Audrey Hepburn and Albert Finney star in ‘Two for the Road’ (1967). It’s essentially a love story that takes place on the road. Accompanying the drives through the South of France are a white Mercedes-Benz 230 SL, a Roadster, an MG TD, an Alfa Romeo, and a Triumph Herald. The various cars from different eras serve to remind the viewer of the setting’s time and place since the story is presented non-linearly. It takes place through a 12-year time period beginning when the couple fall in love.
AV Club calls it “a clear-eyed, openhearted, and ultimately open-ended portrait of a marriage.” Directed by Stanley Donen, ‘Two for the Road’ was nominated for a Best Original Screenplay Oscar. It was filmed on location in France.
Le Mans
Released in 1971, and featuring the legendary Steve McQueen, 'Le Mans' is a quintessential car cult classic. The film is based on the famous '24 Hours of Le Mans' sports car race, the world's oldest and most strenuous race held in the town of Le Mans, France. McQueen plays Michael Delaney, a racer for Porsche who's still riddled with guilt after an accident killed his fellow driver a year back.
Delaney must overcome his trauma and win the great race at Le Mans. Brilliant acting coupled with director John Sturges' unparalleled skills make this a must-watch film for any car enthusiast.
Tucker: The Man and His Dream
This story is about an automotive dream that didn’t come true. Ford dreamed of watching thousands of cars roll off his assembly line invention, and his dream created the biggest automotive company in the world. 'Tucker: The Man and His Dream' portrays Preston Tucker (Jeff Bridges) and his dream to produce his beautiful and amazing automobiles, but frankly, automotive history did not roll in his direction.
Preston Tucker, the tale reveals, built 50 of his lavish 1948 Tucker sedans, but competition in post-WWII Detroit by the top three manufacturers pulled the plug on his ambitions. Corruption from DC were their accomplices. This 1988 film by Francis Ford Coppola also stars Joan Allen, Dean Stockwell, Lloyd Bridges, and Martin Landau.
Speed
'Speed' is one of those stressful movies that has you hanging on to the edge of your seat and your jaw clenched tight for the duration. A speeding city bus, full of people, is wired to explode by a crazed bomber, but only if it slows down to under 50 mph.
The race is on for stars Keanu Reeves, Sandra Bullock, Joe Morton, and Jeff Daniels. This is what they are up against. Reeves plays LA Bomb Squad specialist and Dennis Hopper plays the mad bomber with an explosive extortion scheme. The 1994 movie features a bus most prominently. Critics liked it. Audiences agreed. All told, 'Speed' brought $350 million to the box office.
Rebel Without a Cause
We all know 'Rebel Without a Cause' represents an era of Hollywood cinema that defined ideals of American masculinity. But the film about teenage angst and suburban households was less ambitious. It was billed as “Entertainment of unforgettable emotional impact!” and “A story that daringly meets the challenge of today’s most vital controversy!” without ever mentioning the controversy. It was a decent film and Dean’s first lead role. It was nominated for three Academy Awards.
'Rebel Without a Cause' (1955) was an unprecedented success. James Dean’s tragic car crash a month before the film was released surely secured the film’s box office command and placed it in the eternal vault of popular culture. In life and in death, everything he touched turned cool. To the point that Dean, playing Jim Stark, immortalized the 1949 Mercury Coupe in the halls of cool, despite the fact it was considered a middle-class family sedan prior to filming.