Ford v Ferrari (2019), racer and constructor

Ford v Ferrari (2019). At first glance, it may seem that the heroes of Matt Damon and Christian Bale are opponents. Well, because Ford v Ferrari. Bale versus Damon or vice versa. But in fact, they are both working on Ford’s side to win the Ferrari race. It’s a Hollywood movie. Two main characters, both racers. One designs cars, the other tests them. Ford is the holy of holies of the American automotive industry and one of the symbols of the USA, along with Elvis, Mount Rushmore and the Statue of Liberty.

Gimme Shelter in the trailer immediately sets up an interesting mood. A song about danger, “War, children…” is a British invasion of an American film. Such was the Englishman Ken Miles, the famous racer. And here’s Carroll Shelby, a typical native of Texas – Statson, chewing gum, dark glasses.

We are faced with another legend, Lee Iacocca, at that time a top manager of Ford. The idea of racing came from him in the film, in fact it was not so. I liked how Enzo Ferrari abruptly, but with dignity, wrapped up the cunning offer of American managers with a fig in his pocket. Henry Ford II’s response to the background mumbling of the double bass was also filled with spectacular sayings.

The war is not between the main characters, but between automobile corporations on both sides of the Atlantic. But the aggravation of the relationship between Shelby and Miles looks unnatural. For no good reason, Miles suddenly punched Shelby in the nose and they began to fight. In reality, nothing like this happened, they were both gentlemen. Of course, this fight of theirs was more like a boyish romp, after which they sat down to drink Coca-Cola. Probably all this drama was invented for product placement. Ken Miles was never called a Bulldog. He had the nicknames “Teddy Teabag” – because of his love of English tea and “Sidebite”, which can be translated as “corner”, because of his way of speaking out of the corner of his mouth.

In my opinion, there is too much Matt Damon in Shelby, and the face of the real designer is much more intelligent. But Christian Bale is much better reincarnated. You really feel this loneliness of Miles. Here he is sitting in a car and his body at some point ceases to exist.

Shelby so easily took control of the cornhusker, and the pilot so easily gave up his helm and he famously landed the plane, so that the Fords almost laid bricks. Of course this is fiction. As well as the way Shelby famously drove Henry II on a GT40, bringing him to hysteria. After all, Ford wasn’t really against Miles.

But when Shelby on the podium pushes the speech and leads to the fact that the name of the second… It was a shame. You can see Ken’s face. Disappointment.

Miles’s favorite car is the Ford Country Squire. Ha ha. True, he has someone to drive it properly at the risk of his life. “They offer $200 a day plus expenses. But I haven’t decided yet.” Is it that much? But in the 60s, the average monthly salary was $ 300-400.

In the middle of the movie, Miles almost burned in front of his son. Peter mentions Lewis-Evans, at the Moroccan Grand Prix, who died while wearing a fireproof suit, to which Phil replied: “Sometimes they don’t get out of the car.”

But Miles doesn’t give up. Black glasses like wasp eyes, a crooked grin, 7000 + revolutions. Miles wins Daytona. Next is the 1966 24-hour Le Mans Race (Le Mans ‘ 66), in which, by the way, Miles did not participate for the first time, which is not mentioned in the film. A test of the strength of cars, pilots and their teams. Here, of course, it’s not nearly as light as in Speedway. Miles’s door stopped closing at the very beginning. He had to make a pit stop. The exit was found quickly, the door was repaired very gracefully.

And fuck Shelby whispered to him that the bosses wanted to slow down. This is fucking nonsense. He was always on his side and always hated this Leo Bibi. Just such a supposedly team game and cooperation. And as a result, the taste of victory became completely different.

The most amazing thing is that all these people knew what they were going for, any race could be the last. After the death of their pilots, the teams, being thoroughly dejected and shocked, still found the strength to move on. For the sake of this illusory goal. Is the first place on the pedestal of a person’s life worth it?

Carroll Shelby had heart problems since childhood, Bruce McLaren was also a sick child, confined to a wheelchair for a long time. But in fact, overcoming these ailments taught them to fight for their dreams, and at a young age they became legends, successful founders – one has his own company, the other has a team. Here, in addition to professionalism, there are also personal qualities – to ignite people, to lead them.

Here are the words of Bruce McLaren:

“Doing something well is so important that it would not be foolhardy to die in pursuit of it. If you do nothing with the ability, it will be a waste of life. Life is measured by achievements, not just by the years lived.”

Ken Miles:

“I’d rather die behind the wheel of a racing car than from cancer.”

The famous racer died on August 16, 1966 at a test site in California, testing a new prototype Ford J-Car. The cause of the car crash has remained unclear, but everyone who knew Miles is sure that it was definitely not a pilot error.