Main Cast: Kirk Douglas, Bella Darvi, Gilbert Roland, Lee J. Cobb, Katy Jurado
Release Year: 1955
Country: US
Run Time: 112 minutes
Plot
The CinemaScope process gets a rugged workout in Henry Hathaway's The Racers. Kirk Douglas stars as an Italian bus driver who dreams of entering the Grand Prix as a world-famous race car driver. Being Kirk Douglas, he achieves his goal, racing in all the major events around the globe. Dedicated to the philosophy of "winning is the only thing", Douglas alienates his fellow racers and everyone else with whom he comes in contact. Only when he is on the verge of losing his sweetheart Bella Darvi does our hero put his priorities in order. Adapted from a novel by Hans Ruesch, The Racers was remade in a 60-minute version as Men Against Speed, an entry in the weekly TV anthology The 20th Century-Fox Hour. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
As the first major Hollywood picture to deal with the world of professional sports car racing, The Racers has a bit of historical fascination; it certainly s more noteworthy for its history than for its drama. Racers is one of those action films that emphasizes the action to the almost total exclusion of story and character. That's not to say that there isn't considerable screen time devoted to the plot and the people; but clearly the filmmakers are using them only as filler in between race scenes and as set-ups to increase the tension and excitement of the cars speeding across the screen. Without the action sequences, Racers would be almost alarmingly banal and a total bore, to boot. However, with those racing sequences, the film manages to redeem itself and end up on the whole as a moderately enjoyable film, one with dreadful lows but very exciting highs. Director Henry Hathaway pushes all the buttons when the cars on screen, aided by cinematographer Joe MacDonald. Together, they make the pulses pound and the adrenalin flow as long as something with four wheels is around. Off the race track, Kirk Douglas does the best he can, turning in a more than decent if less than great performance. As his love interest, Bella Darvi is beautiful but painfully deficient as an actor. Lee J. Cobb does well, and Katy Jurado is passable. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Charles Goldner - Piero; John Hudson - Michel Caron; George Dolenz - Count Salem; John Wengraf - Dr. Tabor; Richard Allan - Pilar; Norbert Schiller - Dehlgreen; Mel Welles - Fiori; Peter Brocco - Gatti; Stephen Bekassy - Race Official; June McCall - Red-Haired Girl; Frank Yaconelli - Luigi; Ina Anders - Janka; Gladys Holland - Nurse; Ben Wright - Dr. Seger; Chris Randall - Teenage Mechanic; Joseph Vitale - Dr. Bocci; Peter Norman - Cashier; George Givot - Baron; Carleton Young - Race Announcer; Salvador Baguez - Doorman; Jim Barrett - Intern; Cesar Romero - Carlos; Francesca de Scaffa - Chata; Eddie LeBaron - Race Official; Gene Darcy - Rousillon
Credit
George Patrick - Art Director, Lyle Wheeler - Art Director, Phil Hill - Consultant/advisor, John Fitch - Consultant/advisor, E. de Graffenried - Consultant/advisor, Henry Hathaway - Director, James B. Clark - Editor, Alex North - Composer (Music Score), Lionel Newman - Musical Direction/Supervision, Peggy Lee - Songwriter, Joe MacDonald - Cinematographer, Julian Blaustein - Producer, Ray Kellogg - Special Effects, Charles S. Kaufman - Screenwriter, Hans Ruesch - Book Author
