Virtually every sport has its rivalries. They thrive on them, with fans packing into stadiums, arenas, and tracks around the world week in, week out. In boxing, Muhammed Ali had Joe Frazier, while Floyd Mayweather Jr had Manny Pacquiao. In tennis, Pete Sampras had Andre Agassi, and Bjorn Borg had his infamous contention with John McEnroe. Formula One boasted famous square-offs between James Hunt and Niki Lauda, and later Sebastian Vettel and current champ Lewis Hamilton -but before all of that, in the 1960s and 1970s boasted arguably one of the most famous sporting rivalries of all time – between drag racing drivers Don Prudhomme and Tom McEwen, better known as their racing personas ‘Snake’ and ‘Mongoose’.
Snake and Mongoose, originally released in 2013, is based on the career-long competitiveness between the two, and the friendship the two shared behind the scenes, and off the track. Jesse Williams (Grey’s Anatomy) appears as ‘The Snake’ Prudhomme, while Richard Blake portrays McEwan, two intense racers competing against one another at one of the most exciting, and indeed most dangerous times in motor racing in the United States. Wayne Holloway’s film follows the two as they bring the sport into the mainstream, while at the same time creating marketing strategies used to fuel/ pay for their drives, their ground-breaking relationship with toy manufacturer Mattel and their new Hot Wheels car line, providing the basis of sponsorship deals which are still employed to this very day.
Featuring an all-star cast, the film is both as engrossing as engaging as the sport and its two central stars that it focusses upon, both Williams and Blake depicting Prudhomme and McEwan perfectly, seamlessly portraying the two sportsmen with both unrelenting drive and relatable empathy.
Holloway chooses to litter his film with archive footage from the day – including grainy, old film stock footage and new broadcasts with the dramatized scenes seamlessly. Holloway and his team of producers behind the scenes, including Stephen Nemeth, Elliott Broidy, Robin Broidy and many others, have managed to grab key footage from the past, as well as permission from the key brands involved in this true story, on board to ensure absolute accuracy in its story-telling. Prudhomme and McEwan are also listed as associate producers and even appear very briefly as pit lane chiefs during one scene to add even more authenticity.
The film covers quite a large period of time, which ran all of the ways from 1969 to the mid 1990s, the so-called ‘funny car’ period in the two drivers lives, and bring on board the likes of Noah Wyle (E.R.), John Heard (Home Alone), Ian Ziering (Beverly Hills 90210, Sharknado), Tim Blake Nelson (O’ Brother Where Art Thou) and Joshua Leonard (Blair Witch Project, recent Unsane), to flesh out its cast and bring these real-life characters to the screen in a very absorbing sports-based drama potentially not that well known to modern audiences.
The story could have easily been mishandled, the narrative delving into darker territory including personal tragedy as the film progresses, but Snake & Mongoose just about manages to avoid a soap opera feel, particularly during its more difficult later scenes.
A truly interesting story to have come across, and absolutely recommended to fans of this particular genre, who should absolutely lap this up.
Snake & Mongoose is available on U.S. DVD and Blu-ray.
