Film review dept.

Cars and films are such natural companions that we ought perhaps to establish a Cars in Films column to go with our present book reportage. The Esso petroleum concern are behind two new productions that we viewed recently and that are available on free loan to recognised motoring interests from the Esso Motorsport Centre, PO Box 4, Pangbourne, Reading RG8 7AW.

Both films were made – and often had interviews by – the effective Barrie Hinchliffe at United Motion Pictures in London.

The first was a little out of Hinchliffe’s normal line, for instead of forest rallying we were confronted by half an hour of the beat in Formula Ford racing action. The interviews with one FF Champion (of the Esso series, naturally) were forthright and interesting as Peter Morgan explained that the reason there were so many accidents was because “there are 60 World Champions out there … or they think they will be!” Also featured is Jim Walsh and an American called Randy Blomqvist who talked somewhat earnestly about air penetration. Predictably the FE film is entitled The Young Tigers.

Scotch on the Rocks is the title chosen for the rally film covering the Scottish international of 1978, an event that provided further proof of Hannu Mikkola’s magnificent winning form last season.

Perhaps because we had seen much of the film on TV this did not have quite the impact normally expected of a UMP production. It was still much better that just about anybody else seems to manage on the rallying side, and the reason for that must be Hinchliffe’s personal knowledge and enthusiasm for the sport.