MovieChat Forums > The Great Race (1965) Discussion > motivation of the destruction of the Eif...

motivation of the destruction of the Eiffel Tower

posted 11 years ago by cycloneproductions
9 replies | jump to latest

The answer to this question frightens me, but I will ask it anyway - it scares me because I might have to rethink my feelings about my favorite character in the film. As with many of us on this message board, this has always been one of my all-time favorite films. I saw it during it's original release in theaters when there really was an intermission (1965). But enough of the reminiscing...on to my question: When the ending scene comes and Fate fires the cannon, I have always assumed that he intended to bring down the EIffel Tower. But then I recently read the promotional book (that I got on eBay and that was released with the film) telling the entire story in print. The ending in this book states that Fate's plan was to fire directly at Leslie's car as he drove away, but, as with most of his inventions, this one backfired (literally!) and brought down the famous landmark. I couldn't believe Fate would do such a thing - i. e. contemplate murder! But then I clicked on Wikipedia (granted, not the most reliable source) AND IT SAID THE SAME THING!
What are your thoughts? Was Fate attempting murder of Leslie and his new bride at the end of the movie?!

[–] enraged_bunny 11 years ago

He tried to kill him in other parts too. Remember when he was planing on bringing Texas Jack to the bar when a cowboy told them that he would shot Leslie for making out with Lily Olay? Plus he tried to sabotage Leslie's stunts early in the film which could've easily been fatal.

As for the Eiffel Tower's destruction. I just found that funny.

[–] cycloneproductions 11 years ago

Enraged,
Your points are well taken (i.e he was disappointed that Leslie had a parachute in the very first sequence). But killing the bride, that is pretty evil.

[–] bradnfrank 10 years ago

It's always been clear to me that Fate was aiming at Leslie - not necessarily to murder him, but at least to disable his car so he couldn't continue the (second) race. Hitting the Eiffel tower instead was a mistake - what reason would he have to knock it down intentionally?

[–] overseas7 (4236) 4 years ago

That exactly what I think

[–] riccom 9 years ago

Notice that no-one ever dies in this film.
Fate himself should have been dead many times over, after being hit by the torpedo, falling out of the sky twice (rocket car, and bicycle blimp), having his house collapse on him twice, meeting asteam train coming the other way, and so on.
Plainly this is like Wile E Coyote and Roadrunner, you just can't kill the good guy or the bad guy...

[–] RichN36 8 years ago

I think that the Eiffel Tower gag was just that something to remind us of his Pink Panther movies.

Col. G. Stonehill: Most people around here have heard of Rooster Cogburn.

[–] riccom 8 years ago

I don't think Blake Edwards was that subtle. :)
He'd always go for the biggest gag.
As the film ended in Paris, what could be bigger than toppling the Eiffel tower. :D

http://leslie-special.info/forum In appreciation of The Great Race.

[–] Sandoz (2021) 6 years ago

Wow, man, you are reading WAY too much into this film. You have to understand...The Great Race is like a continuous two-and-a-half hour Looney Tune, with Fate and Leslie being variations on the Roadrunner and the Coyote. Those characters don't die, and neither does anyone else in this film. Yeah, people fall down and go BOOM...but everyone gets up again.

[–] liscarkat (18373) 8 months ago

That's about what I was going to say, but you beat me by six years. The movie is like a cartoon. Nobody really gets hurt or killed. Even if Fate hit Leslie's car, Leslie would just have black soot on his face and clothes, and would be okay in the next scene. They inhabit a fantasy world.