I Watch Films: Ferrari

 

Ferrari

Enzo Ferrari has a number of problems. Firstly he runs a racing team and a car factory. The car factory exists to fund his racing team but he’s not selling enough cars so he’s losing money. To sell more cars he needs to build more, which requires more money!

He’s estranged from his wife Laura who owns the freehold and shares in the company. In an early scene she shoots at him and misses; Enzo gave her the gun to protect herself as she collects the payroll from the bank. They had a son and he died. Their problems are not helped by Enzo’s mother.

More than this; he has kept secret from Laura his mistress Lina and their son Piero. Piero is approaching confirmation and Lina is pressuring Enzo to legitimise him.

Rivals Maserati get a track record; during an attempt to get it back one of the Ferrari drivers is killed. Enzo recruits some new ones. He and his business partner come up with a plan. If they can win the Mille Miglia, 1000 mile endurance road race, then he’ll be in a strong position to sell more cars. With that he can negotiate a partnership with a larger, better capitalised car company, so he can keep control and continue to run his racing team. But they have to win, and he needs Laura to sign over her shares and the freehold.

Based loosely on the real history of the Ferrari family, company and the race race it’s a good drama of unreasonable people trying to achieve something. And some exciting car races, with tragedies (based on real tragedies).

Watch This: Historical car race drama
Don’t Watch This: If you’re invested in Ferrari you know how it ends and if you aren’t it doesn’t matter