Motorcycles in the Movies

Thewire fence jump in the movie The Great Escape is arguably the greatestmotorcycle movie scene of all time, but there are others.

When Bud Ekins took the place of Steve McQueen, to jump thewire fence in the film The Great Escape, he arguably created the most famousmotorcycle movie scene of all time, but you will notice that I used the wordarguably, because there are other movies that run this one close. The GreatEscape wasnt a film about motorcycles; it just happened to have the scene thateveryone remembers. Interestingly, although McQueen didnt perform that stunt,it was his idea to include that scene. Both Ekins and McQueen were avidmotorcyclists.

In 1969, Dennis Hopper directed and starred alongside PeterFonda in a film that reverberated far beyond the Movie Theatre. Easy Riderwas the story of two disillusioned youths who, after collecting the funds froma dope sale in Southern California, set off on a trip across America. The Hydraglidesin the film, which were built between 1949 and 1952, were bought at auction for500 US Dollars, but chopper builders Cliff Vaughs and Ben Hardy transformed thebikes, each one having a back-up to ensure the cameras kept rolling. One of thebikes was wrecked in the final scene while the others were stolen before thesignificance of movie props was realised. The final campfire scene still had tobe shot, hence the absence of the motorcycles, whereas in the previous campfirescenes, the bikes are clearly visible. The wrecked Captain America wasrebuilt and by Dan Haggerty and became a museum exhibit until it was sold in2001.

Walter Salles directed The Motorcycle Diaries which was releasedin the USAin 2004. This is the true story of Ernesto Che Guevara who in 1952, beforecompleting his medical degree, sets out with his biochemist friend Alberto, totravel across South America on an old Norton500. La Poderosa (The Mighty or Powerful one), as the bike is fondly, but erroneouslynamed, is asked to take them over the Andes, along the Chilean coast, acrossthe Atacama desert, through the Peruvian Amazon and arrive in Venezuela in justa few months, in time to celebrate Albertos birthday on April 2nd.They actually arrive at their destination in July. This movie is in Spanishwith English subtitles.

In 2007 the Wild Hogs, bored with their middle-classexistence, decide to take to the road on their Harleys. All goes well untilthey fall foul of the biker gang Del Fuegos whose mean leader steals Dudleysbike. The bikes in the film, provided by Harley Davidson, were an XL1200CSporster for Dudley (William Macy), an FXSTS Springer Softail for Bobby (MartinLawrence), a black Fatboy for Doug (Tim Allen) and a Screaming Eagle Fatboy forWoody (John Travolta).

In the 1997 film, Tomorrow Never Dies, Pierce Brosnan andMichelle Yeoh steal a BMW R1200 and tangle with villains in a Range Rover.Needless to say, Bond wins the day, and luckily for Bond, the owner of the BMWdoesnt catch up with him. Bikes arent used much at all in Bond films, whichis a great pity as they seem to be ideal for the this type of movie.

Marlon Brando played gang leader Johnny Strabler in the 1953film The Wild One, in which a small town is terrorized by two rival bikergangs. Brando rides a 1950 Triumph Thunderbird. This film was banned in the United Kingdom for fourteen years, after which itsfirst public airing was at the 59 Club in Paddington, London. The audience were predominantlyRockers. The movie also features Lee Marvin as the opposing gang leader.

In 1968 The Girl on a Motorcycle was Marianne Faithfull asyoung wife Rebecca, who leaves her husband to visit her lover in Heidelberg. One of the amazingthings about this film is how she manages to keep her Harley in an upright positioneven when taking bends. The film is also known as Naked Under Leather, whichsounds a whole lot more interesting dont you think?

There are of course many other movies featuring motorcycles,some of them with very interestingtitles such as She Devils on Wheels, Chopper Chicks in Zombietown andElectra Glide in Blue, but until someone comes up with a scene to rival thewire jump in The Great Escape, Im sticking with my favourite,