Like some innovators, Preston Tucker was ahead of his time. He's not a household name, nor do we learn about him in history books, but in the 1940s, he was an American automotive pioneer who advocated features that were later commonly found in modern automobiles.
So it shouldn't come as a surprise that another innovator would make a film about Preston Tucker. Lucasfilm is known for the Star Wars and Indiana Jones films and many innovations in the film industry, e.g., visual effects by Industrial, Light, & Magic (ILM). But there have been lesser-known movies from the film entertainment empire George Lucas created. About two years ago, I featured Red Tails in Ted's MOVIE OF THE WEEK about the Tuskegee Airmen. This week, I want to showcase another Lucasfilm movie directed by Francis Ford Coppola, Tucker: The Man and His Dream.
Preston Tucker came up with an idea for a car with uncommon and innovative features, like seat belts, disk brakes, and fuel injection. But even the potential for success can invite enemies. And where you find enemies, you'll find dirty politics.
Although it's implicit in the film, Tucker and the car company bearing his name were up against the "Big Three" (General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler). Tucker: The Man and His Dream is not just an underdog movie based on actual events; it's David versus Goliath, Chicago versus Detroit.
Jeff Bridges plays the visionary from Michigan and coincidentally would later star with Joan Allen again in The Contender. Martin Landau (rest in peace) plays his devoted business partner.
Oddly enough, Tucker: A Man and His Dream lost money at the box office, yet the film received numerous nominations and awards, including multiple ones for Best Supporting Actor for Landau. Legendary filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola is known for classics like The Godfather films and Apocalypse Now, and while not as widely recognized, I think Tucker: The Man and His Dream is another one of his and George Lucas' best films. It may not be a classic now, but Tucker: The Man and His Dream comes highly recommended, even if you're not a car enthusiast.
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