Le Mans (1971)

Le Mans is a 1971 action film directed by Lee H. Katzin, starring Steve McQueen. It features footage from the actual 24 Hours of Le Mans auto race in June 1970.

Released in June 1971 and given a G rating, the film is still popular today among race fans, as it is a relatively accurate depiction of the era. It features lots of racing but very little dialogue (there is brief dialogue approximately 6 minutes into the film, then the PA announcer at 11 minutes, more PA announcements at 14 minutes, with McQueen's first dialogue at 36 minutes into the film). Due to this, and to the American market's obliviousness towards the Le Mans 24-hour race and foreign auto racing in general, it was a flop at the box office in the United States. It followed in the wake of the similar but much more successful 1966 film Grand Prix (for which McQueen had turned down the starring role, given afterwards to James Garner).

Synopsis

Michael Delaney, coureur automobile, revient sur le circuit des 24 Heures du Mans un an après son grave accident dans lequel Pierre Belgetti, un autre pilote, a perdu la vie. Delaney dispute la course au volant d'une Porsche 917 aux couleurs du pétrolier américain Gulf, il est l'un des deux favoris avec l'Allemand Erich Stahler (sur Ferrari 512 S). La course se déroule sous les yeux de la veuve de Belgetti.

Actors