Winning

Dir: James Goldstone

1969

*****

Quentin Tarantino was once asked what his favourite race car film was and he replied that it certainly wasn't 1969's Winning, adding "I'd rather saw my fingers off than sit through that again". I'd be happy to send him the saw but then the film has a beautiful subtlety about it that isn't in Tarantino's remit. There have been a few notable racing car movies over the years, the 60s and 70s producing the best in my opinion, back when technology hadn't taken over and the driver really was the one in control, you won on skill and perseverance. However, of all the types of racing, I've always found Indy Speedway racing the least exciting. The cars are cool and everything but essentially they just go round and round and round. James Goldstone makes cars going round and round exciting and full of suspense, when it really is neither of those things. The 'off the pitch' drama featured in most sports movies isn't generally that great, it can make or break a film in that genre, but Winning strikes that happy balance. I'm guessing Tarantino didn't like the film because essentially it's a love story, rather than a racing film but personally I think it works as both. The direction is stunning with some of the race sequences bettering other racing classics. The film's final scene is also brilliant and a huge influence on many films that came out the following decade. Paul Newman is brilliant in the lead role as Frank Capua and a lot of what makes the film great is down to his performance. He is supported by the great Robert Wagner and by Joanne Woodward but keeping it together and still looking cool when you have the over the top and excitable young Richard Thomas yapping at your heals couldn't have been easy for him. Unfortunately, Richard Thomas's performance is something of a fly in the ointment, it doesn't ruin anything and he clearly learned lessons from Newman that helped him later in his career but he is incredibly annoying during intense and serious moments of the film. Overall, the film is as good as other classics in the genre but thanks to a couple of key scenes, I regard it as my favourite. I see a lot of the 1970s in the film and can see it being a clear influence on many of my favourites made soon after. James Goldstone is an underrated director and this is one of Paul Newman's most overlooked performances of his career.