Ford v Ferrari

‘There’s a point – 7000 RPM – where everything fades. The machine becomes weightless. Just disappears.’ We’ve witnessed many racing films throughout the history of cinema, with the likes of Le Mans, Days of Thunder, Grand Prix and the list goes on. Although each have their own way of getting the audience involved, one thing that stays common and that makes your heart beat faster is that engine revving and the beautiful sound of the car racing through your screens. This movie meant so much more than that, beyond the adrenaline rush, the emotional journey, based on a true story, we’re going to talk about the famous duo Carroll Shelby and Ken Miles with this pathbreaking movie and an Academy award winner, Ford v Ferrari. So buckle up, and enjoy the ride!

Summary

Ford v Ferrari, a 2019 American sport/action movie, is directed by James Mangold and stars Christian Bale (Ken Miles) and Matt Damon (Carroll Shelby) in lead roles. It is based on true events of the Le Mans ’66 in France and the lives of two friends, Ken Miles and Carroll Shelby. Ferrari, the consecutive winner of four Le Mans is at its all-time high and the world is loving the Italian giant. Ford, on the other hand, run by Henry Ford II, is keen on enhancing its reputation from being just an average commercial car company to a racing masterpiece. After being rejected and humiliated by Ferrari for a merger agreement, Ford decides to build their own race cars, and prepare for the 24 hour ultimate face-off at the French Le-Mans, 1966. This is when an ex-champion racer turned automotive designer, Carroll Shelby is approached by Ford to turn the tables of fortune for the desperate motor company and beat the fancy Ferrari which was now sold to Fiat.

The Plot

The movie starts with Carroll Shelby racing through the high octane roads in the middle of the night with rain pouring heavily. The tires are screeching, cars are getting knocked down and everything seems numb. When in the pit, the engine along with Shelby catches fire, but he isn’t ready to give up on yet, as he is destined to make this his last race ever, following a heart condition. He now owns a car design company and is happy to sell cars. Ken Miles, on the other hand, a struggling racer, is a straightforward car fanatic who is more like a surgeon than a racer or mechanic. He seeks perfection and he believes that perfect laps are possible and visible to the driver if they could see them. With his supporting wife and a beautiful son, how long could he survive with the rare nature that he has? Well, Carroll Shelby is the answer. As I mentioned earlier, Carroll Shelby is approached by Ford Motors to build a race car within 90 days which could beat the might of Ferrari. Shelby knows that cars can be built with money, but only a genuine racer can win you Le Mans, and that’s how Shelby and Miles team up to make one of the fastest and greatest cars the world has ever seen, and in Carroll Shelby’s words, ‘We’re lighter, we’re faster, and if that don’t work, we’re nastier’. That being said, is the path easy? What are the obstacles? Is there any internal politics involved here? Well, if you haven’t watched it, I’d recommend you to find it out or it would be spoilt. The only thing that you need to know is that the cost of winning a Le Mans is much more to the driver and his team, than on the owner.

Technical aspects

A little trivia before we begin with the technicalities. Director James Mangold recreated a race track for the movie that no longer exists, and that tells us how passionate he is. The screenplay is written by Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth and Jason Keller, though long as per the American standards, is well put together and keeps you hooked to your seats for 2 hours and 45 minutes. The direction is brilliant and tiniest details are captured very well, and there is a fine balance of adrenaline rush and emotional moments in the journey which is highlighted thoroughly. The cinematography is very smooth, especially the race sequences are shot beautifully. Also, the old Hollywood L.A is portrayed as close to 1960’s and is very thorough and realistic. The editing and sound production are top notch and deserve a special mention, especially for the revs of the engine of Ford GT40. Can’t get enough of it.

Performances

When you have Matt Damon and Christian Bale in the same movie, the performances are bound to be stellar and that is the case here. Christian Bale has been at the top of his game with this one, and he also lost weight, and thus, a shape shifter indeed. His relationship with wife Mollie and son Peter is one to behold. Matt Damon plays the role beautifully and carries the emotional scenes very well. His acumen and vulnerability are portrayed aptly. The camaraderie between the duo makes us a big fan of their work. The support cast has done their job very well, including Jon Bernthal (Lee Lacocca), Caitriona Balfe (Mollie Miles) and Noah Jupe (Peter Miles).

Conclusion

‘Look out there. Out there is the perfect lap. You see it? Most people can’t.’ With two oscars to its name, and multiple nominations, the movie is worth the time and the long duration. Watch it for the story and how well it has been shown. The era of 60s was a turning point in the fate of Ford motor company and the duo Shelby and Miles, and with this movie , you exactly know why. Get a sneak peek in the inside world of business and internal politics that revolve around the sport. Having said that, I quote Carroll Shelby, ‘Sometimes, words just, are not useful’.