The automobile represents freedom.
You climb into a car and go, go, go, whenever and wherever you want. The car is modern man’s path to liberty.
Contrast cars with trains.
Railroads are an expression of the collective. Individual identity is erased. You are at the mercy of a government-controlled system that turns citizens into passive cogs, at the mercy of by-the-book bureaucrats.
That’s why democrats/progressives/liberals/ (what are they calling themselves this week?) are obsessed with high-speed rail. The freedom of the road is repellent to big government fanatics. The ruling elite seek to regulate and control tobacco, food, calories, soda, education, light bulbs, toilets, health care, reproduction, cow flatulence, oxygen — every cell of your body.
In short: liberty is constricted by any and all means.
And all in the name of an amorphous, pre-adolescent concept: Fairness.
And you better believe that the chattering elite are the ones who get to define what’s fair and what’s unfair. Funny how that always works out in their favor.
Nazis just adored trains. And hey, the Italian fascists boasted that Mussolini made the trains run on time. Though Italian trains were about as effective and efficient as the Italian army. Which is to say: Not.
At a certain point, one must acknowledge the convergent philosophies of post-modern liberals and iron-fist fascists. Both ideologies assert the power of the state as the final arbiter of human affairs. Hence, the government replaces G-d and family as the center of man’s universe. It’s no surprise that the formal title of the Nazi party was “The National Socialist German Workers’ Party.”
Anyhoo.
Today, Hollywood celebrities make sure to be seen driving a Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf, or any of the dopey but politically correct green cars. It is something of an open secret here among my Hollywood colleagues that the garage is fully stocked with BMW, Mercedes, Bentley, and for sure, a few Jags—for real driving.
But once upon a time Hollywood produced great stars who proudly posed with their autos, symbols of glamor, affluence, and freedom.
I don’t think that railroads were ever truly private. Those that weren’t subsidized were regulated so heavily that they were likely PINO (Private In Name Only). Consider reading Burton Folsom’s classic, “The Myth of the Robber Barons” in which he points out that only one railroad was built entirely with private funds and was the only one that operated at a profit.
Long live cars, the symbolic epitome of individual control and expression.
The automobile represents freedom.
I got my driver’s license when I was fourteen. You bet it was freedom. Can you imagine! What was the State of Texas thinking in 1966?
A couple more comments (you know the subjects that get me going Robert) – If I remember Garner’s book right – The Garner Files – He used that little Mini while filming Grand Prix in Europe, and liked it so much that he had it shipped back.
While this mini wasn’t the first with front wheel drive, it was the first of a design (from 1959) that car makers have copied around the world – maximum space inside, a transverse 4 cylinder engine and because of front wheel drive – great handling in the snow and no transmission tunnel inside.
And they were legendary in European rallies – even beating Ferraris a couple of times – (Monte Carlo?)
The “Gullwing” is an iconic car and if it weren’t for the marketing savvy of Max Hoffman – who brought VW, BMW, Alfa Romero to this country (and others) it never would have happened. Maybe you remember his Park Ave showroom growing up, Robert.
Post War Daimler-Benz was slowly crawling out of the ashes and wanted to get back to racing (win on Sunday, sell on Monday).
But they had next to no development money but had just come out with their first post war luxury car, the 300 “Adenauer” (so named because Konrad Adenauer, one of the first chancellors, rode in it all the time).
Anywho (to borrow a popular screenwriters word) the head of their racing dept, Alfred Neubauer, so the story goes, gathered his drivers together for a meeting – “First the good news”, he said, ‘We are back in racing” – and the bad news – throwing down some parts from the 300 Adenauer, “This is what we have to work with”.
Despite being 3 liters of displacement to Ferrari’s 4, the 300SL started winning.
It was Max Hoffman who came to Daimler-Benz promising to by a certain number (I have heard 1,000 and 6,000) if they would make a version for the street.
The result was even more technologically impressive than the race car – first with gasoline fuel injection – a 160 mph car (with the right gearing options) that you could buy off the showroom in 1955.
James May of Top Gear in talking about the Gullwing’s enduring popularity I think hit the nail on the head, saying it was the first true “super car”.
Loved this story, your style of writing and perspective (in all of your pieces). I always enjoy reading an interesting automotive piece, so I’m hoping that you’ll grace us with more in the future.
I’d love to take Sophia for a ride in that Mercedes, myself. But as for the Franklin – well, I don’t know which I’d want more, the car or Delores Del Rio!
Now I may have it right. My submission:
http://www.google.com/imgres?safe=off&biw=1600&bih=799&tbm=isch&tbnid=10PjOmPZ1r-AHM:&imgrefurl=http://www.moviefanfare.com/is-w-c-fields-still-funny/&docid=PHQJd_8cv-V0-M&imgurl=http://2h3mh837ken53kitqv1co5fh83o.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/never-give-a-sucker-wc-fields-car-wreck.jpg&w=500&h=375&ei=bRRhUpvcGoPW2gXNy4GIDg&zoom=1&ved=1t:3588,r:42,s:0,i:213&iact=rc&page=2&tbnh=180&tbnw=239&start=34&ndsp=37&tx=62&ty=75
Did you ever see “If I Had a Million” from 1932? My understanding is that WC Fields wrote his own segment to give vent to his greatest pet peeve: Road Hogs. His segment made the whole movie for me.
My submission
I am not certain I recall that — but they look just as they are pictures in the still. The film is worth seeing even though it is at least somewhat of a misfire. It is John Ford and even Mary of Scotland was worth struggling through. Once.
The David Taylor Classic Car Museum in Galveston, Texas (now closed), exhibited a sporty car which had been custom made for one of the Hollywood stars. If I remember correctly, it was tan and from the 1930s and featured a compartment just back of the driver specially made for the owner’s golf clubs. Could this have been Gable’s Dussenberg?
Also, a friend and her father took us to see my beloved fellow Oklahoman, James Garner, in Grand Prix, when it was released in 1966. At a real movie theater, not a cracker box.
We went in style: her father drove his silver, early 60s Corvette.
P.S. James Garner is beloved to me, regardless of his stinking politics. And they are indeed smelly.
Love those cars! Would love to see them in color. My art teacher’s husband kept a Cord convertible in his garage – rich forest green, with tan leather upholstery. Mmm.
As far as the railroads go: Say what you will about collectivism, but a trip by train is a lot less dehumanizing than what flying has become. I say this from experience – I’ve traveled to the East Coast and back both ways. Back in its heyday, the US passenger rail system was privately owned and unsubsidized – a far cry from Europe’s current system. (BTW, compare the freight-to-passenger ratios in the US and in Europe. Don’t they manufacture anything over there?) The only thing air travel has over rail, in my opinion, is its speed. As an experience, give me a cruise on a train any time.
Indeed, the US freight-rail system is considerably superior to its European equivalent. Part of the rail shortfall in Europe is made up by coastal and river shipping, but there are still a lot of things that go by truck in Europe that would go be rail in the US. The system is a significant national asset.
And the nature of the “system” is also worth thinking about. You can have your cargo picked up at a siding in the eastern US by Norfolk Southern, handed off at a junction to the Burlington Northern, picked up by a shortline on the West Coast and delivered to your customer, and electronically tracked the whole way….and all of things are accomplished, magically enough, with no such thing as a national railroad czar.
David – besides watching an interesting series on Netflix – “Hell On Wheels , about the Union Pacific building the first transcontinental line from the east, I heard a financial guy saying something interesting about the US railroad industry.
He said that it could not be built today – acquiring the land would be too expensive. As the infrastructure was being built they were building in essentially wilderness.
And remember resorts like Squaw Valley and Banff were resorts built by the railroads (Union Pacific and Canadian National) to bring people out.
Bill…”He said that it (the US railroad system) could not be built today – acquiring the land would be too expensive”
Yes…that is one of the reasons I’ve liked rail as an investment. No one could possibly duplicate CSX or NS or UP today. (OTOH, there is *political* risk: large shippers are pressing for re-regulation of freight rates. I have a vision of the CEOs of Dow Chemical and Archer Daniels Midland, among others, marching arm-in-arm and singing old Grange songs about the iniquity of the railroads)
Alter:
I object to railroads when they are subsidized by the taxpayer, are used by a tiny portion of the citizenry, and bleed red ink. The only reason the high-speed rail is slated for LA is because sweetheart deals with unions and no-bid contracts go out to the politically connected. No one wants this monstrosity and certainly no one needs it. And the construction estimates are always criminally under budget, and receipts are always wildly inflated. If commuter rail is a viable business, you can be sure a private company would try to make it happen and earn a profit.
I have traveled by rail and enjoyed the experience—up to a point.
I hate flying. The security lines—c/o Arab terrorists—are horrendous, and the service on board is wretched. I’m not even going to rant about men who wear wife-beater shirts, and women who are in their pajamas. Sitting next to some of these creatures is, um, a feast for the senses—not in a good way.
But, at the last minute, when you have to get from LA to Milwaukee to attend a family funeral—which, sadly just happened—airlines are the only game in town.
Light rail project are and always have been giant slush funds for liberals and their supporters.
Agreed. Rabbi S. R. Hirsch had a interesting take on the quote (sorry – can’t cite chapter and verse) “The kindness of the nations is sin.” IIRC, he said this refers to governments which direct inordinate amounts of financial support to undeserving subsets of the populace (a la “special interest groups”).
When I was a child, I thought and spoke as a child. During my years as a Democrat, I smugly advocated public transportation.
Then for 7 months we lived where we didn’t have a personal vehicle and were forced to use trains, buses and the subway. I ended up forgoing other luxuries to have taxi cab fare because the trains and buses were exhausting.
It was wonderful to return to the United States and our own car. Oh, the freedom of going where we wanted, when we wanted.
That being said, one of the best travel experiences we’ve ever had was by train across the U.S. Much better than flying, except for the time factor.
Bardot is sitting on a car? Oh, so she is…
As you know, we are huge Bardot fans—that’s what happens when you see “And G-d Created Woman” at a tender young age—and clutch at any excuse to post her pic. Is that a car? No, that’s a hunk of French junk powered by gerbils on a wheel.
And here I am noticing that the passenger side wiper blade is missing … sheeesh … what’s wrong with me.
Garner acquired a love for driving while filming Grand Prix and became – what driving instructor Bob Bonderant said (in training him) that he could have become pro level. Indeed he, like Paul Newman, did a lot of racing and owned a team.
The SL – women complained about it because of its tubular frame construction (necessitating the Gullwing doors) there was no graceful way with a dress of getting in and out – that sill was about a foot wide.
A friend did give me a ride in his and I can explain the procedure – sit on the sill – swing left leg into foot well and pivot while swinging right leg into foot well.
In 57 they modified the frame allowing conventional doors and made it the roadster that SLs have been to this day…
The E-Type – Road & Track writer Henry Manney said that it was the “greatest crumpet collector known to man” – it still gets a crowd 53 years later.
On your Morgan Robert R & T writer Peter Egan wrote a great piece on it –
Bardot – think it is a Renault but not sure
On Gable and his Duesie – don’t know whether this is the car but supposedly he gave one to Carole Lombard and with her death it went into storage never to be driven again by him.
FYI…The Sunday auto section of the New York Times had a fascinating piece about what happened to Gable’s Dussenberg; just Google: “Gable, Lombard and a ’35 Duesenberg.” Good article, Robert — except that I’m going to be wondering all day about the make of that car on which Brigitte Bardot is perched.
That was an interesting story David
Thanks so much for the tip.
David,
I’ve just read and posted to my Facebook page this beautiful article. “Who do you think you are…” True Americana. Lovely. Thank you for reminding us.
It’s a Renault Caravelle – 1959? (Thanks, Google!)
Alter:
Thanks so much for tracking down BB’s car.
No wonder men love the gull wing Mercedes!
At the time Atlas Shrugged was written and published, (and I know you have resisted reading but that doesn’t matter. You have got it.) Ayn Rand thought Colorado was the center of hope. Not so true any longer. The progressive Nazi’s are making serious inroads there. There may be no hope for the United States in the immediate future. Not a thought I like.
The “new frontier” in nanny state anti-freedom technology will be cars which drive themselves. These are apparently just now becoming practical and I can see the mouths of the control freaks and safety fascists watering at the prospect. They will originally be sold as a convenience and helpful for old drivers. The next step will be the forced elimination of driver input entirely – for safety’s sake, of course.
Oh, great, another piece of new technology with which liberal fascists will herd us into their progressive ghettos.
Just wait until the shade tree mechanics get a hold of them!
Robert: Believe the shot of John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara is from the Wings of Eagles, 1957.
Oh, that’s interesting. Don’t hate me, but I have not seen the film. Is there a scene where they appear in the Stutz?
Robert, I made an error in posting my reply and it went to the top of the comment section. In any case, a further thought re Wayne-O’Hara in pictures. They only appeared in five together. Rio Grande, The Quiet Man, McLintock and Big Jake. The Wing of Eagles is it — and in period.
Barry:
Thanks so much.