Yes. that is only demonstration of marketing, Leo beebe was a true self serving shitheel during his life, He asked Ken to slow down in a race which prevented him from setting a new world record which made him place 3rd rank = jerk. Yes. The movie is based on A.J. A the end when he realizes that he cant stop Miles he tries to take away his victory. Yes, Leo Beebe was a jerk! While test driving the vehicles in 1964, two aerodynamically unstable GT40s crashed. Leo Beebe, played by Josh Lucas, was Ford's director of special vehicles/PR specialist, and is most remembered for making a controversial decision during the 1966 Le Mans race. Knowing little about the story going into it, I figured that he was a fictionalized cartoon villain made up for the plot of the film, similar to to the character "Pig Vomit" in the film Private Parts. In spite of the losses he still sides with Leos thought process and points fingers at Shelby instead. The movie's villain is Ford executive Leo Beebe, who throws up obstacles for the film's heroes to overcome. But now for some new information the film did not present. Nevertheless, gearheads, automotive historians, and former business colleagues of Ford Senior Vice President Leo Beebe will find a lot to quibble about in this dramatization of the Ford Motor Companys historic first win over its Italian rival at Frances 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966, which takes its inspiration from A.J. Was Leo Beebe a jerk and a piece of shit? For someone to have to convince Henry Ford II to such an extent to give a chance to Miles shows that he had absolutely no idea about how to distinguish between a good employee and a bad one. Leo Claire Beebe was born July 20, 1917, in Williamsburg, Michigan. "[Ford v Ferrari] definitely felt for me in the best sense of the word like an old-school movie," Bernthal said. He did marry a woman named Mollie and father a son named Peter. Heres how it works. -Car and Driver. He did in fact run a tuning shop, Ken Miles Unlimited in North Hollywood, happily but unprofitably until early 1963when the IRS padlocked the business over unpaid taxes. So, he had Shelby order Miles to slow down and let the other GT40 teams catch up. He was also a consultant to the Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare from 1978 to 1981, and the founding President and Executive Vice-Chairman of the National Alliance of Businessmen. Nevertheless, the specter of the European automotive genius hangs over the whole film, and he literally makes a conspicuous appearance during the movie's primary, climactic set piece: the 1966 Le Mans race. But the car executive quickly moved on to Chrysler as president and is said to have saved the brand. Though reluctantly, he agrees because Shelby is handing over his own company in return as compensation if Miles doesnt perform. All that it says is that he had some difficulties over it. After their 1966 and 1967 wins, Ford burned another $1 million preparing for the 1968 race, but then decided to withdraw financial support from the racing division (private GT40 owners won in '68 and '69). No less than seven cars failed to finish as a result of major accidents, many due to the rain that came in as the 24-hour race hit nightfall. This happens so often at every level of business or government and those in higher level positions that fear those in lesser positions because they know that these pieces of shit have no clue what they are doing so they get rid of them. Years later, Beebe stated in an interview that his decision at Le Mans was partly because he was worried over safety and financial concerns. Shelby really wants Miles to man his flagship car in the '66 Le Mans race, as he is instrumental in helping develop the vehicle and realize its potential. The simple fact is that if there's nobody creating conflict with the main characters, then there simply isn't much of a movie. Peter was almost 16 when he witnessed his fathers death in the prototype J-car crash in 1966. We see in the movie that Miles was forced to pit after just one lap because his door wouldnt close properly. The Slate Group LLC. Fords right hand Leo Beebe (portrayed by Josh Lucas) did object to risks that Ken Miles took on the track, but the tension between Shelby and Beebe in the movie is significantly dramatized. And Fords plan to spare no expense on this project was indeed inspired by Italian car designer Enzo Ferraris showy and vulgar rejection of Fords acquisition offer and the restricted terms of its Ferrari-Ford racing team proposal. More importantly, his malicious intent is clear if you consider the way he gives the order about the cars finishing together. Not exactly. All photos courtesy of Ford Motorsport. It was created to help develop the personalities and relationship of race-team leader Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) and his driver Ken Miles (Christian Bale). "Not a lot of people remember what Henry Ford II looked or sounded like, nor do they care," Letts said at the screening. This is all pure movie magic, however, a scripted method by which Shelby could win a battle on his way to the war. A few months later, Miles was test-driving for Shelby American when the car caught on fire, killing him. Pretty much all sports movies end with the hero winning the big game or the big race. Even the youngest of Beebes coworkers at Ford would have to be at least in their late seventies or older. I personally wouldnt have let him push me around for one second. Were the early versions of the Ford GT40 really that dangerous? In an interview withCollider, the actor said getting to be a part of the movie was a rare opportunity. With that Continue reading Was Leo Beebe a . "The biggest cheat in this movie: Ferrari never showed up at Le Mans," says director James Mangold. Ferrari reportedly pumps $500 million per year into its Formula One program. Then we lost him in August.. Absolutely. Lunn bought two, squirrelled away $1.7m from the Dearborn bean counters, hired ex-Aston Martin team boss John Wyer, and got to work. The ostensible villain of the first half of Ford v Ferrari:the Scuderia Ferrari race car company, as personified by founder Enzo Ferrari. Leo Beebe would contest the ending of 'Ford v Ferrari' . Ford executive Lee Iacocca (Jon Bernthal, pictured) suggests getting a jumpstart by purchasing Scuderia Ferrari, and heads to Italy to make a deal with Enzo Ferrari who backs out of it and sells to Fiat instead. Before the race, Ford was determined as ever, sending team members a simple note stating, "You Better Win.". Bruce McLaren leads Ken Miles and Dick Hutcherson across the finish line in one of the most controversial finishes in the history of Le Mans. But rather than having one winner, Beebe asked the Ford cars to cross the finish line simultaneously to create an image of unity and teamwork. The auto tycoon died at age 94 in 2019 after battling Parkinsons disease. At first, Enzo Ferrari agreed to the deal, but there was a clause in the contract which stated that Ford would control the racing budget (and in turn the decisions). Rear end lift caused the car to loop, flip, crash and catch fire, breaking into pieces and ejecting Miles. He says if you dont finish together then youre not a team player. He reportedly had a net worth of $150 million. Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day. The movie's portrayal of the end of the race during the climax is accurate, as the real life Leo Beebe did, in fact, order Miles to slow down in order to stage a 3 car photo finish. said director James Mangold of Ford v Ferrari's historical accuracy. Leo Beebe - Manager of Ford's Special Vehicle Dept. Like in the movie, he was prescribed nitroglycerin tablets. The sudden change of plans fueled Henry Ford II to create his own engine, one that would not only be faster than the Ferrari, but also win a victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, a celebrated car race. Similarly, Miles crew chief recently told CBS News that he never saw them get into any knockdown, drag-out, grocery-spilling fistfights. Shelby also never carried a sign over to the shoulder of the track that read, "7,000+ go like hell.". Factory support was withdrawn after the 1967 win. 'You know it already.'". As a young man, Shelby took on various jobs, from training incoming pilots in the United States Air Force to unsuccessfully running a chicken ranch, before starting what would become a lifelong relationship with Ford. The bungled photo finish resulted in Ken Miles being denied the coveted chance of winning Sebring, Daytona, and Le Mans all in the same year. Baime's 2009 book Go Like Hell: Ford, Ferrari and Their Battle for Speed and Glory at Le Mans. Future Club 33 Member. As for Henry Ford II, he was present at Le Mans. After a bittersweet end to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966 for Ken Miles Ford wins, but the driver technically comes in second place during a simultaneous finish by Ford's top three cars the story ends on a deeply sad and tragic note. Perhaps it was jealousy in seeing the success of Ferraris race cars win year after year at the big automotive race. If you see this quote it doesnt have any kind of apology to Miles or his surviving family. As depicted in the movie, Miles was well ahead in the '66 race but slowed down on the orders of Ford exec Leo Beebe, which ultimately resulted in him finishing second, which also cost Miles the Triple Crown of 24 Hours of Daytona, 12 Hours of Sebring, and the Le Mans. The drivers the pit crew the spectators the fans and we all know the power mad bluffers who think they know best. -Popular Mechanics, No. But Refinery 29 reports that, in reality, Ford had a number of more practical and reasonable reasons to go head-to-head with Ferrari on Ferrari's turf. The race itself is almost an hour, an immersion." Beebe, Leo C. (Leo Clair), 1917-2001 Description: Bio: Leo Clair Beebe (1917-2001) worked for Ford Motor Company from 1945 to 1972. Before long, these two are engaged in a knock-down drag-out fist fight, right there outside of a race track in a battle for dominance and a show of macho independence. In an interview at the Hamptons International Film Festival, Tracy Letts, who played Ford, said that he didn't do thorough research on the role, partly because he couldn't find reliable information. Ford engineer Phil Remington (portrayed by Ray McKinnon) came up with a brake system that would allow the pit crew to quickly swap out the pads and rotors during a driver change. "I insistently put him there. The Ford v Ferrari true story reveals that it was actually Ken Miles (Christian Bale's character) who took Ford for a wild ride. That's not the man that Ed Cloues knew. Photo illustration by Slate. Along with his friend Ken Miles, they were at the heart of a generation of racers whose ideas revolutionized their cars, the sport of racing and beyond. Your email address will not be published. If no one else is going to say this then I will. Thats the American propaganda. Privately owned GT40s captured the top spot in '68 and '69. Gurney then pushed his car across the finish line. I have an open mind and I would love to hear your stories. The daring untried nature of this gambit, meanwhile, was not exacerbated by Shelby nicking the Ferrari teams precision Swiss stopwatches, a flourish that is regrettably absent from the source material. In Ford v Ferrari, car developer Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) and driverKen Miles first meet during a rollicking day at Willow Springs Raceway in California the former recruits the latter to be part of his Ford-funded drive to win the Le Mans. While exploring how accurate Ford v Ferrari is, we learned that Ford failed to finish the race both years. He received a heart transplant several decades later in 1990. The accidents prompted Ford test driver Roy Salvadori to quit. But when World War II broke out, Miles' life took a different route. All Rights Reserved. The aerodynamics were also dangerously bad. Was Carroll Shelby friends with Ken Miles? Yes. In Ford v. Ferrari, chameleonic Academy Award winner Christian Bale plays Ken Miles, a test driver turned engineer and race car driver who dominates the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans on behalf of the Ford Motor Company. He opened up his business, Shelby American, where he created the "Cobra," a car with an American engine that mirrored the sleekness of a European sports vehicle. I encourage anyone with knowledge of Beebe or HFII at the time to come forward. -IndieWire. The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. It certainly would not have been the first time that a real life person was made out to be more of a villain than they actually were. To guarantee that the engines would last at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Ford ran them on a dynamometer (an instrument that measures the power output of an engine) controlled by a program that simulated durability and performance. Who was Leo Beebe? 11 The Output That Made Henry Ford II Cry. "All you need is one good accident and you lose all your investment.". Yes. Shelby never locked Beebe in an office to get a private audience with Ford, according to Frank Comstock, a journalist and former student of Beebes. The 1966 race at Le Mans was 54 years ago, and Leo retired from Ford in 1972, 48 years ago. Its here that the filmmakers likely embellished a bit, suggesting that Ferrari actually called Ford fat, causing Ford to all but declare war on the Italian carmaker. The 1966 race at Le Mans was 54 years ago, and Leo retired from Ford in 1972, 48 years ago. He dies in a tragic crash at the end of the movieafter hes cheated out of a first place win at Le Mans because of a botched PR plan. There are a very few out here who get to really do what they want, and I can definitely say that about James [Mangold].". The designer would go on to work with the company up until his death in 2012. The Ford v Ferrari true story confirms that the other teams indeed cried foul, complaining that it gave Ford an unfair advantage, but there was no rule against it. And it's not too surprising to see why Leo Beebe was the one chosen for the role of antagonist. It's true that Ken Miles had been minutes ahead of the other cars, but due to self-serving instructions from Ford, combined with a technicality, Miles was given second place instead of first. Did Carroll Shelby really lock Leo Beebe in his office? In one of the many rousing sales pitches that Matt Damons race car driverturnedrace car maker Carroll Shelby delivers in the film, he solemnly promises, Were going to make history. And although theres not much evidence that Shelby actually delivered this pep talk in the 1960s, he certainly said it later when Shelby American and Ford teamed up again in 2008. This essentially forced Ken Miles to lose the race he had been determined to win. I call him a human engineer. He is considered to be the mastermind behind the infamous deal with Enzo Ferrari, fostering a vision that Ford cars could be synonymous with race cars. Carroll Shelby never bet Henry Ford II his entire business so that Ken Miles could drive at Le Mans. Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "ab72d35f3099ad0fee8b75a64119d907" );document.getElementById("c08a1a06c7").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. A Ford v Ferrari fact check reveals that in addition to Shelby and Miles, many other talented Ford employees and contractors worked to solve the complex set of engineering hurdles in an impossibly tight time frame. Comments, around 200 in number four years after initial publication, show the passion of people on both sides of the dispute. No. As Gozzi says in Baimes book, it was a tirade that I had never seen or heard before in my entire life and have not done so since.. A Ford v Ferrari fact check confirms that a life-threatening heart ailment, angina pectoris, prompted Shelby to retire as a race car driver. In the film, as his son and biggest fan Peter looks on, Miles' car takes a tough curve and disappears from sight, generating a cloud of ominous dust. A better way out of this mess would have been (Miles asking Shelby to clarify this with Henry Ford II) or even better, Shelby making the call on his own and and telling Henry Ford II that this race means a lot to Miles and that his pulling out is something thatll be demoralizing to the entire Ford crew that worked on his car. Sorry, history!" The irascible Miles gets so incensed with Shelby that he throws a wrench at the guy, which shatters his own windshield after Shelby ducks. Though the scenes of conflict within the team, pitting sleazy marketing guys against maverick racing savants, have some basis in reality, they are embellished. Forbes says it's extremely unlikely that such a speech from Ford II ever occurred. Epcot Stan. With their teamwork, Ford Motor Co. went on to win at Le Mans 66, but although the race was a victory for the company, it was a blow to Miles, who didn't emerge as the winning driver due to a technicality, despite his car being the fastest. Lee Iacocca started out as a trainee at Ford in 1946 and became president in 1970. The real life Le Mans 66 ended with a historic finish: Ford trounced the frontrunner Ferrari as all three Ford cars crossed the finish line in a dead heat. In reality, Fiat had been granting Ferrari a cash stipend for years simply as a gratuity for elevating the stature of Italian-made automobiles internationally and, as many speculated before and since, Enzo Ferrari was too much of a nationalist to sell his company to Americans. It's true that an angry Henry Ford II sought revenge by directing his company's finances toward putting together a racing team and building a sports car that could beat Ferrari, specifically at the most prestigious car race in the world, the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He is also the executive administrator of a vintage car collection valued at over $80 million. Did Ken Miles really slow down at Le Mans? . It was certainly a tragic end to an otherwise heroic story. It's implied that he made some kind of fatal mistake during his drive. A corporate sociopath with no remorse for denying a legendary racer his rightful win. Shelby also never locked Leo Beebe in an office while Ford was being taken for a ride. They have been awfully good to me. Perhaps a man that congenial and talented, denied recognition in his lifetime due to minor technicalities and a fatal accident in his late 40s, deserves a slightly hagiographic Hollywood dramatization like this, with just a little extra polish. I would have put him down like a rabid dog. But when health complications forced him to retire from the tracks, Shelby switched gears and became a car designer. Cloues served on a board with Beebe and told the Philadelphia Inguirer that Beebe was actually quite the opposite person, somebody who pushed people to be the best. Rather, he said, Mollie understands and supports her husband's goals. Miles really did go from driving lumbering tanks for the British Army in World War II to setting records in some of the fastest sports cars produced over the ensuing two decades. In the film, Leo Beebe is portrayed by Josh Lucas. Home | About | Contact | Copyright | Privacy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions | Sitemap. Bio: Leo Clair Beebe (1917-2001) worked for Ford Motor Company from 1945 to 1972. Enzo Ferrari would call Frey Dottore Ingegnere (Dr. To a large degree, yes. Though Miles was disliked by many for his stubbornness, when he moved to the States he continued to race and build his own vehicles racking up an impressive rsum and catching the eye of Carroll Shelby. In the matter of run time and building drama to the '66 Le Mans, lots of precursor races are not depicted in the movie. First held in 1923, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which takes place in the town of Le Mans, France, sets itself apart because instead of being a fixed-distance sports car race that awards the win to the car with the minimum time, the 24 Hours of Le Mans gives the win to the car that covers the greatest distance in a span of exactly 24 hours. He participated in the 1944 D-Day landings as part of a tank unit. Computer-controlled servo actuators then ran or "drove" the engine just as it would be driven at Le Mans, complete with pit stops that included shut downs. He was tough, but a gem of a person. Yes. In reality, there was no conflict. 9. Superimposed words on the screen tell viewers that the race is being piped to American television "via satellite," but there's just no way that happened. As he says in Go Like Hell, Ill forever be sorry that I agreed with Leo Beebe and Henry Ford to have the three cars come across at the same time. Bebe was also a businessman - and from everything written about him after he left Ford, he was good at his job. For those who don't know anything about the actual event, Ford v. Ferrari will become the "true story" in many ways for a lot of people, and that means people will see Beebe as a bad guy when his friends say that simply wasn't the case. It is believed that despite team orders, Bruce McLaren accelerated just ahead of Miles at the last moment in an attempt to finish in the top spot (in the film, all three cars cross at the same time). Much of the travel and haggling was conducted by his subordinate, a metallurgical engineer named Don Frey, whose technical know-how genuinely won the eccentric carmakers respect for a time. From Leesburg to Le Mans, Carroll Shelbys legend left skid marks across the racing world from the day he first drove his fathers Ford at 15. Photos by Merrick Morton/20th Century Fox and Hugo van Gelderen / Anefo. Beebe earned a master's degree in Communications from Glassboro State College in 1985. Once Shelby got a taste of the race-car scene in 1952, he quickly became a star driver for top names like Aston Marton. Visit our corporate site. Miles had already won the 12 Hours of Sebring and the 24 Hours of Daytona for Shelby American - and he was now aiming for the 24 Hours Of Le Mans as well, something no driver had ever been able to achieve. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. According to 8 Meters, Ford executives did eventually learn that a dead heat would not be allowed and there could be only one winner, but that was after they gave the order for Miles to slow down. This essentially forced Ken Miles to lose the race he had been determined to win. . Ken Miles, who is portrayed by Christian Bale in the film, died two months after the 1966 Le Mans. The Ford GT40 that takes first place at Le Mans in the movie is a Superformance GT40 Mk II replica that was borrowed from Shelby collector William Deary. Did Enzo Ferrari really call Henry Ford fat? Cinemablend is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. 2023 What Ford v Ferrari Got Wrong About Carroll Shelby For all its attention to detail and attempts at authenticity, 'Ford v Ferrari' does get a few things wrong. While Iacocca had a role in this scheme, it was more minimal than it appears in Ford v. Ferrari. Everything had to be big! "Growing up watching sports movies, I didn't want to have to montage my way through seven or eight races as opposed to really landing in one." After the Ford team shockingly proves legitimate, Ferrari quietly and symbolically walks away, but not before locking eyes with Shelby and giving a torch-passing head nod of approval. Did Miles really speak with that slight Birmingham accent? "The movies that people go see these days in movie theaters are escapist fare; you know it's really mainly made by computers and CGI," the actor said. Unlike what's seen in the movie, Miles did go to Le Mans in 1965, losing to Ferrari. Posts on my experiences and learnings on life. With $25,000, I can build two cars thatll blow off the Corvettes.. Video and photos exist of the three Ford race cars finishing together at the 24 Hours of Le Mans race. Heres one pointed example: After Ford II has given Carroll Shelby and his team a blank check to design, build, and road test a race car to best Ferrari at Le Mans, the Shelby American crew knuckles under at an airplane hangar near LAX to put various prototype dragsters through their paces. Shelby was also a trained pilot, and while he did not rakishly scare Iacocca and company with any cavalier aerial stunts on their way to the Ford Mustang GT350 presser on Jan. 27, 1965, he was present for what was by all reports a bumpy plane ride. It's you, you difficult wanker!' He was a corporate prick who flexed his corporate power and made life difficult for Miles because Miles knew he was a phony! One was Ian Garrad, a rising star in the Rootes Group organization, recently appointed the manager of West Coast sales. In the heat of the moment, Shelby was completely fine with Beebes suggestion, although he came to regret it after Miles unexpected death a few months later. NY 10036. Heres His Thoughts, Family Feud Contestant Found Guilty Of Murdering Estranged Wife, Already Planning To Fight The Verdict, James Gunn Admits The Guardians Character Who Was Most Different By Vol. And Henry Ford II was a blind moron who didnt have the ability to distinguish between a good employee and a bad one. Friedman doesn't believe anyone was really the villain in this situation (whereas Ford vs. Ferrari portrays Leo Beebe as a bit of an evil mastermind), but he also believes that Miles was. The major antagonist of the film is the character of Leo Beebe, an executive within the Ford Motor Company who was a real person, but not the type of person the movie portrays, according to those who knew him. It's a ridiculous, hilarious scene, in which Shelby cruises at ludicrous speeds with Ford II riding shotgun and screaming at the top of his lungs, partly in exhilaration, and partly in terror. -IndieWire. The idea is staring American car manufacturers in the face, Shelby said, according to Go Like Hell. "Coming together is a beginning. Leo was more than a jerk! The following paragraphs will contain spoilers. There is a quote that Leo makes later on: Ken Miles, who later died, regrettably didnt win the race that year. Just before the deal was to close, however, Enzo Ferrari pulled out, disagreeing with Ford's demand to retain financial control. The only thing is, according to History vs Hollywood, none of this ever happened. 3 Was Initially Hired As A Money-Saving Move, Jason Sudeikis And Brett Goldstein Weigh In On Ted Lasso Ending As The Final Whistle Blows, Dwayne Johnson Reportedly Has A New Fast And Furious Movie Lined Up, But It's Not Hobbs And Shaw 2, After The Blacklist's Big Move, Director Breaks Down Red And Dembe's 'Beautiful Moment' And That Ending Twist: 'It Was Hard To Watch', After Peaches Goes Viral, Super Mario Bros. Jack Black Jokes About His Impressive Vocal Range: I Dont Wanna Brag, Emmy Rossum Rocked Gorgeous Curls To Promote New Streaming Show, But Shameless Fans Took Over The Comments. In order to create a more compelling story around its two main characters, Shelby and Miles, the movie largely omits the vast cast of participants who were responsible for the success of the GT40 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Photos by Merrick Morton/20th Century Fox and Bettmann / Contributor. Required fields are marked *. This isn't the first time Bale has played a real person among others, characters Dicky Eklund in The Fighter and Dick Cheney from Vice are both actual people. Nevertheless, gearheads, automotive historians, and former business colleagues of Ford Senior Vice President Leo Beebe will find a lot to quibble about in this dramatization of the Ford. He had virtually no experience in racing (it was the first thing he told gear heads when he met them), but he was a close confidant of Ford president Henry Ford II. It broke his heart. Were going to race him, was somewhat more decorous than what erupts from the mouth of Ford v. Ferraris Ford II upon hearing this news: We are gonna bury that greasy wop.. His decision to take the role stemmed from his appreciation of the script, the actor said. Speaking to British GQ,Bale, who lost a whopping 40 pounds to play Miles, said, "[James Mangold] sent me the script. Yes. Leo beebe will enjoy himself in hell, beacause he was a fuckin devil. Ford II is so upset over the company's fortunes that he halts production on a bustling automobile assembly line to yell at the countless workers to come up with some ideas to save the company or to consider themselves unemployed. Based on his insistence, they bring in a different driver for the Le Mans race and lose pretty bad. Ferrari using Ford to leverage more money out of Fiat is fiction. I mean talk about how wicked a person can get! The ULTIMATE PIECE OF SHIT!!!!! The new movie, which is currently being showered with awards attention, deals with the attempt by the Ford Motor Company's attempt to build a car that can win the 24 hours at Le Mans road race, and while the underdog story is quite real, some have come out and said that the depiction of one character, Leo Beebe, played by Josh Lucas, is not. Every good stories have a strong villain. Yes. Grandson of the founding Ford of Ford Motor, Henry Ford II (Tracy Letts), who really was nicknamed Hank the Deuce, is portrayed as both an imposing captain of industry and a neurotic beneficiary of his familys largesse in Ford v. Ferrari. "The only way to communicate that is to not do the 24-hour race in 11 minutes. At over 200 mph, the cars developed so much lift they'd encounter wheelspin. The Ford GT40 brought Ferrari's dominance at Le Mans to an end in 1966, when the Ford GT40 Mark IIs captured first, second and third place. The family left behind to pick up the pieces and then struggle to cope is the sad irony. Video and photos exist of the three Ford race cars finishing together at the 24 Hours of Le Mans race. Photos by Merrick Morton/20th Century Fox and Reuters/1978 Sid Avery. That causes a major negative PR for the publicity. Leo Beebe ultimately made the decision to not notify the drivers and let the dead heat occur, which would make the McLaren team the victor. The real life Le Mans '66 ended with a historic finish: Ford trounced the frontrunner Ferrari as all three Ford cars crossed the finish line in a dead heat. It's estimated that Ford spent no less than $25 million on its effort to win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (some have put the estimate around $100 million). Yes. In spite of this Leo is shown as a character who doesnt learn his lesson. Ford management had indeed instructed him to slow down so that all three of their cars could cross the finish line together. The embodiment of all of the of the pushback within Ford top management is an other known as Leo Beebe (Josh Lucas), a genuine individual, though perhaps not anyone whom numerous who worked with Beebe state they knew. In other words he ensured that even if Miles finished first he would still get a chance to ruin his (Miles) reputation by saying that he wasnt a team player. And he claims that he asked Miles to slow down otherwise the drivers would knock one another off. He was killed during a freak accident while test driving the Ford J-car, which was to be the successor to the Ford GT40 Mk II. Good people with a proper sense of mission will find a way to get the job done." Leo Beebe Fifty years have elapsed since Ford Motor Company's overwhelming victory at Le Mans in 1966 and the controversy over who did win, or who should have won, the race. Shelby truly was an expert salesman, and his gift for gab was of continuing assistance throughout his life and Fords Le Mans project. An engine was run until it exploded, at which time the engineers would address the problem and start the process over until their design was able to last back-to-back Le Mans simulations. Are Mullets Coming Back In Style In 2021? At a Toronto Film Festival press conference, Balfe said that the married couple have a solid friendship, which works in their favor. From a young age, the driver realized he had a passion for cars and sidestepped a traditional education for an apprenticeship at Wesley Motors. Ford v Ferrari employs the latter narrative device. The car just disintegrated. The aerodynamics were also dangerously bad. The cars that still exist are worth millions and are far too valuable to be used in a movie. Mary Harron's now well-known film actually really worked to jumpstart Christian Bale . Keeping together is progress. If he felt such a speech was necessary, he would have delegated the job to one of his many assistants or direct underlings. No. He ultimately still finds a way to pull rank on Miles and rob the guy of some glory. Photo illustration by Slate. There's no record of Ford crying, which is fiction. The negotiations are expedited for the sake of the movie.The Ford v Ferrari true story reveals that Ford's offer was $10 million. Yes. Ford's PR guru Leo Beebe wanted to celebrate the win with a picture of the trio crossing the finish line together. Miles was approaching the 1-mile, downhill back straight at the Riverside International Raceway in Southern California, going over 200 mph. The major antagonist of the film is the character of Leo Beebe, an executive within the Ford Motor Company who was a real person, but not the type of person the movie portrays, according to those who knew him. Like any movie that's based on a true story, Ford v Ferrari's filmmakers which include Logan director James Mangold and Edge of Tomorrow writers Jez and John-Henry Butterworth took a few creative liberties to make the story more cinematic. The movie is set to drive into theaters nationwide on Nov. 15. Leo Beebe, then Ford racing director, conceived of staging a dead heat by having the leading teams reduce speed and pull alongside each other in order for three Ford cars to cross the line . Enlisted for seven years, he eventually earned the title of sergeant. Yes. As Ken Miles cruises to glory in the 1966 Le Mans, his wife, Mollie (Caitriona Balfe), and young son, Peter (Noah Jupe), watch the race via a television broadcast on their small, quaint, black-and-white, vintage mid-century TV set. The clash between the control-hungry corporate overlords from Ford and the engineers and drivers striving to make history comes to a head in one of the few moments of comic relief in Ford v Ferrari. Fords first two defeats at Le Mans in 1964 and 65 were overseen by another persnickety Brit, John Pappy Wyer, Shelbys former boss on Aston Martins racing team, but Pappy did get into heated arguments with Ford exec Beebe over the firms micromanagement by committeesimilar to the ones shown between Shelby and Beebe in the movie. Historically, there wasn't nearly as much push-back from Ford regarding Ken Miles competing at Le Mans. For reasons unknown, Ford II fired Iacocca from the company in 1978. 20 did have an accident that led to a pileup with a Porsche and a French Matra MS620. Many more vehicles, including the Ford and Ferrari entrants seen blowing gaskets and burning out their engines in the film, did not finish due to less harrowing equipment failures. It keeps audiences interested, and it keeps the stakes high, so that when there's a resolution, it provides satisfying closure to the story. Ken Miles is a big name in the world of cars. They all had big extravagant ideals and were all desperately trying to see who had their tongue up whos ass. Even the youngest of Beebe's coworkers at Ford would have to be at least in their late seventies or older. Having said that, actual events also don't always cooperate in taking place in the best possible way to make a great movie. Group, a Graham Holdings Company. That causes a major negative PR for the publicity. Ford wrote the message on a business card and handed it to Beebe, who kept it in his wallet for the rest of his life. It was Lemans!!! Just a few months after the climactic race, Miles gets back to work, preparing already for the '67 Le Mans by test driving a J-type on a track in Riverside, California. Is the best way truly the one which Miles took? In a move to secure the company with the fastest cars, Ford made an offer to buy Ferrari and its fleet of race cars in 1963. Knowing little about the story going into it, I figured that he was a fictionalized cartoon villain made up for the plot of the film, similar to to the character "Pig Vomit" in the film Private Parts. As the race went on and the GT40 MkIIIs left Ferrari far behind, Ford PR flack Leo Beebe realized the carmaker could core a public relations coup by staging a 1-2-3 photo finish, with all three . When I saw Ford v Ferrari in theaters, I was puzzled by Leo Beebe's portrayal in the film. But while there was plenty of footage of Eklund and Cheney to study, there was a surprising dearth of research material on Ken Miles. What happened to Leo Beebe after Le Mans? But this is a glaring historical mistake, as Enzo Ferrari didnt attend Le Mans 66, meaning he wouldnt have been present to give a gracious tip of the hat to Ken Miles come race end. And, in the end, thats how Ken Miles, whos played by Christian Bale, does end up in that drivers seat in the sky. One thing that Leo said that I always carry with me: Do what you tell people youre going to do. Sounds simple, but its great advice. As suggested by Bale's characterization of Miles as a cranky, taciturn fellow, there's not a lot of video of the guy. CinemaBlends resident theme park junkie and amateur Disney historian. 2023 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. "At one point we had 200 million dollars of actual Ferraris in that scene, all of it was real and we could feel it. I work for these people. It's just not plausible that Ford II, the guy at the top of the company food chain, would deign to address the rank-and-file. Hailed as one of the masterminds behind Ford Motor Co.'s success, Carroll Hall Shelby took a career path that was anything but straightforward. He then worked in machinery, and in 1942, he was promoted to staff sergeant. . Based on his insistence, they bring in a different driver for the Le Mans race and lose pretty bad. One thing that was absolutely accurate was the set for Henry Fords office. No. For those who haven't yet seen Ford v Ferrari and don't know the true events behind the film, consider this your spoiler warning. He retired from the company in 1972 but was never idle, and took a job as an adjunct professor at Glassboro State (now Rowan). As a final note, Christian Bales Ken Miles really did die in a crash only two months after the 1966 race. Ford's right hand Leo Beebe (portrayed by Josh Lucas) did object to risks that Ken Miles took on the track, but the tension between Shelby and Beebe in the movie is significantly dramatized. The sale to Fiat also did not happen until 1968, well after Le Mans 66. In the spring of 1963, two Englishmen met in a small back room at Shelby American. This is because race officials ruled that since Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon started the race further back, they therefore covered a greater distance in the same time. On August 17, 1966, Ken Miles died when the Ford J-car he had been testing for almost an entire day at Californias Riverside International Raceway flipped, crashed, and caught on fire, then broke into pieces and ejected Miles, who was killed instantly. Sociopath with no remorse for denying a legendary racer his rightful win... Ford, Ferrari and their Battle for Speed and Glory at Le Mans race led to was leo beebe really that bad. On both sides of the movie.The Ford v Ferrari in theaters, was... And became a star driver for the film 's heroes to overcome 2009 book go hell! Fiat is fiction for Shelby American in return as compensation if Miles doesnt perform test driver Roy Salvadori quit! Can get fuckin devil one was Ian Garrad, a rising star in the movie 's villain is Ford Leo. He made some kind of fatal mistake during his drive least in their seventies... The idea is staring American car manufacturers in the spring of 1963, two aerodynamically unstable GT40s.. 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