Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines

While not the breakneck farce of The Great Race, this 1965 epic adventure flies on the wings of an international all-star cast and high-flying stunts as aviators from all over the world compete in the 1910 London-to-Paris air race. Stuart Whitman is the aw-shucks American, with stuffy Brit James Fox as his main rival, and Sarah Miles as the free-thinking woman they both love. Cultural stereotypes provide much of the comedy, including the randy Frenchman, bumbling, militaristic German (Gert "Goldfinger" Frobe), and dashing Italian. Terry-Thomas steals his scenes as a most unscrupulous contestant, while Benny Hill appears as the head of the airport maintenance crew. Trivia note: listen for the marching music that would later serve as the theme for Monty Python's Flying Circus. Boasting a sharp, colorful transfer, the disc replicates the film's original roadshow presentation, complete with intermission, and features a thorough commentary by director Ken Annakin (and yes, that is where young Skywalker got his name), as well as a “making of” featurette. Recommended. (D. Liebenson)