The Great Race (1965)

The Great Race (1965)
A spectacular land race from New York to Paris in the early 20th century is planned, the two main competitors being the handsome, dashing hero in white, The Great Leslie (Tony Curtis), and the dastardly, black-suited Professor Fate (Jack Lemmon). While Fate's sidekick, Max (Peter Falk), attempts to sabotage Leslie and the other racers, Leslie finds an unlikely ally in Maggie DuBois (Natalie Wood), a suffragette and journalist-turned-racer whose car breaks down halfway through the event.
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Release Date: July 1st, 1965

DVD Release Date: June 4th, 2002

Not Yet Rated |2 hr 30 min

Plot Summary

A spectacular land race from New York to Paris in the early 20th century is planned, the two main competitors being the handsome, dashing hero in white, The Great Leslie (Tony Curtis), and the dastardly, black-suited Professor Fate (Jack Lemmon). While Fate's sidekick, Max (Peter Falk), attempts to sabotage Leslie and the other racers, Leslie finds an unlikely ally in Maggie DuBois (Natalie Wood), a suffragette and journalist-turned-racer whose car breaks down halfway through the event.

Cast: Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, Natalie Wood, Peter Falk, Keenan Wynn, Arthur O'Connell, Vivian Vance, Dorothy Provine

Director: Blake Edwards

Genres: Comedy

Production Co: Warner Brothers/Seven Arts

Distributors: Warner Bros. Pictures

Keywords: Lighthearted, New York City, Competition, Rivalry, Love, Madcap

Cast & Crew

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Ratings & Reviews

70
J. HobermanThe New York Times
Natalie Wood is on hand as a cheroot-smoking suffragist (with a phenomenal wardrobe), but the movie is largely powered by Lemmon’s energy, roaring like Jackie Gleason as the bombastic Professor Fate and later appearing as his double, the klutzy crown prince of a Ruritanian kingdom. show more
70
Orlando Sentinel
An uproarious piece of fluff about a turn-of-the-century New York-to-Paris automobile race complete with a noble hero, a snarling villain and a spirited suffragette. The Great Race, while not in a league with Some Like It Hot, is deftly directed by Blake Edwards. [02 Apr 1995, p.75]
70
Variety
The Great Race is a big, expensive, whopping, comedy extravaganza [from a screen story by Blake Edwards and Arthur Ross], long on slapstick and near-inspired tomfoolery whose tongue-in-cheek treatment liberally sprinkled with corn frequently garners belly laughs. show more