It’s not often that Hollywood selects a subject as close to our hearts as this and then ices the cake with a leading actor of Anthony Hopkins’ quality. The World’s Fastest Indian is a David and Goliath story describing how a Kiwi pensioner breaks the land speed record for a faired motorcycle, on a shoestring budget. Incidentally it’s a true story and the record still holds today.

This film is a must-see; it is funny, informative and it will lift your heart. It tells the story of a brilliantly ingenious motorcyclist and engineer named Burt Munro and his antics to build a motorcycle capable of breaking the world speed record, then how he get it to Bonneville.

Burt is a superb engineer but an innocent abroad. Having worked his passage to the West Coast he is spellbound by the lights and sights of America. Hopkins takes on the character of Munro brilliantly, overcoming adversity and charming his way to Bonneville.

If the World’s Fastest Indian is still showing, remind yourself how outstanding low budget movies can be. If not put the DVD on your Christmas list now.