Never Stop Driving #80: Ferrari, the movie
I’ve seen Ferrari and heartily recommend you do the same. If nothing else, a strong box-office showing for Michael Mann’s long-awaited flick will induce more talented filmmakers to do like we do here at Hagerty Media: mine the rich characters who populate more than a century of automotive history.
I left the theater on Christmas Day grateful to have seen a reasonably accurate portrayal of Enzo Ferrari, 1950s Italy, and terrific acting performances, but wishing Mann had spent more time on the cars and the company. Instead, the movie is a story about how Enzo Ferrari juggles his self-induced maelstrom of a personal life. The film is based in 1957 when the 59-year-old Enzo is still mourning the recent death of the son he bore with his wife Laura, even as he tends to a second family that includes a mistress and a son. Plus, his domineering mother still lives with him and Laura, and he’s running a teetering company that requires dozens of hot-headed and egotistical drivers and engineers. Mamma mia!
Enzo’s 90-year life was so rich that biographies, like the most recent one by former Ferrari PR man Luca Dal Monte, are nearly 1000 pages long. I know Mann had to focus somewhere but I yearned for more of the intrigue and creativity that filled the workshops and racing paddocks, not just the apartments and bedrooms. Hollywood’s handling of Ferrari is bound to be a suicide mission for the likes of me. I was also disappointed with the generally excellent Ford v Ferrari movie from 2019 because it relegated Phil Remington to a hapless administrator rather than acknowledging his central role as the engineer/fabricator who Carroll Shelby admitted was a key to his success. For the non-Hollywood version, check out our piece on Shelby and Ford.
Two days after I watched the movie, I embarked on a 600-mile road trip to visit family on the East Coast and listened to an audio version of the book the movie was based on: Enzo Ferrari: The Man, The Cars, The Races, The Machine. Longtime Car and Driver columnist Brock Yates published the book in 1991, the year I first met him. I loved the guy who created the Cannonball Run for his bombastic and simple writing style but also because he was an exceedingly decent human. I first read the book some 25 years ago and, last week, Yates’ breezy style made for a gripping audio version. The 10-hour Interstate slog whizzed right by as I listened to all the intricate Ferrari history for which I yearned.
We’ve also produced plenty of Ferrari material. I’d start with a summary biography of Enzo penned by the gifted Aaron Robinson, then dig into Don Sherman’s history of the V-12 that made the company. Robinson and I discuss the movie and Ferrari history in this week’s Never Stop Driving podcast, which is on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube. We’ve made videos, too, including one where Jason Cammisa explains that the Dino sub-brand was not Enzo’s afterthought but rather his highest honor. We also published a more detailed review of the movie. I’ve just pointed out some highlights; for the full list of Ferrari material, go here.
If you’ve seen the movie, please post your thoughts in the comments! Catch you next week.
Larry
P.S.: Your feedback is very welcome. Comment below!
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Thanks for the review. I particularly was surprised and liked the Hagerty ad before the movie started with Mckeel at the wheel. Happy Motoring in the new year all!
Glad you saw it!! We filmed that in an afternoon in November with one simple goal: We had to hear the Ferrari V-12.
Larry, we went to see the movie the day after Christmas, on my daughters birthday. Overall, I thought that it was worth seeing, but like you, I came away wishing there were more scenes regarding the cars themselves rather than the life drama.
It was well done, but for anyone unfamiliar with the backstory of his life, it was somewhat confusing and my wife and daughter had more questions than entertainment during the movie.
The shock moment of course was the De Portago accident and my guess is that if Mr. Mann really did his homework researching racing accidents during this time period, his portrayal of the 1957 incident could have been taken from eyewitness accounts and photos/reporting of the 1955 Le Mans accident and it’s aftermath. It certainly made the point and in a quick unexpected way in the moment, and is not unlike what one would expect to see in any modern gore/horror movie, however seemed over the top, perhaps what he intended.
I will see it again, but likely by myself. I would recommend it for hard core racing/auto enthusiasts like most of your readers, but know the story before you go.
thanks for the comment. My favorite racing movie is about the making of a racing movie. It’s called The Man and Le Mans and is the backstory of McQueen’s attempt to capture racing on film.
We saw the movie yesterday afternoon and I agree with you Larry, too much focus on the personal lives, would have appreciated more behind the scenes about the development of the cars, drivers and race preparation. Hollywooding (new word?) is necessary for ticket sales, but will be interested to see which one makes more/less at the box office, this movie or Ford V Ferrari, which I enjoyed much more. Bigger question is how in the world did they make Penelope Cruise look homely? Love your columns and reviews, keep it going.
As you can see here you can’t please everyone.
You have to approach this movie for what it is. This was one year in the life of Enzo. Yes he was a polarizing man.
If you want to see the cars go to YouTube. You want a more complete story read the 1000 page biography.
If they made a complete movie on his life it would be too long and it would still be incomplete.
Enzo did not have a happy life. He struggles with business and personal issues for decades. His only delight was winning and in his final years that even eluded him.
I feel the F40 was his one and last joys.
Some will say he misplaced his love and maybe so but he lived his life in his terms and it was not Hollywood where he rode off into the sunset.
You have to really watch this movie in context. It is more a documentary acted out vs a love story or entertainment.
And for those who feel Ferrari was cruel. If you deal with the company today you should see how cruel they can be. Read the book on Brian Burnett and Los Gatos Ferrari. He under Enzo was their largest dealer. After Enzo died he lost everything to Fiat and their management. They did not just cut him off but destroyed the man.
The Exotic car world is filled more with sad story’s vs success. Most of these companies flirted with disaster every step and many did not end happy. We still have names like Lotus and others but they are no where what they were intended to be. Lamborghini would have had a heart attack knowing the Germans are now behind his cars. Chapman died while being investigated for money issues etc.
I will add this. This was a love movie but it was Enzo’s love for his race cars. Right or wrong that was what it was about his whole life.
Do not mind at all that the film focused almost exclusively on Enzo’s personal life. My issue with the film was that is was too focused, providing absolutely no back-story – no context – to the story that was about to unfold. The audience was just brutally plunked-down into a minuscule two-month slice of Enzo’s life with zero appreciation for his accomplishments or empathy for his hardships save a throwaway opening scene showing him racing early in his life and a few oblique references to the friends and brother he had lost.
Like your disappointment in Phil Remington’s portrayal in F v F Larry, I almost giggled at the characterizations of Scaglietti and Chiti as Enzo’s entourage; following him around like puppy dogs to be seen and not heard (until suddenly Scaglietti becomes Enzo’s confessional priest towards the end of the film). Why they were not in the body shop and foundry respectively I’ll never know. 😂
To be honest, I would have enjoyed the film more had it spent more time on Laura Ferrari’s story…THAT is the story very few people know and it’s probably fascinating as hell.