release dateJune 1971director Lee H. KatzinstarringSteve McQueen
Siegfried Rauch
Elga AndersenRun time1h 46mfun factMcQueen’s suit sold at auction in 2011 for $960,000.where to watchAmazon Prime

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“Watch out for the red Lola. Lola!” These are the first words of dialogue in Le Mans, and they are not spoken for 36 minutes into the film. Until then, it is nothing but glorious natural sound and documentary-esque footage of the world’s most important sports car race, and it is breathtakingly fantastic.
Le Mans plays out in a linear fashion, starting with the protagonist, Michael Delaney (Steve McQueen), driving to the track in the early morning. Delaney pauses to contemplate a new section of Armco barrier on the run down to the kink at Maison Blanche. He flashes back to an accident involving himself and an unknown driver. The consequences seem grim. Delaney, still haunted, drives on.

Inherent Unpredictability of Racing

The film crescendos from there, a slow, methodical buildup in tension, action, and racing. There is very little dialogue and little to no exposition. Primarily, things are explained visually and amplified by overheard conversations between those involved. The competition between Ferrari and Porsche is fi...