But despite pumping untold sums of money into
its program, Ford kept running into problems with
its project. So it ultimately turned it over to Shelby,
who in turn sought out Miles, and together they
not only got the program on track but also got it
to victory lane in their first try at Le Mans.
“There’s that relationship, right? And the friction
in that relationship. They’re opposites in so many
ways,” Damon said. “But they have the qualities
the other needs. Carroll was great about politics
and diplomacy. He could sell you anything. He
understand that was a big part of putting a
winning team on the grid, was the politics of it.
Whereas Miles was horrible at that stuff.”
The film, directed by James Mangold, went
through several rewrites before Bale and Damon
signed onto the project. It was filmed primarily
in California, but Bale said the group went to Le
Mans for some of the local scenes, and he even
took a course at Bob Bondurant’s racing school.
Walt Disney Studios is due to release it Nov. 15
under the 20th Century Fox banner.
Meanwhile, its leading men are preparing to
wave the green flag over the 103rd running of
the Indy 500 on Sunday. Other famous actors
have had the honor, including Jack Nicholson,
who famously refused to come down from the
flag stand and wound up watching more than
30 laps up there.
It’s the first time either of them will witness the
pageantry of the Indy 500 in person.
“I’ve heard about it. Read about it. Watched it on
TV,” Damon said. “This is bigger than anything
we do in the country sports-wise, and we’re
going to be right in the thick of it.”