The Pony Prances - - Ferrari (2023, USA, Italy, UK, Color, 130 min) - - 31 March 2024

Recommended. Ferrari makes a fine bookend to Ford Vs Ferrari, telling the back story of why Henry Ford II could consider buying an Italian legend. Set in 1957, Ferrari explains the financial danger of the company and the intercalation of its founder’s personal peccadillos in that peril. For that reason, Adam Driver (Marriage Story) needed a strong and authentic performance, and, despite his unconvincing accent, almost gets it. Director Michel Mann’s original choice, Ford Vs Ferrari’s Christian Bale might have done better and Shailene Woodley (The Descendants) is mildly miscast as Ferrari’s mistress. But totally perfect is Penélope Cruz (Volver), employing both sensitive and scintillating acting as Laura (Mrs.) Ferrari. She should have gotten an Oscar nomination. The filming of the Mille Miglia race is technically fantastic and largely the work of also un-nominated Erik Messerschmidt (Mank), cinematography, Pietro Scalia (Black Hawk Down), editor, and Tony Lamberti (Inglourious Basterds), sound.