A heart-warming film - The World’s Fastest Indian
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382542)
Rockingham, Australia
April 26, 2022 6:54pm CST
Our lifestyle village shows a free movie each week in the little theatre in the clubhouse. Last night’s was a heart-warming film starring Anthony Hopkins. It was named ‘The World’s Fastest Indian’ but the ‘Indian’ was a 1920 Indian Scout motorcycle.
The film featured the life of an eccentric bike enthusiast, Burt Munro from Invercargill, New Zealand, and his assault on the land speed record for bikes with engines less than 1000cc. The film portrays Munro’s first trip from NZ to Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, and is a composite of trips made by the real Munro. He gets help from some very interesting characters and the film has a charm all its own.
It sticks quite closely to the true facts. Munro set numerous speed records in NZ from the late 1930s to the early 1970s. In reality, Munro first went to Bonnieville in 1956. His record-breaking wins came a few years after. The credits at the end of the film stated that one of his records still stands. His fastest complete run at Bonnieville was 190.07 mph.
The photo shows my father on his Norton motorcycle. It would have been about 1934 or thereabouts.
10 people like this
9 responses
@Vikingswest1 (7443)
• United States
27 Apr 22
Isn't this a great movie?
I really enjoyed it.
I hadn't ever heard of it and my son sent it to me.
I have watched it a few times now.
I read up on Munro after seeing it and it DID stick close to the real story.
I will watch it again, I'm sure.
3 people like this
@FourWalls (86875)
• United States
27 Apr 22
I’d probably settle for 190.7 miles per day on a motorcycle. My next-door neighbor in Jacksonville was the motorcycle safety officer for his squadron, and he took me on a ride to Orlando, just so I could say I’d been on a motorcycle.
Richard Thompson mentioned Nortons in his song “1952 Vincent Black Lightning.”
I was surprised to see that The World’s Fastest Indian is a relatively recent film. Sir Anthony Hopkins is a brilliant actor.
Now I have to go read all about Burt Munro!!!
2 people like this
@FourWalls (86875)
• United States
27 Apr 22
@JudyEv — he was in an episode of the British TV series Department S in 1968, and he was absolutely BRILLIANT in it. He’s a great actor.
2 people like this
@snowy22315 (209167)
• United States
27 Apr 22
It sounds like a very interesting flick. Glad you enjoyed it!
2 people like this
@innertalks (23744)
• Australia
27 Apr 22
I didn't like his movies like, "Silence of the Lambs," and "Hannibal".
Perhaps, I should watch this one to get a wider understanding of his acting skills. Anthony Hopkins is 84 now.
@innertalks (23744)
• Australia
27 Apr 22
@JudyEv l was put off him forever by that other movie of his too. It was almost sickening to me.
@JudyEv (382542)
• Rockingham, Australia
27 Apr 22
@innertalks I heard enough about it to know I didn't want to see it.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (222806)
• United States
27 Apr 22
Great photo. I've never seen the movie. My father-in-law had an Indian.
2 people like this
