August 22, 2009: The World’s Fastest Indian
I had never bothered to see The World’s Fastest Indian when it was released in 2005. I saw the previews a number of times, and they didn’t draw me in. I guess I knew it was about an old guy trying to set a speed record with an old motorcycle, and I didn’t see any reason why that would be of interest, despite an interest in speed trials.
Well, on a long ferry ride travelling from Newfoundland back to mainland Canada, this was one of the movies running on the screens liberally sprinkled throughout the boat, and I ended up seeing probably about 80% of the movie between attempts to buy dinner in the cafeteria and other interruptions. I didn’t see the very beginning, and missed the last 10 or 15 minutes although I did get a synopsis from my travelling companions, which is good enough for a review in my books!
Anthony Hopkins plays the aging New Zealander who travels to the USA in the late 1960s with his 1920s-era motorcycle (Indian is the brand of motorcycle) and then makes his way out to the Bonneville salt flats in Utah for an annual event in which hundreds of enthusiasts try to set land-speed records in various different types of vehicles. A significant portion of the movie chronicles the journey Hopkins takes to get out to the proving grounds, as a fish out of water in a new country who runs into all manner of trouble but never lets it fluster him as he charms everyone he sees by being a giving soul and a genuinely nice person. Hopkins brings real heart to this story and makes it far exceed what I had anticipated.
It’s nice to see the film touch on the technical aspects of the bikes a bit, since enthusiasts for this type of speed trial would obviously be part of the target audience. I am fascinated by the speed trials of this era, with the likes of Craig Breedlove in his Spirit of America leapfrogging back and forth with competitors to hold speed records for brief times before their rivals nudge the bar a little bit higher. The World’s Fastest Indian appeals to those looking for a story of personal triumph, as well as those who are particularly interested in the subject matter. This was a surprise hit for me on a day when I hadn’t expected to see any movies at all.
Heartwarming little gem of a movie.
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