A young Al Pacino had to learn to drive a car to take on the title role in this Sydney Pollack-directed melodrama about Bobby Deerfield, a race-car driver who's as reckless in his private life as he is on the track. With Deerfield's wins accruing and his fame mounting, his ego threatens to outstrip his performance on the racetrack -- a situation that jeopardizes his career and his relationship with the beautiful Lillian Morelli (Marthe Keller).