What were the good old days? You know, before James Dean made riding a Harley cool in the eyes of pop culture. And they did make cycle movies before Elvis Presley was the guy to die for. The older films still focused on the ever-popular counter culture that motorcycles have developed since their inception in the early 20th century, but they didn't glam it up quite as much. Here are a few classic features you may want to check out.
Motorcycle Gang (1957)
Image source: filmer.cz
Directed by Edward L. Cahn
Starring: Anne Neyland, Steven Terrell, John Ashley and Carl Switzer
In the late 50's, Hollywood was trying to find a way to grab the growing underground market of bikers by producing some "B" flicks designed to attract teenagers who weren't quite ready to tick off Mom and Dad by getting a tattoo and bike. Motorcycle Gang features some great action sequences of a variety of bikes paired with a fairly lame story penned by Lou Rusoff. The main character, Randy, is trying to build a nice, respectable bike club. His old buddy Nick gets out of jail and comes looking for his friend--who helped put him away. Add in their moll, Terry, and you have about 75 minutes worth of fist fights, long shots of cruising and some bike lingo. Released as a double feature with Sorority Girls, it never say a significant gross. However, it remains a fun one to watch to enjoy the motorcycle action.
No Limit (1935)
Image source: wikimedia.org
Directed by Monty Banks
Starring: George Formby, Florence Desmond, Howard Douglas
For the road racing enthusiast, No Limit is the definitive motorcycle movie. Your hero, George Shuttleworth, is competing for the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy. His machine is painted an iconic checkerboard pattern and dubbed the Shuttleworth Snap. During competition, his brakes go out resulting in George laying down a record braking lap and his meteoric rise to stardom. You know the story well--underdog pieces together a bike out of spare parts, takes it to the track where he falls in love and overcomes adversity to win it all. However, the historic footage used of the Isle of Man TT competition is fascinating. The film was shot with a budget of just £30,000. The bike was a modified 1928 AJS H5 and the filmmakers referenced no real bike models in the script. Check it out for some classic UK biking fun.
The Pace That Thrills (1952)
Image source: drivepast.com
Directed by Leon Barsha
Starring: Bill Williams, Carla Balenda, Robert Armstrong
American entrepreneur Howard Hughes loved machinery and big, busty women. In the early 50's, Hughes put his millions to work to produce The Pace That Thrills. Packed with vintage bikes, multiple action sequences and a healthy budget, this film spends more time than most made in the era focused on the mechanics, and less on the violent sub-culture. Motorcycle racing and factories feature in the script, placing bikes in the limelight of respectability instead of the shadows like Brando's Wild One from 1953. Often overlooked by movie buffs due to its lack of high profile stars and production company, The Pace That Thrills deserves a place in the BluRay collection of any motorcycle devotee.
