Talking to a family friend about what movies he was planning to pick up after (hopefully) receiving some vouchers for the Christmas season,I was delightfully caught by surprise,when he mentioned the title of a Paul Newman film that my dad had recently picked up.With the UK being hit by the worst storms for 60 years,I felt that it was the perfect time to stay in,and head out on the racetrack.
The plot:
Walking past a "rent a car" store after winning his latest race,a race car driver Frank Capua finds himself quickly enchanted by the charms of the shops secretary,called Elora.Getting into a whirlwind romance with Elora,Capua soon takes Elora and her son Charlie on the road,and introduces them to the life of a race car driver.Despite Charlie catching the racing bug from Frank very quickly,Elora finds herself completely isolated in Capua's world,which leads to Frank fearing that he may be about to lose the most important race in his life.
View on the film:
Using a mix of archive and new footage,the editing of the racing scenes by Richard C Meyer (who also co-edited Butch and Sundance) and Edward A. Biery, (who would reunite with director James Goldstone and Newman for When Time Runs Out) sadly give the scenes an annoyingly "shaky" appearance,which along with not allowing the viewer to get a sense of what is taking place,also leads to the pertinaciously thrilling,set-piece scenes lacking any sense of excitement.
Set against the racetracks,the screenplay by Howard Rodman gives each of the Capua family members a melodrama race track,which along with featuring some rather unexpected surprises, (such as Newman's reaction to rival driver Luther "Lou" Erding)also perfectly compliments the twilight atmosphere that director James Goldstone covers the movie in.
Made just he was catching the racing bug himself,Paul Newman gives a very good performance as Frank Capua,with Newman showing the contrasting sides of Franks life,by having Capua's wide smile that he shows on the race track,fade away,as Frank begins to fear that his marriage is running out of fuel.Joining her real-life husband,Joanne Woodward gives the film a real heart & soul as Elora,with Woodward showing her love for Frank slowly fade away,as she begins to fear that they may be about to go off the race tracks.
The plot:
Walking past a "rent a car" store after winning his latest race,a race car driver Frank Capua finds himself quickly enchanted by the charms of the shops secretary,called Elora.Getting into a whirlwind romance with Elora,Capua soon takes Elora and her son Charlie on the road,and introduces them to the life of a race car driver.Despite Charlie catching the racing bug from Frank very quickly,Elora finds herself completely isolated in Capua's world,which leads to Frank fearing that he may be about to lose the most important race in his life.
View on the film:
Using a mix of archive and new footage,the editing of the racing scenes by Richard C Meyer (who also co-edited Butch and Sundance) and Edward A. Biery, (who would reunite with director James Goldstone and Newman for When Time Runs Out) sadly give the scenes an annoyingly "shaky" appearance,which along with not allowing the viewer to get a sense of what is taking place,also leads to the pertinaciously thrilling,set-piece scenes lacking any sense of excitement.
Set against the racetracks,the screenplay by Howard Rodman gives each of the Capua family members a melodrama race track,which along with featuring some rather unexpected surprises, (such as Newman's reaction to rival driver Luther "Lou" Erding)also perfectly compliments the twilight atmosphere that director James Goldstone covers the movie in.
Made just he was catching the racing bug himself,Paul Newman gives a very good performance as Frank Capua,with Newman showing the contrasting sides of Franks life,by having Capua's wide smile that he shows on the race track,fade away,as Frank begins to fear that his marriage is running out of fuel.Joining her real-life husband,Joanne Woodward gives the film a real heart & soul as Elora,with Woodward showing her love for Frank slowly fade away,as she begins to fear that they may be about to go off the race tracks.