this is a fascinating peek into a time that was ending just as the movie was made. im not a fan of auto racing, ive never been able to understand the appeal or the strategy involved, but after watching this film (and the terrific supplementary documentaries found on disc 2 of the dvd) i can appreciate better the love some feel for the sport. as a movie, its your run of the mill soaper, featuring good performances by the always reliable james garner, yves montand, &c. -- but nobody who watches this movie is watching it for plot or character nuances. and oh how i wish i had seen this 40 years back on a big screen!