The Cannonball Run (1981)

Director:

Hal Needham

Writer:

Brock Yates (written by)

Release Date:

19 June 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy

Tagline:

You'll root for them all...but you'll never guess who wins.

Plot:

A wide variety of eccentric competitors participate in a wild and illegal cross-country car race.

Plot Keywords:

Race | Car | Cross Country | Racer | Car Race

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Burt Reynolds	...	J.J. McClure
Roger Moore	...	Seymour Goldfarb, Jr.
Farrah Fawcett	...	Pamela Glover
Dom DeLuise	...	Victor Prinzim / Captain Chaos
Dean Martin	...	Jamie Blake
Sammy Davis Jr.	...	Morris Fenderbaum
Jack Elam	...	Doctor Nikolas Van Helsing
Adrienne Barbeau	...	Marcie Thatcher, Lamborghini Babe #1
Terry Bradshaw	...	Terry
Jackie Chan	...	Jackie Chan, Subaru Driver
Bert Convy	...	Bradford Compton
Jamie Farr	...	The Sheik
Peter Fonda	...	Chief Biker
George Furth	...	Arthur J. Foyt
Michael Hui	...	Subaru Engineer

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA | Hong Kong

Language:

English | Cantonese | Japanese | Arabic

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | Netherlands:12 (original rating) | Netherlands:6 (re-rating) | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 (1982) | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:PG | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

King Harbor, Redondo Beach, California, USA

Company:

Golden Harvest Company

Trivia:

Bert Convy's final feature film.

Goofs:

Continuity: Near the beginning the red Hawaiian Tropic stock car that Mel and Terry drive is a Chevy Chevelle/Malibu. After it's painted grey it's a Chevy Monte Carlo.

Quotes:

[J.J. is pissed that Captain Chaos has disappeared]
J.J. McClure: When you don't want him he's around! When you want him he's not around! I'm gonna go get a beer!
Captain Chaos: DA-DA-DUM!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Death Proof (2007)

Soundtrack:

Cannonball

The Fun and the Funniest.

Long before movies like The Fast and the Furious, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Biker Boyz and Torque tried to make street racing so damn serious, there was this awesome, fun street racing comedy.

Burt Reynolds (way too angry as J.J. Mclure) and Dom DeLuise headline this ensemble cast, the best to note are Jamie Farr--who nearly steals the movie as an Arab Sheik, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. as an unscrupulous duo disguised as priests, and Roger Moore parodying his 007 stint. DeLuise is once again the best performer of the bunch, shining through with his usual charm and wit, especially as Capt. Chaos. Unfortunately, we also have to endure endless supporting characters like Bert Convy and Terry Bradshaw. But at least Rick Aviles and Jackie Chan are the best of those. Jackie even gets the spotlight, barely breaking a sweat fighting against Peter Fonda's biker gang.

I'd be damned to neglect the phenomenal Adrienne Barbeau as one of two Lamborghini babes showing their cleavage. Seeing her scenes reminds us that there is a God, and she made Farrah Fawcett look like a scarecrow.

Oh, yeah, that fight scene between the Cannonballers and the gang was actually pretty neat. Other standout action scenes include a plane landing in the street in order for Victor (DeLuise) to buy beer. Capt. Chaos in the home stretch of the race. Plenty of cars speeding on the pavement, not as stylized as the first Smokey and the Bandit or even the other aforementioned movies, but they're still loud, obnoxious and wacky.

The film could be better on the technical side, especially with certain voice-over dubbing and editing. Hal Needham flatly directed it, with zero style or substance. His emphasis was more on the comedy, and that's what matters here. But as usual, the outtakes are a riot.

I consider this movie to be fun and funny, I liked it as a child, and it's worth repeated watching. DA-DAN-DUNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!