Common Sense Media Review
By Alistair Lawrence
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
1970s racing drama has trauma, peril, and injury.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Le Mans
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
LE MANS follows the fortunes of racing driver Michael Delaney (Steve McQueen) on and away from the track during the legendary French annual 24-hour endurance race.
Is It Any Good?
There's something both enduring and iconic about motor racing that lends itself to being depicted on the silver screen. Le Mans sees McQueen's veteran driver Michael Delaney needing to overcome the death of a rival as he returns to the most grueling race in motorsports -- an event that names its winner the person who racks up the most miles in 24 hours. However, what's most striking is that here even an A-list star such as McQueen -- a passionate racer in real life and critical to getting the movie made -- takes second billing to the race itself. Footage of the 1970 24 Hours of Le Mans race is used extensively throughout, creating more of a docu-drama than a narrative film. The drawback of this approach is that, over 50 years later, the movie is dated by the modern camera technology used today in both action movies and real-life races. It's unlikely anyone other than vintage race fans will be engrossed by it, but like with many passion projects, the affection its makers feel for the subject matter hasn't aged a day.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about some of the character strengths displayed in Le Mans. What traits do you think you'd need to be a good racing driver? Which characters showed these character strengths in the movie?
How did the car-crash scenes make you feel? Were they exciting, scary, or a combination of both?
Discuss the representation of women in the movie. Did you think they were marginalized? How might the movie be cast and scripted differently if it was made today? Why representation matters in kids' media.
The movie used real-life footage. What other movies can you think of that has used this technique? Does it impact the way you feel about those types of films?
Movie Details
- In theaters : June 23, 1971
- On DVD or streaming : August 29, 2020
- Cast : Steve McQueen , Siegfried Rauch , Elga Andersen
- Directors : Lee H. Katzin , John Sturges
- Studio : National General Pictures
- Genre : Action/Adventure
- Topics : Transportation ( Cars & Trucks )
- Character Strengths : Courage , Perseverance , Self-control
- Run time : 106 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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