LeMans
 

In the film LeMans .. Steve McQueen flips off the Ferrari driver at the end..

Why?

In the context of the film, I took it as: "You got second, and it was a tough fight to beat you."

Third, and Porsche won overall.

Possible reasons for the 2 finger salute at the end:

1) "There, 2 minutes of good footage in this whole movie you just sat through."

2) Number of people that will remember this as an epic racing film.

3) If you own it, you'll only watch it twice.

4) 2, the number of decent looking women in the film.

Earlier in the film, in the passageway behind the garages, the Ferrari driver says "Michael, Be careful" in what sounded like a veiled threat. McQueen (Michael) responds, " Now don't be an ********* out there." or something to that effect. In the final lap, it appeared that Staller the Ferrari driver was being an "********* out there". Could the salute have been a response to that?

Best,

Tom

So, BG, What is your favorite racing movie?

Best,

Tom

I just finished watching LeMans on turner classics. Great racing footage. Beautiful film. McQueen smiles when he does it, so I take it to be a kidding gesture to his rival.

For the two finger salute, I kinda like this explanation...

According to a popular legend the two-fingers salute and/or V sign derives from the gestures of longbowmen fighting in the English army at the Battle of Agincourt (1415) during the Hundred Years' War.[4][12] The story claims that the French claimed that they would cut off the arrow-shooting fingers of all the English longbowmen after they had won the battle at Agincourt. But the English came out victorious and showed off their two fingers, still intact.

Grand Prix with James Garner. While I like the footage in LeMans and the videography is top notch, the film is plotless and totally boring if you aren't all into cars. Good movies attract audiences that might not normally be into the subject matter, and LeMans falls far short.

BG - An interesting response i.e. One of the things that I liked about Le Mans was that it was uncluttered by a plot. I see it more as Racing, with some very well done vignettes by the principals.

My other favorite IS Grand Prix. Since it covered more than one race, there was more room for plot. James Garner, another of my favorites, did not come off as well as McQueen in the 'acting' part, IMHO.

The fact that they both did their own driving, continues to impress me to this day!

Best,

Tom

The story about it being an insulting jesture originally aimed at the French is, I believe, true and it's VERY common in England. That's straight from an Englishman. However...

I don't see it as being that in the movie though as I wouldn't have expected an American race car driver to have known about it and wasn't it aimed at an Italian? I take his jesture as more of a "...second..." more in friendly/competitive recognition than in taunt. But that's just me.

I believe the Ferrari driver was German, but I don't know that that makes a difference.

Tom

I stand corrected. Fortunately I think you're right on both counts. ;)

But after he flicked him off, the Ferrari driver acknowledged by making a face and nodding his head yes. Sort of a "yea, your right, I'm an a$$" Another reason, other then it was set in France, is the US censors probably just saw it as a peace or victory sign, and not what it truly was.

It was just on cable tonight... which is a rarity... i still say it was a sign of comaradarie between the 2 drivers as they had a friendly competitive rivalry

QUOTE=Sonic dB;4368702]It was just on cable tonight... which is a rarity... i still say it was a sign of comaradarie between the 2 drivers as they had a friendly competitive rivalry[/QUOTE]

In retrospect, I believe it was a combination of both.

Tom

I thought it was, "Hey! Keep your Ferrari paint off my Porsche"! :D


KT

We have a winner!