''The Young Racers'' is a 1963 sports drama film directed by Roger Corman and starring Mark Damon, William Campbell, Luana Anders and Patrick Magee. It is based on the

Formula One Formula One (also known as Formula 1 or F1) is the highest class of international racing for open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The World Drivers' Championship, ...

races in Europe.

Plot

Joe Machin ( William Campbell), an American racecar driver determined to win at any cost. He wins the

Monaco Grand Prix The Monaco Grand Prix (french: Grand Prix de Monaco) is a Formula One motor racing event held annually on the Circuit de Monaco, in late May or early June. Run since 1929, it is widely considered to be one of the most important and prestigio ...

through reckless driving, drawing scorn from his fellow drivers. Joe also becomes involved in extramarital affairs, using his unwitting brother, Robert ( R. Wright Campbell), to divert the suspicions of his wife, Sesia ( Marie Versini). Meanwhile, racer turned writer Steve Children ( Mark Damon) arrives in Monte Carlo to meet his girl friend, Monique (

Béatrice Altariba Béatrice Altariba (born 18 June 1939) is a French actress who was active between 1956 and 1969. Biography Born in Marseille, she is the niece of symbolist poet Paul Fort.''Le Film Complet'', n° 591, 15 November 1956.''Elle - Spécial cinéma ...

), and sees her in an emotional scene with Joe, with whom she has had an affair. Steve decides to write a book exposing Joe and his tactics on and off the track. He arranges to meet Joe and accompany him to Belgium, where another Grand Prix is to take place. When they return to England, Steve's plan is revealed to Joe. In a race at Aintree, the two men participate in a personal grudge match on the racetrack, but when Steve's car swerves wildly, Joe has a change of heart. He spins his car to avoid hurting Steve, but crashes, sustaining serious injuries. At the hospital Steve meets Joe's brother, who explains that Joe's outward bravado hides a sensitive and confused personality. Later, Steve finds Joe considerably changed, and their friendship becomes a lasting one.

Cast

* Mark Damon as Stephen Children * William Campbell as Joe Machin * Luana Anders as Henny * Patrick Magee as Sir William Dragonet * John McLaren as team manager Lotus * R. Wright Campbell as Robert Machin * Milo Quesada as Italian Pilot *

Margarete Robsahm Margarete Robsahm (born 9 October 1942) is a Norwegian model, actress and director. She is the mother of director Thomas Robsahm and sister of the actor Fred Robsahm. To an international audience, she is best known for her role in '' Castle of ...

as Lea *

as Monique * Christina Gregg as Daphne * Marie Versini as Sesia Machin

Production

''The Young Racers'' was shot on location in Europe to take advantage of the real life grand prix circuits. Director Roger Corman hired

Robert Wright Campbell Robert Wright Campbell (June 9, 1927–September 21, 2000), often credited as R. Wright Campbell or Robert Campbell, was an American screenwriter, author and occasional actor. He was the brother of actor William Campbell and brother in law o ...

, brother of the lead actor, William Campbell, to write the script. Corman wanted Campbell to base the script on an earlier screenplay he had written about a young American who gets involved with a great bullfighter in Spain.Corman and Jerome 1990, p. 111. The film was shot from race to race during the 1962 Formula One series, with the cast and crew taking breaks in between. Races took place at Monaco, Rouen, Spa in Belgium and England.Corman and Jerome 1990, pp. 110–111. Corman's assistant was sent ahead to scout the locations and coordinate with the racing teams. Leading competitors such as

Jim Clark James Clark Jr. OBE (4 March 1936 – 7 April 1968) was a British Formula One racing driver from Scotland, who won two World Championships, in 1963 and 1965. A versatile driver, he competed in sports cars, touring cars and in the Indianap ...

and Bruce McLaren were featured.Corman and Jerome 1990, p. 112.

Francis Ford Coppola Francis Ford Coppola (; ; born April 7, 1939) is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is considered one of the major figures of the New Hollywood filmmaking movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Coppola is the recipient of five ...

is credited not only as the sound recordist, but also as the second unit director on ''The Young Racers'', in addition to appearing in the film in an uncredited role. Most significantly, working around the shooting schedule of ''The Young Racers'', Coppola was allowed by Corman to use the same set, crew and actors Luana Anders, William Campbell and Patrick Magee to shoot his first feature, '' Dementia 13''. Screenwriter Robert Towne is credited as the second

assistant director The role of an assistant director on a film includes tracking daily progress against the filming production schedule, arranging logistics, preparing daily call sheets, checking cast and crew, and maintaining order on the set. They also have to tak ...

Reception

Quentin Tarantino Quentin Jerome Tarantino (; born March 27, 1963) is an American film director, writer, producer, and actor. His films are characterized by stylized violence, extended dialogue, profanity, dark humor, non-linear storylines, cameos, ensembl ...

described himself as "a big fan of" ''The Young Racers''. He noted: "Where this supposed bad ass driver takes bedding women as seriously as he does winning races. Action flick meets romantic drama, but nicely balanced."

Home media

''The Young Racers was released in a Region 1 DVD on September 11, 2007, as part of the box set ''The Roger Corman Collection''.

Novelization

A tie-in paperback novelization of ''The Young Racers'' screenplay, by Harold Calin — a ubiquitous paperback novelist of the era, best known for his novels of men at war — was commissioned by Lancer Books and released to coincide with the release of the film. Its text occupies 120 pages of very small print (typical of the period) and the copyright is © 1963 Alta Vista Productions. The price on the cover: 40¢.Pierce, J. Kingston
"Gentlemen, Start Your Engines!"
''Killer Covers'', March 7, 2017. Retrieved: September 24, 2017.

References

Notes

Bibliography

* Corman, Roger and Jim Jerome. ''How I Made a Hundred Movies in Hollywood and Never lost a Dime''. London: Lars Müller Publishers, 1990. . * Frank, Alan. ''The Films of Alan Frank: Shooting My Way Out of Trouble''. Bath, UK: Bath Press, 1998. .

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Young Racers 1963 films American auto racing films Formula One mass media Films shot in Monaco 1960s action drama films 1960s sports drama films American sports drama films American action drama films Films directed by Roger Corman Films with screenplays by Robert Wright Campbell Films produced by Roger Corman Films scored by Les Baxter 1963 drama films 1960s English-language films 1960s American films