Death Race (1973)

This is a terrific variation on Moby Dick, and is one of those stories from the 70s made-for-TV movie heyday. Doug McClure's character is an easy going guy who just wants to do enough to get by. He sets down at a British base expecting to gas up and go. The British draft him into a mission and give him Roy Thinnes as a wingman. Meanwhile, Lloyd Bridges is a German general who, lost on his own, finds a German tank, also lost, and takes charge. There is a clash which results in Thinnes shot down, and McClure picking him up, with Bridges' tank crippling McClure's plane so it can only fly in short hops. The pursuit pushes everyone to their limit, and sets up an explosive climax. Everyone gives their all in this, but mostly Bridges chews up the scenery, and in his big pep talk, he goes over the top enough to almost reach the Moon. If you can get a copy, or look on YouTube, give this a try.