Film Name: 极速车王 / Ford v Ferrari
The direct translation of “Ford v Ferrari” can be called “Ford v Ferrari”, although this is a simple, crude and effective way to call the movie, but about want to continue the classic car racing movie “Rush” (Rush) many years ago, the movie is still called “Ford v Ferrari”.
From the discussion on the Internet and the domestic box office after the release of the film, Ford v Ferrari is not very popular, even with Matt Damon and Christian Bale, two familiar faces starring in the film, but also failed to attract more audience edge …… I thought about it carefully and then relieved: the original lack of domestic automobile culture that lasts for several generations, and the film has a very pure car culture, and the film has a very pure car culture. The film has a very pure “American flavor”, more or less will be a bit uncomfortable.
In recent years, American films have tended to be about new and more “universal” ideas, and traditional simple values such as Ford v Ferrari are rare, and I’d like to call it a kind of quaint “American Spirit”, simple and bloodthirsty, I would call it a quaint “American Spirit”, simple, passionate and unbeatable, and the movie’s final examination and reflection on this spirit takes the movie to a higher level, retro but not archaic, reminiscent but not obsessive.
[Friendly reminder: spoilers below].
Ford v Ferrari is based on the true story of designer Carroll Shelby, who led driver Ken Myers and a team of American engineers to build a new race car for Ford and beat the perennial favorite, Ferrari, in the 1966 Le Mans World Championship.
Just look at the background of the story and behavioral motives, we can smell a strong smell of “success” (cool article) – not to mention the two protagonists, let’s just say why Henry Ford II wanted to participate in the race, in order to improve car sales to be a golden idea, in order to promote the brand intends to acquire the Ferrari. Ferrari to participate in the World Championships, the acquisition failed to be humiliated after the humiliation, decided not to count the cost of the race to beat Ferrari …… what an inspirational model.
Yes, the Americans of that era, the most qualified, have the courage to issue such a bold declaration: seize the opportunity of the two world wars, from the solid businessmen jumped to become a hegemony of the earth, huge and strong industrial productivity to help it master more than half of the world’s discourse, “we are the crusher of the old order, the old aristocracy and pride are bound to be crushed by us. ”
Today’s “Rust Belt” was producing a steady stream of sought-after industrial products at the time, and business tycoons naturally became conquerors who built their careers and broke new ground. …… So, in the initial context of Ford v Ferrari, Enzo Ferrari Enzo Ferrari, in the initial context of Ford v Ferrari, is a pedantic and stubborn remnant of the old days, while Henry Ford II is a challenger who is pioneering and writing a new chapter.
The two protagonists of the movie, however, are more representative of the broader, grassroots image of the American Dream than Ford.
Although Ken Miles is a British racing engineer and driver, the movie deliberately downplayed his origin, making him look more like a seemingly ordinary and skilled American blue-collar.
Ken’s nickname is “Bulldog”, the temper is stinky and hard, do not fear the power, do not pander to the rich and powerful, all based on the facts and ability to speak, all day put on a “life and death to look down on it, do not serve on the frame, do people hard, do things to relieve the anger, the key is also really a dragon slayer skills, so brave and fearless, fight the sky and fight the dragon, the movie deliberately downplayed his origins, making him look more like an ordinary and skilled American blue collar. Such a brave and fearless man who fights against the sky and the earth epitomizes the image of the traditional American hero.
Carol Shelby symbolizes another kind of American heroes: veterans who have experienced the world’s prosperity and lived a vulgar life but whose blood has not dried up and who will still shed blood and tears for their dreams and persistence.
Shelby is more “worldly” than the pure and unadulterated Ken. He understands professional knowledge and the spirit of racing, but also understands the rules of the market and the rules of the industry; he is a middleman and a lubricant, and he is also a driver and a dream chaser who will stop at nothing to get what he wants.
The audience will find that, in addition to modifying the car and the car, the team’s achievements are attributed to Shelby’s tireless efforts: cajoling and cheating to get autonomy from Ford, willing to increase the car to 7,000 rpm in spite of the “plan/order” to allow the car to do so, looking for loopholes in the rules to replace the brake parts, and even taking away Ferrari’s timing stopwatch, throwing a nut, and even taking the Ferrari’s car. Even the Ferrari team’s stopwatch, throw a nut to mess up the small actions are also numerous ……
If Ken represents the simple, committed, aggressive and stubborn side, then Shelby represents the realistic, cunning, tough and smooth side of the “American Spirit”, and unlike the former, the latter knows how to apply extreme pressure at the right time and let go. and letting go.
Although there is a big gap between Ken and Shelby in the world, but Ken and Shelby in the nature of the heart is the same, the film did not specifically to describe why the two became friends, only through the two of their daily way of communication (especially a fight to take the anger out of the bridge, as well as Le Mans before the night of the conversation), it can be understood that they belong to the same kind of people.
Ken and Shelby are a golden pairing, a combination of two very different “American Spirit” temperaments, and an ace combination that is bound to win.
However, the dual-protagonist model of Ford v Ferrari emotionally pushes Ken to the forefront, as his image is relatively pure and idealised.
For example, Ken has an understanding and temperamental wife.
In fact, the image of Molly Miles than her husband is more idealistic, the same love of cars, like to smell Ken’s body oil, almost all the time in the unconditional support of her husband, only when the family will soon be cut off to complain about the time, when the questioning of the thunder and lightning, when the understanding of every detail, to have a wife like this, what more could a man ask for – in the real or fake! In Hollywood, where “women’s rights” are becoming more and more popular, traditional female roles such as Molly’s are rare.
For example, Ken has a son who is smart and adores him.
Unlike most of today’s films and TV shows, there is no conflict or estrangement between Peter Miles and his father, on the contrary, he sticks with his father every chance he gets, accompanying his father to watch, repair, practice and race cars, and in his eyes, his father is a rare and powerful man in the world, and a hero who is hard to beat, and in addition to reverence, both father and son look towards the future with the same general look… …Such a warm and harmonious family relationship is not only typical, but also an ideal.
It can be said that “Ford v Ferrari” is full of reminiscences of the flourishing “American past”, and the only villain in the whole film is Leo, the vice president of Ford, who represents the corrupt system and the darkness of human nature. …… And Ken and Shelby are very interested in Leo’s life. The resistance of Ken and Shelby to Leo also represents the “American hero” to the “black elite & sinister villain” back.
Until the Le Mans World Championship, the film is trying to restore and explain the positive “American spirit”, but in the next short period of time, “Ford v Ferrari” has jumped several levels.
With Shelby’s help and his own efforts, Ken had beaten the Ferraris and all his other rivals, he even beat himself by setting a new lap record …… What next? Ken eventually chose to return to the earthly realm, slowing down and helping Ford take the top three places in dramatic fashion as he himself lost the championship.
At a normal pace, Ken and Shelby should be resigned and angry when they meet at the finish line, but they surprisingly no longer have much of an emotional up and down – the ambitious Henry Ford II is ultimately a dirt-poor tycoon who sells cars, and the sour, diehard Enzo Ferrari is an aristocratic gentleman who genuinely loves racing.
Ford v Ferrari rethinks the heroism and American spirit that has always been vaunted and celebrated before the finale, and with it many of the previous details that have become tarnished in retrospect: dignity can be arrogance, ambition can be greed, aggressiveness can be trickery, innocence can be exploited, and dreams can be tainted by utilitarianism.
With this kind of scrutiny, it’s not hard to understand why Ken’s death was filmed afterwards – if the usual inspirational stories were to be told, Ken and Shelby would have been on their own to beat Ford the following year, but Ken’s accidental death robbed them of any chance of doing so…. -Ford v Ferrari takes this “uncomfortable” thinking to its logical conclusion: what have we had? What have we got wrong? What can we do?
With some historical facts to make the film more effective, it’s a great story with a “vintage stance” and a “modern spirit”, not to mention some great racing sequences that I haven’t had a chance to rave about yet.
It’s a great film and definitely worth your attention and ticket price.
Please specify：Anime Phone Cases » Ford v Ferrari 2020 Film Review: The “American Spirit” in Retrospect