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Grand Prix on DVD (1966)

Grand Prix cover art
Play Grand Prix trailer
Average rating: 73%
12133121220514
3.5
from 169 members
 
Starring: James Garner, Eva Marie Saint, Yves Montand, Toshiro Mifune, Brian Bedford, Jessica Walter, Antonio Sabato Jr., Adolfo Celi, Claude Dauphin
Director: John Frankenheimer
Studio: WARNER HOME VIDEO
Run time: 169 mins
Certificate: PG
User collections: Some of the greatest films of all time
Genres: Action/Adventure, Thriller
Languages: English
Hearing-impaired: English, German
Subtitles: English, Danish, German, Spanish, Swedish
Released: 02/10/2006

Brief synopsis of Grand Prix

GRAND PRIX is John Frankenheimer's film about the nine-leg world championship of Formula 1 auto racing stars James Garner as driver Pete Aron. During the opening race in Monaco, a collision sends Pete's car flying into the Monte Carlo harbor, and British driver Scott Stoddard (Brian Bedford) into a wall. While Pete survives unhurt, Scott may lose the use of his legs, and many hold Pete responsible. Jean-Pierre Sarti (Yves Montand), whose marital boredom has led to an affair with fashion editor Louse Frederickson (Eva-Marie Saint), wins the next race at Clermont-Ferrand. Afterwards Pete accepts the sponsorship of Japanese business magnate Izo Yamura (Toshiro Mifune), and begins to romance Stoddard's jaded young wife Pat (Jessica Walter). Pete wins the Belgian leg of the contest, but Sarti goes into a depression after skidding on a wet track and killing two children in a crash. After Pete also takes the German Grand Prix, Stoddard amazingly returns for the Dutch event, and, driving on sheer grit, pulls out a victory. He proves it's no fluke by also winning in Watkins Glen, N.Y. and in Mexico, making the championship competitive once again. Essentially a soap opera interspersed with racing footage, the film's existence was ascribed by Frankenheimer to his fascination with the sport and a desire to spend time in Europe. That said, the racing sequences are still among the most realistic ever put on film, jammed with wide-angle helicopter shots, you-are-there car-mounted cameras, and then-fashionable split-screen sequences. GRAND PRIX is a definitely a film for racing fans.

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Critics Reviews

Time Out

Probably the best of the formula motor racing films, though that isn't saying much. Frankenheimer was a keen fan of the... Read more on www.timeout.com

Members Reviews

Reviews Voted Most Helpful

Rated - 5 starsthe freature film is spread over both disks

Nicholas Parkin from England , 04/03/2007

If you rent this film you need to get both disks. The feature film is spread over both disks. Disk 1 is advertised as the feature film, disk 2 as the bonus. This information is wrong, as i found to my disappointment having only seen one half of the film.

  6 out of 6 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 4 starsThe Days Of True Racing

Lighthouse from BRIGHTON , 10/10/2006

You do not have to be a fan of motor racing to enjoy this film. In truth the racing of the sixties was so different to todays dull affair that it is maybe best that you are not a fan.

The split pictures, the music and the sound make this a true classic. The excitement of the races are well portrayed and the direction spot on. Yes the long angst ridden romance bits between the racing can drag but not enough to spoil the enjoyment. Fan of film or fan of racing. This is worth a watch.

  3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 5 starsPioneering on-board footage

David Robinson from Yorkshire, England , 30/01/2007

It's easy to take modern motor racing footage for granted, but in the 60s it was unheard of; in fact any coverage was a bit limited. It must have been quite an experience to go to a Cinerama showing of Grand Prix- you'd be thrust into the action.

The story has worn well, with a good variety of racing thrills and spills, and the compulsory mushy love story. It's all been copied since, so it may be a bit cliched, but I guess it was fresh at the time. It's slightly overlong but it's played straight, down to Garner doing his own driving, including a hurried bail-out when his car caught fire!

From the overture to the Brands Hatch brass band, the theme tune plays a bit part in the film, and maybe starts to get a bit tedious after so much repetition.

Note the second disc isn't just bonus features, it has the second half of the film... I was despatched some other title in the middle of watching the film, and had to set my priorities so I'd get sent the rest of it!

  3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 3 starsGrand Prix

A customer from Stoke, England , 13/02/2007

Watch out, the 2nd disc is NOT bonus features it's the 2nd half of the film. Other than that the racing shots are great fun though I could have done with a lot less of the tiny split screens. I'd prefer to actually see the action. The plot line drags on a bit but overall it's still an interesting view of the world of F1 before all the money and advertising took over.

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Most Recent Reviews

Rated - 5 starsPioneering on-board footage

David Robinson from Yorkshire, England , 30/01/2007

It's easy to take modern motor racing footage for granted, but in the 60s it was unheard of; in fact any coverage was a bit limited. It must have been quite an experience to go to a Cinerama showing of Grand Prix- you'd be thrust into the action.

The story has worn well, with a good variety of racing thrills and spills, and the compulsory mushy love story. It's all been copied since, so it may be a bit cliched, but I guess it was fresh at the time. It's slightly overlong but it's played straight, down to Garner doing his own driving, including a hurried bail-out when his car caught fire!

From the overture to the Brands Hatch brass band, the theme tune plays a bit part in the film, and maybe starts to get a bit tedious after so much repetition.

Note the second disc isn't just bonus features, it has the second half of the film... I was despatched some other title in the middle of watching the film, and had to set my priorities so I'd get sent the rest of it!

  3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 3 starsGrand Prix

A customer from Stoke, England , 13/02/2007

Watch out, the 2nd disc is NOT bonus features it's the 2nd half of the film. Other than that the racing shots are great fun though I could have done with a lot less of the tiny split screens. I'd prefer to actually see the action. The plot line drags on a bit but overall it's still an interesting view of the world of F1 before all the money and advertising took over.

Report offending content.

Read all highest rated reviews