Adventure,Comedy
United States of America
The Great Race is a 1965 American Technicolor slapstick comedy film directed by Blake Edwards and starring Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, Natalie Wood, and Peter Falk. The film features an extensive ensemble cast of comedic actors, including Vivian Vance, Keenan Wynn, Dorothy Provine, Larry Storch, Ross Martin, and Arthur O'Connell.
The movie is set in the early 1900s and centers around a race from New York to Paris. The Great Leslie (played by Tony Curtis) is a handsome and charming daredevil who makes his living performing death-defying stunts to entertain crowds. He is also a skilled driver and has convinced several auto manufacturers to sponsor him in a cross-country race to promote their cars.
Professor Fate (played by Jack Lemmon) is Leslie's arch-nemesis, a mustached and scheming villain dressed in black who is determined to beat Leslie in the race at any cost. Fate builds his own car, the Hannibal Twin-8, which is filled with countless instruments and gadgets to help him win.
The race takes the contestants from New York to California, across the Bering Strait to Russia, and finally to Paris. Along the way, Leslie and Fate engage in a series of comical and elaborate pranks and schemes to sabotage each other's progress. Natalie Wood plays a suffragette and journalist who accompanies the racers on their journey, while Peter Falk plays Fate's loyal assistant, Max.
The Great Race is known for its extravagant production design, costumes, and set pieces, including a massive pie fight and a wild west saloon brawl. The film was a box office success and won the Academy Award for Best Sound Editing.
