Il Sorpasso (The Overtaking). An Italian film co-written and directed by Dino Risi, starring Vittorio Gassman and a very young and still somewhat shy Jean-Louis Trintignant (who passed away last week, may he rest in peace). It was released in 1962, at the peak of an era full of optimism, when Italy was bravely emerging from the rubles of the war to once again become an industrial powerhouse. It was when dolce vita was coined.
It was a time when cars played a central part in the lifestyle of the affluent few, just as much as they did in the dreams of the many who were saving up for their first Fiat 500. In the film, Gassman is initiating Trintignant in the luxurious and adrenaline-infused lifestyle of a playboy. It’s a satirical kind of comedy, but one that also pays some homage to its subject matter instead of just poking fun at low-hanging fruit. The story ends with one attempted overtake too many, which results in Trigntingnant’s character being killed. Thankfully, the real Jean-Louis would go on to live on and shoot some 200 more movies in his life, as well as race cars on a few occasions—honoring his family tradition, which included a works Bugatti and a Formula 1 racer.
The 2022 Mille Miglia: Chasing Cars And Memories Across A Thousand Miles Of Italy
