Mon Ami Mate - The Film

As the search feature is presently disabled, my apologies if this subject has been addressed.

According to the website of Tony Maylam , the director of the "Victory by Design" series with Alain de Cadenet shown in the U.S. on the Speed Channel, his forthcoming project is "A feature on the dramatic lives of racing heroes Mike Hawthorn and Peter Collins, and the drivers who fought and died for Ferrari in the marque’s formative years."

Does anyone know anything about this film? I for one, would love to see a movie of Hawthorn and Collins properly done.

Lets hope this is true, it would also be nice if we in the UK could also get to see this "Victory by Design series "

There is a video "My Championship year "of the 1958 season taken from Mike Hawthorns book with his words voiced over which is well worth viewing made many years ago .

http://www.victorybydesign.com/

Originally posted by hans stuck
http://www.victorybydesign.com/

Many thanks for the tip, its surprising this series has neither been put out on UK terestial TV or even available through the usual VHS/DVD motorsport retailers perhaps someone could tell us how good these programmes are.

Originally posted by RTH


Many thanks for the tip, its surprising this series has neither been put out on UK terestial TV or even available through the usual VHS/DVD motorsport retailers perhaps someone could tell us how good these programmes are.

aired on Fox TV / Speed Channel

I think we're waiting for Mr Murdoch here ....

Given the propensity for artistic licence, unnecessary dramatisation and general bullshit that film makers indulge in on subjects they often do not understand properly, I view the possibility of a film based on 'Mon Ami Mate' and/or other Ferrari drivers with alarm. Hopefully this would not be the case in this instance but one of the many problems that attend such projects (other than the practical ones of suitable machinery and believable backdrops) is that the makers frequently fall into the trap of ascribing latter day expressions, morals and opinions to their characters that are entirely alien to the depicted period.

In fact the book's author Chris Nixon told me years ago that he written a film script on this subject but nothing has ever appeared probably because British film makers were not interested in British heroes.

Originally posted by Paul Parker
In fact the book's author Chris Nixon told me years ago that he written a film script on this subject but nothing has ever appeared probably because British film makers were not interested in British heroes.

Chariots of Fire by Hugh Hudson (who also did Fangio ) disproves that... the film received four Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Costume Design, and Best Original Score. Can't get much better than that. Who would have thought ANYONE would have paid to see a movie about a few guys trying to make the Olympic team 60 years ago?

Films are made because of the deal or financing in most cases, not because of the "best," or most accurate story, look at how many "bad" movies are released. And for every one that is made there are thousands that are never made or are made and shelved or go direct to video.
Chariots of Fire was produced by Dodi al-Fayed and I suspect he knew who to call to raise a few quid. Maybe that was at the time when his father was attempting to become a British citizen so a British film about British hero's may have helped things along. A good idea in theory...

I have sold 4 screenplays that may, or may not, get produced someday and it's a LOT different from writing a book. In a film if I don't know the answer I can wing it, if I did that in a book, well, you can guess what would happen, especially on this list.
Star Wars was pitched for around 10 years before it was greenlighted I was told. Some films are vanity films, a producer or star knows someone or is owed a favour so a movie gets made or a friend gets a break. Like most things in life it all comes down to personal contacts.
If anyone is interested in an accurate representation on how things are done, see the comedy Cannes Man . On the surface it is an OK comedy, but deeper it is biting satire on Hollywood reality. A primer to anyone wanting to get into the world of movie making.
It is an interesting business... a place where a persons word is a good as the paper I am writing this on.

Cheers,

Ron

If "Mon Ami Mate" is made, where will they get the Lancia-Ferraris?

There was one today at the excellent Historic Racing Show - well worth a visit tomorrow - but apparently it's the only one in the world, of course one of the batch of re-created Lancias.
PdeRL

I will agree that most movies made about racing have fallen noticeably short of the mark. For me, only "Grand Prix" and "Le Mans" were good.

I have no concept of how the movie making process works either.

Mr. Maylem's television documentary series "Victory by Design" was very well done, but it is a far step from a movie set in period 45 years ago.

If "Mon Ami Mate" is indeed made, I can only hope that it is done with the attention to detail and history that the story deserves. I won't hold my breath on that being the case, however.

Perhaps we can get some of our TNF members with the right connections to help Mr. Maylem achieve the result we would like to see on the screen.

In about 1994 a film version of 'Mon Ami Mate' was not only suggested but IIRC progressed to the point of replica cars being under construction - there was a photo in a magazine, can't remember which, might even have been 'Kitcar World' or some such - can anyone else recall that?

Also at the FoS a look-alike Maserati 250F was shown at about that time which was touted as a fun car for track days, powered by some cheap hatchback engine and with GRP bodywork, which could have been something to do with the makers of the film replicas, but was never heard of again.


Paul

It's a wonderful project, but I don't see how they could reproduce the settings and the scenery at a reasonable cost. How could they re-run Nürburgring from 1957, or Reims or any of the many street circuits that were used at the time?

Nevertheless, I will watch this space closely.
Edward.

Ther already is this duke video about the 2 men..
so you can watch some real footage until the movie comes out
Paul