Le Mans '66 (2019)
Matt Damon: Carroll Shelby
Photos
Quotes
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Carroll Shelby : [narration] There's a point at 7,000 RPM... where everything fades. The machine becomes weightless. Just disappears. And all that's left is a body moving through space and time. 7,000 RPM. That's where you meet it. You feel it coming. It creeps up on you, close in your ear. Asks you a question. The only question that matters. Who are you?
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Carroll Shelby : We're lighter, we're faster, and if that don't work, we're nastier.
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[Shelby enters Henry II's office while a secretary hands Henry II a red folder]
Carroll Shelby : Mr. Ford. Gentlemen.
Henry Ford II : Shelby.
[Henry II signals Shelby to move to the couch near him]
Henry Ford II : Give me one reason why I don't fire everyone associated with this abomination starting with you.
[pause, as Beebe picks up the red folder]
Carroll Shelby : Well, sir... I was thinking about that very question as I sat out there in your lovely waiting room.
[Shelby sits down]
Carroll Shelby : As I was sitting there... I watched that little red folder right there go through four pairs of hands... before it got to you. 'Course that doesn't include the 22 or so other Ford employees who probably poked at it before it made its way up to the 19th floor. All due respect, sir, you can't win a race by committee. You need one man in charge. Now, the good news, as I see it, is that even with all the extra weight, we still manage to put old Mr. Ferrari exactly where we want him.
Henry Ford II : Did we?
Carroll Shelby : Oh, yes.
Henry Ford II : Expand.
Carroll Shelby : Well... sure, we hadn't... We haven't worked out how to corner yet. Or stay cool. Or stay on the ground. And a lot of stuff broke. In fact, the only thing that didn't break was the brakes. Hell, right now, we don't even know if our paint job will last the whole 24 hours.
[pause]
Carroll Shelby : But our last lap... we clocked 218 miles an hour down the Mulsanne Straight. Now, in all his years of racing... old Enzo ain't never seen anything move that fast. And now he knows, without a doubt, we're faster than he is. Even with the wrong driver... and all the committees. And that's what he's thinking about while he's sitting in Modena, Italy, right now. That man is scared to death... that this year, you actually might be smart enough to start trusting me. So, yeah. I say you got Ferrari exactly where you want him. You're welcome.
[Henry II looks at Shelby and gets up, grabbing the red folder from Beebe and walking towards his windows]
Henry Ford II : Come here.
[Shelby approaches Henry II]
Henry Ford II : See that little building down there? In World War II, three out of five U.S. bombers rolled off that line. You think Roosevelt beat Hitler? Think again. This isn't the first time Ford Motor's gone to war in Europe. We know how to do more than push paper. And there is one man running this company. You report to him. You understand me?
Carroll Shelby : Yes, sir.
Henry Ford II : Go ahead, Carroll. Go to war.
Carroll Shelby : Thank you, sir.
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Ken Miles : You're gonna build a car to beat Ferrari with... a Ford.
Carroll Shelby : Correct.
Ken Miles : And how long did they tell you that they need it? Two, three hundred years?
Carroll Shelby : Ninety days.
[Ken laughs hysterically]
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[Shelby sees Enzo Ferrari arguing with his team]
Carroll Shelby : I don't speak Italian, but he ain't happy.
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Phil Remington : [after Carroll steals two stopwatches from the Ferrari pit] Nice stopwatch.
Carroll Shelby : Want one? They're Italian.
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Ken Miles : If this were a beauty pageant, we just lost.
Carroll Shelby : Looks aren't everything.
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Carroll Shelby : When I was 10 years old, my Pops said, son it's a truly lucky man who knows what he wants to do in this world. 'Cause that man will never work a day in his life.
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Lee Iacocca : Carroll Shelby.
Carroll Shelby : Maybe?
Lee Iacocca : Lee Iacocca, Ford Motors. Suppose Henry Ford II wanted to build the greatest race car the world's ever seen, to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans. What's it take?
Carroll Shelby : Well, it takes somethin' money can't buy.
Lee Iacocca : Well, it can buy speed.
Carroll Shelby : It isn't about speed.
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Carroll Shelby : Thank you. Well, if my daddy was here today, he'd tell me to sit on down and leave the yakking to the college boys so, like my cars, I'll make this fast. When I was 10 years old, Pops said to me, 'Son, it's a truly lucky man who knows what he wants to do in this world. 'Cause that man will never work a day in his life.' But there are a few, a precious few, and, hell, I don't know if they're lucky or not. But there are a few people who find something they have to do. Something obsesses 'em. Something that if they can't do it, it's gonna drive them clean out of their mind. I'm that guy. And I know one other man feels exactly the same. His name...
[pause]
Carroll Shelby : His name is Mr. Henry Ford.
[applause from the crowd while Miles looks in disappointment]
Carroll Shelby : And together, we're gonna build the fastest automobiles in the world.
[applause]
Carroll Shelby : And we're gonna make history too, at Le Mans.
[applause, as Miles and Peter leave the event]
Carroll Shelby : My name is Carroll Shelby. I build race cars.
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Carroll Shelby : [Last line, in a commercial] My name is Carroll Shelby and performance is my business.
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[Shelby enters his office. Remington walks in]
Phil Remington : Hey, Shel. That guy, you know the one in the hat, he's ready to close on those two 427s. His and hers. Full freight. They, uh, flew in from Galveston.
Carroll Shelby : Uh-huh.
Phil Remington : Uh, I need you to come outside for maybe a minute.
Carroll Shelby : And do what?
Phil Remington : Be Carroll Shelby. Tell them a story, spin a few magic words.
Carroll Shelby : What does that mean? 'Magic words'?
Phil Remington : It means... come outside and say hello and make them feel good about their purchase.
Carroll Shelby : They're getting the damn cars. That's what they get for their money, Phil. Now, either they want 'em or they don't. Am I some kind of a lounge act?
Phil Remington : No.
Carroll Shelby : Am I here to talk people into things?
[pause]
Phil Remington : It's been six months, Shel. Six months.
[Shelby sighs as Remington walks away]
Phil Remington : Sometimes, they don't get out of the car.
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[Henry II starts crying after Shelby gives him a ride in the Ford GT40 Mk II]
Carroll Shelby : Mr. Ford? Are you okay?
[Henry II continues to sob]
Carroll Shelby : Mr. Ford? You all right?
Henry Ford II : I had no idea.
[pause]
Henry Ford II : I had no idea. I wish my daddy... He were alive to see this. To feel this.
Carroll Shelby : This is not a machine that just anybody can get in and easily control.
Henry Ford II : Absolutely not. I had no idea.
Carroll Shelby : Now, you want to win Le Mans. You really want to take first place, Ken Miles is the man to do it.
[pause]
Carroll Shelby : Now he knows this car 'cause he helped me build it.
Henry Ford II : Shelby, you know I've already appointed Leo Beebe Director of Racing.
Carroll Shelby : Which is exactly why I'm talking to you. Now you let Ken Miles race Daytona. If he wins, he gets to drive Le Mans.
Henry Ford II : And if he doesn't?
Carroll Shelby : Ford Motor Company to get full ownership of Shelby American. Lock, stock, and brand... forever.
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Carroll Shelby : How long have we known each other, Champ? Did I ever break a promise to you? I will put you in the driver's seat at Le Mans if you just shut your mouth and let me do my thing.
[Miles raises his eyebrows, then punches Shelby in the face]
Carroll Shelby : All right.
[Shelby tackles Miles and they fight while Mollie unfolds a chair and watches. Eventually they stop fighting and laugh]
Mollie Miles : Morning, Shelby.
Carroll Shelby : Good morning, Mollie.
Mollie Miles : [Mollie grabs some bottles of Coke at Ken's request]
Ken Miles : [Miles toasts Shelby]
Ken Miles : Up yours.
Carroll Shelby : Oh, go to hell.
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Carroll Shelby : It was a hell of a drive.
Ken Miles : She's a hell of a machine.
Carroll Shelby : Oh, she's fast.
Ken Miles : Could be faster.
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[Miles continues to argue with the SCCA Official over the trunk space of his Cobra]
Ken Miles : How is that even possible? Is he putting boxes in their trunk? Is he, mate? Hey! Jim! Is he putting his bloody carryall in your trunk?
SCCA Official : Discretionary infraction.
[Miles pulls out the handbook]
Ken Miles : Nothing in there about my trunk and your lovely little portmanteau.
SCCA Official : You're holding the '62 edition of the SCCA.
[Miles puts down the book and removes the sticker off his hood and places it on the SCCA Official's jacket]
Ken Miles : And you can stick this bloody sticker where the sun don't shine!
Carroll Shelby : Hey. Hey, Bill. What seems to be the problem, Bill?
Ken Miles : The problem is that Bill here is an arsehole.
Carroll Shelby : No, he doesn't mean that.
Ken Miles : Oh, yes, he does. Yes, he does. No, he really does think that Bill is an arsehole.
SCCA Official : I'm just doing my job here.
Carroll Shelby : Hang on. Bill, Bill, Bill. In my experience, there is... listen to me. Something like this, there's always a middle ground. All right? Now, Ken's outta line.
SCCA Official : And I'm just doing my job.
Carroll Shelby : I understand you are. You know how he gets on a race day. You know that. All right? But you're not gonna DQ us over a trunk.
[Miles grabs a hammer, opens his trunk and starts beating the inside of the trunk lid until it fits the fuel cell]
Ken Miles : Happy, Bill?
Carroll Shelby : Bill, I'll handle it. I'll talk to him. I'll talk to him. You just go and have a great day.
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[Shelby parks near Miles' house. He grabs a wrench and approaches the house]
Mollie Miles : Peter! Peter, come and take the garbage out.
Peter Miles : Mr. Shelby?
[Shelby turns around]
Carroll Shelby : Oh, hello, Pete.
Peter Miles : I remember that wrench. My dad threw it at you.
Carroll Shelby : I believe he did.
Peter Miles : Why?
Carroll Shelby : Oh.
[removes sunglasses]
Carroll Shelby : I think I probably said something to him. Called him a few names.
Peter Miles : That's right.
[pause]
Peter Miles : Do you wanna speak to my mum?
Carroll Shelby : Well, I dd. Uh... I came to say hello, check in on her and...
[sighs]
Carroll Shelby : Then I started thinking that sometimes... uh, words... just... ar-are not useful.
[pause]
Carroll Shelby : Tools are useful 'cause you can make stuff with 'em and you can fix stuff with 'em. Here.
[Shelby gives Peter the wrench]
Peter Miles : Thanks.
[pause]
Carroll Shelby : Your daddy was, uh...
Peter Miles : He was your friend.
[pause]
Carroll Shelby : Yes, he was. Yes, sir.
[pause]
Carroll Shelby : And he thought you was just finer than frog fur.
Mollie Miles : Peter!
Peter Miles : I think I've gotta go help my mum.
Carroll Shelby : What are you doing here then? Go on.
Peter Miles : Bye.
[Peter rides his bicycle back to the house as Mollie looks at Shelby]
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Carroll Shelby : Shit. Bulldog.
Ken Miles : Huh?
Carroll Shelby : You know who that was I was just talking to?
Ken Miles : Bill.
Carroll Shelby : Before that.
Ken Miles : No.
Carroll Shelby : It was Dieter Voss.
Ken Miles : Who's that?
Carroll Shelby : He runs Porsche, Ken. It's a little German car company. Maybe you heard of it.
Ken Miles : All right.
Carroll Shelby : He wanted you to drive at Sebring. But he heard you were difficult.
[Miles sighs]
Ken Miles : I thought we felt the same way about, uh, Germans.
[Ken turns around to work on his Cobra]
Carroll Shelby : Do you like losing, Ken?
Ken Miles : Excuse me?
Carroll Shelby : Oh, you heard me.
Ken Miles : I don't lose.
Carroll Shelby : Without sponsors, you get no car, Ken. And last I checked, the professionals all have a car.
Ken Miles : Shel!
Carroll Shelby : You cannot win the SCCA without one. If you're not winning, you are losing.
Ken Miles : Don't make me lamp this at your head.
Carroll Shelby : Did you bring your son all the way out here to watch you get disqualified or just act like a jackass?
[Miles throws his wrench at Shelby, breaking the windshield of his Cobra]
Carroll Shelby : Well, that answers that.
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Henry Ford II : [getting into Ford racing car] Ow! God! I sat on my nuts.
Carroll Shelby : We'll build the next one for comfort, don't you worry.
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Carroll Shelby : [getting ready to take Mr. Ford on a test drive] You ready?
Henry Ford II : The name on the middle of that steering wheel should tell you I was born ready Shelby... hit it!
