A reflective and inspirational piece about a humble and legendary man.
Did you attend the grand opening of the The Bend Motorsport Park in Tailem Bend recently? Why not follow it up with a journey into the history of motor racing? The story of “Flying Scot” Jackie Stewart will captivate any audience, a documentary designed to appeal to more than just F1 racing enthusiasts.
The story is told using images and footage from the past with narration over the top. While Jackie Stewart provides reflective narration in the present day, the documentary also incorporates snippets from past television interviews and echoes his responses to radio questions. These voice overlays are synchronised with reels from the sixties and seventies, showcasing his career highlights.
More recent footage comes about twenty minutes or so into the film of him at a present-day event. The differences in the crowds with the infrastructure so much more organised is vastly different to his racing journey of no fences, no barriers and no runoff areas. You hear the sound effects of a heartbeat which accentuates how easily cars could burst into flames. One of Stewart’s passions during his career was the safety aspect, for which he was ridiculed and emasculated.
As a child he had already been ridiculed at school as he couldn’t read or write, finally diagnosed with severe dyslexia at age 43. This is part of what drove him to ambition, but also led to his strength as a leader in the pursuit of safety, despite these negative reactions.
Cleverly montaged with news recordings from the era of his career, such as the Vietnam protests, dancing in the swinging sixties and president speeches, the entire film felt totally authentic. With no down time in his reflections, he talks of failures as well as well as triumphs, and of his longstanding love, Helen always by his side. He also talks of loss and the heartbreak from losing teammates.
Regardless of your appetite for motorsports or knowledge of Jackie Stewart’s extraordinary career, Jackie Stewart is less documentary and more a portrayal of the man himself. Brilliantly directed with Stewart narrating much of the film, his thoughts, feelings and aspirations are heard throughout. Written and directed by Patrick Mark, it is a movie for everyone.
Jackie Stewart is currently showing as part of the Cunard British Film Festival.
Click here for screening times, and to book tickets.
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