Le Mans

Superstar Steve McQueen spent years trying to make his own racing drama, determined to create a film as authentic as possible. Set over the course of the famed titular 24-hour race and its 8 ½–mile track, Le Mans began without a script and was quite literally constructed out of footage captured during the 1970 Le Mans, in which the production crew ran their own car with a camera mounted on the hood. The subsequent story—revolving around rival teams and the grueling, unpredictable nature of racing—was written around the footage and shot (along with stunt crashes) after the event. The result, directed by Lee H. Katzin, has the texture of a stylized documentary—no dialogue (beyond the voice of the PA announcer) is even heard for the first half hour—with the impressive widescreen cinematography looking like a high-end photo spread for a sports magazine. Within the stripped-down tale, McQueen is in classic form as Michael Delaney, a dedicated and focused professional who lets his actions speak for him. Defying the usual expectations of “big race” movies—much to its credit—Le Mans also showcases the legendary Porsche 917s and Ferrari 512s that soon left the tracks. Remastered for DVD and Blu-ray, extras include a “making-of” featurette. Recommended. (S. Axmaker)