Le Mans: The film that celebrates the most legendary of races
Released in 1971 and directed by Lee H. Katzin, the film Le Mans has become a cult classic, thanks in particular to the renowned Steve McQueen, as the lead actor. The actor, a car enthusiast, will invest a lot in the success of the film. Despite this, many adventures will come to disrupt the filming…
When what was supposed to be a documentary becomes a dramatic story
When Steve McQueen decided to dedicate his next film to his passion for cars, by celebrating the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the actor wanted to focus on a documentary format. This desire would not be to the taste of the CBS network, which financed the film and which would choose a more dramatic scenario, to maximize the chances of attracting spectators to the theaters.
So, Le Mans tells the story of Michael Delanay (played by Steve McQueen), a racing driver participating in the 24 Hours of Le Mans race, under the colors of the Porsche team. He is one of the two favorites with the German Erich Stahler who is at the wheel of a Ferrari. Shortly before the confrontation, Delanay is disturbed by his meeting with Lisa Belgetti, the widow of another driver who died a year earlier, in a serious collision and for whom he has a certain affection.
Steve McQueen's Unlimited Investment
When John Sturges, the previous director of Le Mans, suggested to Steve McQueen to combine his two passions; cinema and automobiles, the actor was 100% involved in the film. As proof, in March 1970, he participated in the 12 Hours of Sebring race, with the aim of better preparation for filming.
In order to get into character, McQueen even went so far as to really want to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, driving a Porsche 917, but his ambition was stopped by his insurers, who forbade him from taking such a risk. However, this did not prevent the stubborn actor from driving himself during filming, to complete shots.
In order to make the film more "authentic", Steve McQueen also did not hesitate to mobilize numerous human and material resources. In particular, during the summer of 1970, he rented the Le Mans circuit to shoot the majority of the scenes. McQueen also rented about twenty racing cars and called on about forty drivers, which considerably increased the budget.
A shoot fraught with pitfalls
Among the twists and turns that complicated the filming of Le Mans , we can first cite the resignation of John Sturges, the first director, following his numerous disagreements with Steve McQueen and the pressure exerted by the production, concerning excessive filming expenses.
A filming that will also be delayed due to several accidents, such as Derek Bell's Ferrari which will catch fire, leaving the driver burned on the face and hands. Another driver, David Piper, will have his right leg amputated, after hitting a guardrail. Finally, the film almost lost its main actor, because McQueen narrowly avoided a truck, being launched at three hundred kilometers per hour.
Steve McQueen in the spotlight in the Luc Kieffer X Le Mans collection
Luc Kieffer's recent collection was inspired by the personality of this iconic actor. The designer therefore wanted to pay tribute to him, by creating cufflinks , tie clips and some collar stays . All these products are in the colours of the Porsche team and bear the first name "Steve".
