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I used to watch The Rockford Files religiously as a kid. Between the Firebird, Garner's cool, and the subject matter that wasn't always appropriate for an 8 year-old, I was hooked!
McQueen was intended to star in Grand Prix, but walked out of the film after a meeting, and director John Frankenheimer had his work cut out for him after several rolls of footage shot at the Nürburgring had to be handed over thanks to a studio contract.
However, when James Garner came on board, the film had the star it needed. The cars used were mostly Formula 3 and Formula 2 cars mocked up to look like the faster, more dangerous Formula 1 cars – in Garner’s case, older Lotus and BRM machines with cladding to resemble Hondas. Most of the actors were only borderline capable behind the wheel, with one being completely unable to handle the tricky, cylindrically shaped cars. Garner, on the other hand, took to the circuit as if he’d been racing his whole life.
Parts of the filming required a sequence shot over three or four corners around an actual F1 circuit such as Brands Hatch. Then, when the cameras were out of the way, there was a sprint around the back half of the track to get back in position. Grand Prix employed a number of professional drivers, including Graham Hill, Jack Brabham, Jackie Stewart, and Jöchen Rindt. Garner so effectively diced it up with these greats in the free-for-all that they reportedly remarked that he could have competed in Formula 1 – and at one point, Rindt had to abashedly admit that he couldn’t keep up to Garner during a filmed chase scene.
In fact, Garner was enough of a hot shoe that it became a problem. First, the insurance company Lloyds of London became understandably vexed to learn that the star of the show was reaching speeds of over 200km/h in the rain. Next, when Garner’s car caught fire during a butane-fuelled stunt and he opted to keep driving until the shot was in the can, they pulled insurance entirely. He drove without coverage for the rest of the filming.
Grand Prix wasn’t a critical or commercial success, but it both captured the spirit of the period, and whet Garner’s appetite for racing.
The Racing Scene is a 1969 film presented by James Garner, interestingly it’s a personal favorite of Quentin Tarantino who showcased it at the New Beverly Theater in Los Angeles alongside the Steve McQueen classic Le Mans. The film covers a wide array of different racing series and formats including sports car racing at the 24 Hours of Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring, Formula A (Formula 5000) racing at Lime Rock Park, desert racing in a highly modified Ford Bronco, dune buggy sand sessions in California with Garner at the wheel, and one of the biggest open-wheel crashes of the era.
The Racing Scene is a 1969 film presented by James Garner, interestingly it’s a personal favorite of Quentin Tarantino who showcased it at the New Beverly Theater in Los Angeles alongside the Steve McQueen classic Le Mans. The film covers a wide array of different racing series and formats including sports car racing at the 24 Hours of Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring, Formula A (Formula 5000) racing at Lime Rock Park, desert racing in a highly modified Ford Bronco, dune buggy sand sessions in California with Garner at the wheel, and one of the biggest open-wheel crashes of the era.
Loved "Racing Scene" but it does make me feel old as I remember a lot of those races and especially F5000 etc having started going to Road America in the summer of 1967... thanks for posting as I'd never seen that before.
PLNewman - thanks for posting . . . will record and watch . . . again . . .
My wife and I saw this in Hawaii when I was on R&R in June or July 1967 (among the first from RVN) . . . amazing movie . . . We also rented a Red Camaro to drive around the Island . . .
So many memories !!
The Racing Scene is a 1969 film presented by James Garner, interestingly it’s a personal favorite of Quentin Tarantino who showcased it at the New Beverly Theater in Los Angeles alongside the Steve McQueen classic Le Mans. The film covers a wide array of different racing series and formats including sports car racing at the 24 Hours of Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring, Formula A (Formula 5000) racing at Lime Rock Park, desert racing in a highly modified Ford Bronco, dune buggy sand sessions in California with Garner at the wheel, and one of the biggest open-wheel crashes of the era.
04-03-2021, 09:54 AM
James Garner in Grand Prix (1966)
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