Smokey and the Bandit (1977)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Hal Needham

Writers:

Hal Needham (story) &
Robert L. Levy (story) ...

Release Date:

27 May 1977 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Romance

Tagline:

Time to take to the road, for a quiet little drive in the country...or not.

Plot:

The Bandit is hired on to run a tractor trailer full of beer over county lines in hot pursuit by a pesky sheriff.

Plot Keywords:

Texas | Sheriff | Police | Trucker | Trans Am

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Burt Reynolds	...	Bandit
Sally Field	...	Carrie
Jerry Reed	...	Cledus
Mike Henry	...	Junior Justice
Paul Williams	...	Little Enos
Pat McCormick	...	Big Enos
Alfie Wise	...	Patrolman - Traffic Jam
George Reynolds	...	Branford
Macon McCalman	...	Mr. B
Linda McClure	...	Waynette
Susan McIver	...	Hot Pants
Laura Lizer Sommers	...	Little Beaver (as Laura Lizer)
Michael Mann	...	Branford's Deputy
Lamar Jackson	...	Sugar Bear
Ronnie Gay	...	Georgia Trooper

Also Known As:

Bandit, Bandit (Europe)

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Singapore:PG | Australia:M | Canada:PA (Ontario) | Canada:14A (Canadian Home Video rating) | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Norway:15 (re-rating) | Norway:16 (original rating) | Sweden:11 | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (video rating) (1987) | USA:PG (Approved No. 24818) | Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Hal Needham asked Jerry Reed to write a theme song for the film. A couple of hours later, Reed presented "East Bound and Down" to Needham. With an acoustic guitar, Reed started to play it and Needham immediately stopped him. Thinking Needham didn't like it, Reed offered to re-write the song. To which Needham replied: "If you change one note, I'll kill you!" The song went on to become one of Reed's biggest hits.

Goofs:

Continuity: Carrie's position in Bandit's car when it goes off the road and hits the mailboxes.

Quotes:

Bandit: For the good old American lifestyle: For the money, for the glory, and for the fun... mostly for the money.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Undergrads: Rivalries (#1.8)" (2001)

Soundtrack:

East Bound And Down

Burt, Sally, and a truckload of beer

One of the first films to tap into the anti-authoritarian aspects of the Citizen's Band (CB) radio craze, "Smokey" is basically a movie-length car chase and a pleasantly insipid slice of late-'70's Americana.

The tissue-thin plot has good ole boy pals The Bandit (Reynolds) and Cletus (a surprisingly good Jerry Reed) running a load of Coors cross-country on a tight deadline while trying to avoid an assortment of less-than-bright cops, led by pompous blowhard Buford T. Justice (Jackie Gleason). Sally Field, as a runaway bride who thumbs her way into Reynolds' car, brings charm and a welcome sense of irony to the macho proceedings.

Stunt coordinator-turned-director Hal Needham stages the action competently, and the actors, who supposedly improvised much of the dialogue, obviously enjoy themselves. A good choice for those who want to relive the glory days of CB rebels, long sideburns, plaid western shirts, and black Trans-Ams with "screaming chicken" decals on the hood. Avoid the two vastly inferior sequels.