Welcome to “Free Film Friday”! Every Friday we will be sharing a short free film for you to enjoy. Tell us what you think, and what you’d like to see us present…
Mike Duff was a Canadian motorcycle racer in the 60s. He shattered his hip in Japan and had major surgery to repair it. His recovery and return to racing was captured by Robin Spry in the 1966 documentary Ride for Your Life (9 min 40 s).
This film has some incredible footage of motorcycle races, and crashes, in the 60s. It also has some images from Duff’s hip operation, so if you’re not a fan of watching surgeries you may want to distract yourself for a few seconds. But it doesn’t last long, I promise.
What I find so fascinating (besides the insanity of racing itself) is the lifestyle that goes along with it. Duff travels around the world with his wife and two toddlers in tow, living out of trailers during race season. He casually mentions how two or three friends die a year in the races, as if this is sad but totally acceptable.
Mike Duff became Michelle Duff in the 80s. She continued racing and writing, and has published several books.
oehttp://www.nfb.ca/film/ride_for_your_life/
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