F1LOS’ofia: Races are different, just like films about them

Let’s start with the indisputable statement that there are different races. We mainly talk about our beloved Formula 1, but sometimes on special occasions we turn our attention to other racing disciplines, to the same Dakar.

But we hardly write about the classic rally, except to briefly discuss this topic against the background of some others. That’s how we mentioned the factory team of the Korean company Hyundai only in the context that it is now led by Cyril Abiteboul, who once led Renault F1. But today Thierry Neuville, a driver of the Hyundai World Rally Team, won the legendary Rallye Monte-Carlo and immediately after the triumphant finish he thanked Cyril for organizing the team’s work very correctly.

And so it happened that I recently saw a completely new film about rallying, which also includes an episode about the race in Monte Carlo. It is true that we are talking about events from more than 40 years ago. At the domestic box office it is called ‘The Great Race’. Audi vs Lancia”, in the original – Race for Glory, i.e. “Race for glory”

Here we must make a lyrical digression, which will partly determine the logic for further reasoning. Only complete car maniacs can seriously engage in racing journalism, and your humble servant is one of them. That is why, from my early childhood, I have been completely uncritical of everything related to motorsport, i.e. motor racing. I just love – selflessly and without reason.

My childhood and youth took place in a time that is commonly called the “era of stagnation”, and the situation in entertainment then, of course, was not the same as now – so “different” that it is even stupid to compare. One of my main occupations was the cinema, which I went to much more often than in my later years. And if the film was about car themes or at least with good, clearly filmed chases, then I liked such a film unconditionally and could watch it almost endlessly.

This is exactly what happened with the Soviet film “Racers,” filmed in 1972 but released in the summer of 1973. I don’t remember how many times I watched it then, but at least three. And I was completely delighted, although now I can honestly say that this is far from a masterpiece of Russian cinema, despite the fact that there is simply a great acting ensemble – only Evgeny Leonov and Oleg Yankovsky are worth anything.

If, in my youth, I had seen the aforementioned film about the showdown between the Audi and Lancia factory teams on the World Rally Championship circuits, I too would probably have been overwhelmed with unbridled joy. What cars, what racers, what races! As for the historical truth and the cinematic component, that’s tenth as long as the engines roared, the tires screeched, the transmissions grinded and the keys rattled.

But now I watched this ‘masterpiece’ of a joint Italian-British production and was perplexed: did the filmmakers consciously not try, almost outright hack, or did they still want the best, and how did that turn out?

Once again the cast is impressive: Roland Gumpert, the head of the Audi team, is played by Daniel Brühl, who perfectly embodied the image of Niki Lauda in Ron Howard’s film Rush. And the role of the legendary German rally driver Walter Röhrl, two-time world champion, was entrusted to Volker Bruch, whom many know well from his very successful role as detective Gereon Rath, a kind of German Erast Fandorin, in the series “Babylon-Berlin”.

One problem: these star actors have virtually nothing to play; there is simply, as they say, no dialogue in the film. Naturally, Brühl and Bruch try to accompany their comments with very expressive facial expressions – thanks for that.

And most of the screen time goes to the famous Italian engineer and manager Cesare Fiorio. In the 1980s he led the Lancia factory team so successfully that he later became sporting director of Ferrari in Formula 1.

Of course, this man deserves to have his image embodied through film, and his services to Italian motorsport are undeniable. Overall, the film is about how the Lancia factory team won the World Championship under his leadership in 1983. But at the same time, it seems that she succeeded not only thanks to the speed on the track, but mainly thanks to the special ‘creative’ approach of the Italians, who cleverly fooled both FIA officials and rivals. I won’t tell you how this ‘creativity’ was expressed – see for yourself if that takes your fancy.

In the film, the role of Fiorio is played by Italian actor, screenwriter and producer Riccardo Scamarcio – in ‘The Great Race’ he appears in all three of these guises. It must be admitted that in general he conveys the various complex experiences that his hero experiences in the course of the story quite well, and some episodes with his participation even raise a smile – for example, the story about how he enters the FIA ​​cheated. No details, we agreed.

But it seems like his acting talent clearly outweighs everything else, as the film is seen more as a series of individual episodes that don’t add up to one completed canvas. However, perhaps the point here lies not only in the script, but also in the work of the director, which leaves much to be desired. By the way, one of the American film critics about this picture put it this way: “Its creators could never accelerate beyond first gear.” I totally agree.

However, I am willing to repeat myself: in my adolescence, and against the backdrop of an acute shortage of films on car themes, I could probably watch this very “Great Race” again, just as I enjoyed watching it” Racers” – and I didn’t get tired of it! But now there is not the slightest desire. I’d rather watch Rush with Bruhl or the recent Ferrari biopic.

It should also be added that for the first time in my life I was completely alone in the cinema hall, even though it was an evening show.

And finally, I would like to congratulate Thierry Neuville and Cyril Abiteboul once again on their victory in the Rallye Monte-Carlo – they have just won fairly, unlike the Lancia team in the film Race for Glory. That’s it, no more spoilers!