouldn’t be the same movie if not for the cars. We love the Lincoln Continental Mark III that comes over from Marseilles packed with narcotics. More favorites are Sal’s (Tony Lo Bianco) ’71 Ford LTD and ’61 Comet Sedan. There’s a ’66 Pontiac LeMans used for a chase scene inside the subway.
Drive
Based on the novel by James Sallis, Danish director Nicholas Winding Refn delivered the downtown LA-based film 'Drive' to the big screen. Director Refn is also responsible for 'Bronson' and 'Valhalla Rising'. The 2011 movie was filmed entirely on the streets of downtown LA, employing helicopter shots lit with spotlights from other cars. No CGI, in other words. The budget movie performs.
The Driver, the only name given to the main character who is a movie stunt driver by day and a back-door delivery agent by night, is played by Ryan Gosling. He mans a sleek 1973 silver Chevy Chevelle Malibu providing a crime scene get-a-way vehicle. But his nighttime work gets him in trouble when one of the heists goes south. Driver is forced into a situation that threatens his love interest, Irene, and her child. He must man-up or risk everything. Carey Mulligan plays Irene, and Oscar Isaac plays her husband Standard, who is just getting released from prison.
Smokey and the Bandit
That sleek 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am driven by Burt Reynolds in 'Smokey and the Bandit' made the Trans Am a very popular American car for Pontiac. The Bandit (Reynolds) is a vigilante race-car driver who makes a deal to deliver a shipment of beer all the way from Georgia to Texas in just 28 hours. Thing is, shipping alcohol without a permit is illegal. The adventure is rollicking fun. A love triangle tangentially involves Smokey the cop, who is after the Bandit. The Bandit, our suave male lead, is directly involved, to no one’s surprise.
Besides Burt Reynolds, 'Smokey and the Bandit' stars Sally Field as the love-triangle-interest, Jerry Reed, and Jackie Gleason as Sheriff Smokey. It was the number two highest-grossing box office hit of 1977, second only to 'Star Wars'.
Corvette Summer
In 1978, Warner Bros. studio billed its summer action-adventure comedy 'Corvette Summer', “a fiberglass romance.” And that’s exactly what it is. 'Corvette Summer' is fun and playful and revolves around a Stingray Corvette that is especially precious to one young man who is just finishing high school. The action lights up when the spicy red and flame-licked orange Corvette vanishes. Ken Dantley (Mark Hamill) and his classmates from auto shop poured their hearts into restoring the Corvette, and suddenly, one day, it is gone.
You can expect spectacular car chase scenes on par with those the 'Fast and the Furious' franchise created decades later. This movie is also extraordinary because it stars Mark Hamill right off the heels of Luke Skywalker in the epic 'Star Wars' trilogy. His co-star Annie Potts shines as Vanessa, a would-be prostitute who is thrown off track after meeting Ken. Watch it and see what happens!