Divas!

[a9127]

My biggest crush from the 60's has to be Françoise Hardy. She was a popular singer, model, and actress of the time and, at least I think, one of the most beautiful women ever.

Fortunately my interest in cars and auto racing led me to watch "Grand Prix" on TV back in the 90's, more than 30 years after it was released. Otherwise I might never have learned who she was.

Perhaps the best movie on racing ever made, it focused on the 1966 F1 season. Starring James Garner as the American driver, Yves Montand as the "aging" champion (he was probably in his 30's... ), Antonio Sabato as the young Ferrari driver (and Francoise's "boyfriend"), and Brian Bedford as the British driver (Based on Jim Clark? ). I have posted about the movie elsewhere on TLB.

James Garner was an accomplished driver and the only one of the cast who actually did his own driving. He drove the Pace Car at the Indy 500 several times during the 70's and 80's. Sadly he passed away in 2014. The version of "Grand Prix" I saw included live commentary by Garner.

Françoise transcended the era she was in. Her beauty and style would fit in very well in the 2000's unlike many of her contemporaries. One of my favorite pictures is the one of her standing on the back of the Ferrari. She looks like she could walk right into 2018 (and into my ZR-1... ). I have always thought she was about 50 years ahead of her time.