The Fastest Indian in the World

The Fastest Indian in the World is entirely predictable. An eccentric old man wants to set a world record at Bonneville Flats in Utah with the Indian motorcycle he has been working on for twenty-five years. He lives in a concrete shed. Everyone loves him. He urinates on a lemon tree every morning. He has prostate and heart troubles. He’s befriended the cute little boy next door. He has an affair with a middle-aged blonde woman (she tells the neighbors, “Even dirty old men need love.”). He is bullied by the local motorcycle gang, which ends up giving him money for his trip to America. In America, he is befriended by a transsexual who works at a sleazy Hollywood hotel. An old Indian gives him a special herb for his prostate. He gives a ride to a young GI on his way to Viet Nam. And then the Bonneville Flats officials tell him he’s not registered for the race. Will they clear him to ride his bike? Will he set the record? Will his heart hold out? You already know the answers.

Almost all the actors in the film are B and C grade and largely unknown, with the exception of course of Anthony Hopkins, and also of Diane Ladd and Paul Rodriguez, who have small roles. Hopkins is a fine actor but he can go into automatic some time, as he did in Hearts of Atlantis. In this film, however, he gives a very successful performance as Burt Munro, the aging New Zealander who wants to set a world record.

As one of the extras the DVD contains a documentary about the real Burt Munro. Entitled "Offerings to the God of Speed," it was directed and produced by Roger Donaldson in 1971—the same Donaldson who directed the 2005 film. Donaldson obviously has a long-standing interest in Munro, and he brings it to bear in both the documentary and the feature-length film. The documentary confirms that Munro was a genuine individual, a character in the real sense of the word as one of his friends affirms. Many of Munro’s own words from the documentary find their way into the 2005 film and give it a certain authenticity. It’s clear that Hopkins studied this documentary carefully. Under Donaldson’s direction, he adopts many of Munro’s mannerisms and ways of speaking. But he also reconceives Munro to a certain extent, makes him more isolated and eccentric, more self-absorbed, more obviously obsessed with the motorcycle, more bothered by age and heart troubles than the real Munro. Although I know virtually nothing about the real Burt Munro beyond this film and the documentary, I suspect that Hopkins and Donaldson sentimentalize him to a slight extent. But in general Hopkins gives an outstanding performance that is the center and substance of the film.

The Fastest Indian appears to be a relatively low-budget effort, and on occasion you can tell. But it is mostly about character, and Hopkins gives us a fully involved and illuminated performance. The Fastest Indian in the World may be predictable. And it may be predictably heart-warming. But warmed hearts never hurt anyone. I wasn’t prepared to like this film, but I did.

Hopkins at 68 continues as one of the best actors working in film today. What he may lack in range (and his range is fairly impressive) he makes up for in depth and humanity.