Rating: 
Summary: Romantic comedy adventure at its best.
Review: The Great Race is one of Blake Edward's best comedies. There are too many great comedic moments in this movie to enumerate. Two, however, especially stand out: possibly the wildest bar room brawl ever, and THE most spectacular pie and pastry fight ever filmed. The cast is outstanding: Tony Curtis is the dashing hero, Natalie Wood is a beautiful feminist newspaper reporter, Jack Lemmon is the ultimate villain, and Peter Falk is his bumbling henchman. Add an enchanting Henry Mancini score featuring the beautiful Academy Award nominated song, "The Sweetheart Tree," and the result is a genuine masterpiece of romantic comedy adventure.
Rating:
Summary: Fate loves ...
Review: Like many of the reviewers, I first saw this great film as a child with my father. We have laughed about it ever since, and my own children also know that "Fate is a fink!" The movie spoofs the old Simon Legree silent movies and combines hilarious slapstick, outrageous sight gags, the historic 1908 New York to Paris automobile race (Remember the Thomas Flyer?), incredible round the world locations, an Old West saloon fight, great old cars and props, priceless performances by Jack Lemmon (sans frozen moustache), Tony Curtis (great swordplay but, alas, no Cary Grant impersonation), Peter Falk (hilarious in goggles) and the exquisite Natalie Wood (under the Sweetheart Tree). And don't forget the sendup of the Prisoner of Zenda with the fantastic Ross Martin who was then also starring as Artemus Gordon in the Wild, Wild West television series with Robert Conrad. The music by Henry Mancini is among his best, and the soundtrack is recently available. Even the opening credits are classic, including the harried projectionist and the audience booing Professor Fate! This could be an awesome widescreen DVD with plenty of saloon fight, sword duel and pie fight outtakes; current interviews with Curtis, Lemmon, and Falk; Blake Edwards commentary;...and please, a few more stills of Natalie Wood!
Rating:
Summary: A role only Jack Lemmon could pull off!
Review: I remember watching this movie with my dad when I was a kid and the both of us laughing hysterically. Jack Lemmon is without question one of the funniest villians in the movies. The fight scenes, fencing and pie fight near the end are flawless and entertaining to watch. This film defines slapstick comedy and demonstrates that you don't need to be vulgar or crass to be funny.
Rating:
Summary: non stop hilarious movie for the whole family
Review: This movie is a classic and should have been on the AFI's 100 funniest list. It is an earlier work of Blake Edward's and features an awesome performance by Peter Falk who steals the show. If you are in the mood to laugh and share a wholesome movie with your family, then the great race is for you
Rating:
Summary: ¿Now, if you had been the Men¿s fencing champion¿..¿
Review: I agree with everybody except those who didn't care for the pie-fight. It was great. "Throw more brandy. "Rum! I never mix my pies." This movie holds a special memory for me. 1965, the Van Nuys drive-in, in the back seat of my father's '60 sunroof VW. I was 17 she 16. Apparently my date felt I was being too attentive so I decided to watch the movie a little closer. Well, she didn't have a problem with me for the balance of the evening. I was in such hysterics I completely lost interest in the back-seat child molestation taking place. I don't think she was quite prepared for that. 'Twas our last date. The Great Race is loaded with such wonderful surprises. The glint in the eye, the sparkling teeth, the beautiful resonant chime as Peter Falk whollops the unsuspecting soldiers. Lines like "Not the mustache, "Dere dere. Dere dere" (Peter Falk) "Now, if you had been the Men's fencing champion....."And, of course, "Get off my hood." Hell, I've had a great time recalling all of these moments in order to write this review. Did I mention Natalie Wood running around in this most delightful lingerie thingie? My main motivation for responding was to add my request for a DVD Letterbox version.
Rating:
Summary: Ultimate Hero, Dastardly Villain and Natalie
Review: In this movie the concept of the melodrama takes its ultimate form. Tony Curtis, The Great Leslie, is the hero, always dressed in white. Jack Lemmon dresses in black and comes complete with a moustache to twirl. In his double role as Professor Fate and Prince Hapnik, he shows a wonderful versatility of laughter stylings, ranging from the demented to the idiotic. Keenan Wynn and Peter Falk give inspired comic performances and Natalie Wood looks great in vintage underwear. This is one of those movies that creates a bond between those who know it. When are they going to release it on DVD?
Rating: 
Summary: Lots of fun, but not up to Blake Edwards' standard
Review: THE GREAT RACE contains some of the greatest comic elements that can only be created by Blake Edwards. The first part of the film is really great, but when it comes to the imitation of THE PRISONER OF ZENDA, it becomes weaker. Jack Lemmon plays two roles, the mad professor and the idiotic king, the latter being the one I dislike. I just don't feel like laughing when I see him play the king. The most awful scene is the throwing of the cakes - a waste of food, and a waste of the audience's time. The entire episode can simply be cut, then THE GREAT RACE would have been among the best comedies.
Rating: 
Summary: He who fights and runs away, may live to fight another day.
Review: One of my favorite movies. Not all the gags work like the pie fight scene in the end, but the characters are great. Jack Lemmon portraly of Professor Fate steals the movie IMHO. My favorite line in the film is when Professor Fate, Max, Great Leslie, and Natalie Wood's character are stuck on ice flow in the middle of the North Pacific. Leslie: (Speaking private to Prof. Fate) I've been watching the sheet of ice we are on... it's melting. Whatever you do, don't tell the others. Prof Fate: Don't tell the others! Well I'll wait for the water to reach my lower lip, but THEN I'm gonna tell SOMEBODY!
Rating:
Summary: My Favorite Comedy
Review: Perfect casting, in all roles big and small, greatly contributed to this wonderful comedy which I have viewed too many times to count. The plot is based on a real New York to Paris race that began on Lincoln's birthday in 1908, and took 170 days to cover the 21,000 miles, after a send off watched by 250,000 people. The movie features the biggest pie fight ever filmed, and the best sword fight I've ever seen. This movie never fails to make me laugh out loud, I'm laughing now just thinking out Professor Fate's moose (look for it), and anyone saying "Rise and shine" brings a smile to my face. The real race was won by the only American entry, but watch this movie for an even better ending!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent!
Review: This is a great movie! Absolutly hilarious in its slapstick way, and almost never slow-moving. This movie is one u will never forget due to its magnificence in ALL categories!
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