The Great Race (1965)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Blake Edwards

Writers:

Arthur A. Ross (screenplay)
Blake Edwards (original story) ...

Release Date:

1 July 1965 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | Family | Musical | Romance | Sport

Tagline:

THE GREAT LAUGH SHOW OF ALL TIME!

Plot:

Comedy about an early 20th century car race across three continents.

Plot Keywords:

Alaska | New York City | Look Alike | Feminism | Male Female Relationship

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 3 wins & 12 nominations

Cast

Jack Lemmon	...	Prof. Fate
Tony Curtis	...	The Great Leslie
Natalie Wood	...	Maggie Dubois
Peter Falk	...	Max
Keenan Wynn	...	Hezekiah
Arthur O'Connell	...	Henry Goodbody
Vivian Vance	...	Hester Goodbody
Dorothy Provine	...	Lily Olay
Larry Storch	...	Texas Jack
Ross Martin	...	Rolfe Von Stuppe
George Macready	...	General Kuhster
Marvin Kaplan	...	Frisbee
Hal Smith	...	Mayor of Boracho
Denver Pyle	...	Sheriff
William Bryant	...	Baron's Guard

Also Known As:

Blake Edwards' The Great Race (UK) (complete title) (USA) (complete title)

Runtime:

160 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Stereo (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

South Korea:All | USA:Approved | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Canada:G | Finland:K-8 | Sweden:Btl | UK:U

Filming Locations:

Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

The western town is named "Borracho", this is Spanish for "drunk".

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: In the final sprint to Paris, Maggie DuBois's costume changes. Since her costume changes at a phenomenal rate throughout the film, this was probably intentional.

Quotes:

Maggie DuBois: And because I consider myself sexually free and morally emancipated, I am still a responsible, discriminating woman who does not intend to jump into bed with the first wavy-haired, muscle-bound, egocentric male who thinks he can seduce me by agreeing with some of the things I believe in.
Leslie: I only wanted to kiss you!
Maggie DuBois: Why?
Leslie: Because I love you, that's why!
Maggie DuBois: Ha!
Leslie: You don't believe me, huh?
Maggie DuBois: I do not!
[Leslie stops the car, inches from the finish line]
Maggie DuBois: What are you doing?
Leslie: Proving that I love you.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Taxi: The Great Race (#2.8)" (1979)

Soundtrack:

The Sweetheart Tree

Some Like It Custard

Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon, memorably paired in "Some Like It Hot", tried it again in "The Great Race". Natalie Wood was a reluctant addition, with a new biography of this actress repeating her displeasure with the film and its director. Peter Falk, not yet Columbo, rounded out a globetrotting quartet chasing first prize in the 1908 New York to Paris automobile race.

Much has been made of how the script's "Prisoner of Zenda" subplot slows the action. Yet these scenes shot in Salzburg have contributed several zingers to the stock of movie quotes floating around in general circulation. Someone must have liked the "Potzdorf" episode, as "More brandy!" and "Drat!

I never mix my pies!" remain among Jack Lemmon's most cited lines.

Surviving participants in the real-life 1908 competition did not care for this trashing of their personal history. I loved it on its first release way back when, and it remains a pleasant (if long) watch on cable TV and home video.