The title of Steve McQueen’s 1971 film about the 24 Hours of Le Mans is Le Mans.
Directed by Lee H. Katzin, the film stars McQueen as fictional Porsche driver Michael Delaney, who returns to the circuit after a fatal crash involving a rival. Its story is sparse and heavily focused on racing, atmosphere and the psychological pressure of endurance competition rather than conventional dialogue-driven action.
Much of the movie’s visual power comes from real motorsport footage. Production took place at the Circuit de la Sarthe in 1970, including during the actual 24 Hours of Le Mans. A Porsche 908 camera car captured track footage, while the film recreated additional racing scenes with Porsche 917s and Ferrari 512s.
Le Mans is often mixed up with Grand Prix, another major 1960s racing film, or Ford v Ferrari, which dramatizes Ford’s 1960s battle with Ferrari. Unlike those films, Le Mans is centered specifically on the endurance race and became a cult favorite among motorsport enthusiasts despite its modest initial commercial reception.