The Great Race 1965

Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon team up once more in this grand comedy directed by Blake Edwards, presenting a delightful tribute to iconic silent film legends like Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton. The Great Race merges classic slapstick humor with exhilarating adventure, transporting viewers back to the early automobile era when innovative designers passionately crafted what were fondly referred to as ‘motor cars.’

The storyline revolves around a captivating global motor car race featuring Tony Curtis, who embodies the virtues of good manners and impeccable style, always dressed in striking white. He portrays a gentleman adventurer with an unwavering passion for automobiles, participating in the race with his elegant white roadster. His character is the epitome of chivalry, as he graciously stops to assist a lady, even in the heat of competition.

In stark contrast, Jack Lemmon takes on the role of the scheming antagonist, clad in black and accompanied by a clumsy sidekick reminiscent of Lex Luthor from Superman. His vehicle is a fantastical creation straight from the mind of a mad scientist, a bizarre contraption that is only vaguely recognizable as an automobile. It is laden with excessive gadgets, all designed for a singular purpose—eliminating the competition in outrageous ways.

Further enriching the narrative, Keenan Wynn portrays a multifaceted character who serves as Curtis’ aide, assistant, and navigator, showcasing both caricature-like charm and anachronistic qualities. He embodies the traits of a staunchly misogynistic 18th-century English butler, whose unwavering loyalty to his role frequently clashes with his distrust of women.

Just in time, the mesmerizing Natalie Wood graces the screen as a dazzling suffragette, adorned in exquisite Victorian fashion, complete with a parasol. She plays a groundbreaking female reporter striving to make her mark in a male-dominated newspaper landscape, constantly challenging the authority of her editor. Faced with the nagging pressure from his assertive wife, sympathetic to Wood’s cause, the editor finds his grip on control slipping as he struggles to prevent her from covering the race. Displaying true ingenuity, she enters the contest incognito, riding in a motor car funded by the paper itself.

The Great Race unfolds as a whimsical escapade, skillfully crafted by both a visionary director and a talented ensemble cast. This film not only celebrates the essence of storytelling but also rejuvenates the genre in a way that’s often overlooked in a time dominated by fleeting attention spans and studio demands for brevity. It’s a cinematic gem to share with the younger generation, filled with enough action and slapstick to engage even the most restless of viewers.