The Longest Yard (1974)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Robert Aldrich

Writers:

Albert S. Ruddy (story)
Tracy Keenan Wynn (writer)

Release Date:

30 August 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Drama | Sport

Tagline:

It's Survival of the Fiercest and Funniest

Plot:

A sadistic warden asks a former pro quarterback, now serving time in his prison, to put together a team of inmates to take on (and get pummeled by) the guards.

Plot Keywords:

Prison | Warden | Prison Guard | Quarterback | Florida

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Burt Reynolds	...	Paul Crewe
Eddie Albert	...	Warden Hazen
Ed Lauter	...	Captain Knauer
Michael Conrad	...	Nate Scarboro
James Hampton	...	Caretaker (as Jim Hampton)
Harry Caesar	...	Granville
John Steadman	...	Pop
Charles Tyner	...	Unger
Mike Henry	...	Rassmeusen
Jim Nicholson	...	Ice Man
Bernadette Peters	...	Miss Toot
Pervis Atkins	...	Mawabe
Tony Cacciotti	...	Rotka
Anitra Ford	...	Melissa Gaines
Michael Fox	...	Announcer

Also Known As:

The Mean Machine (UK)

Runtime:

121 min | Argentina:122 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-15 (uncut) (2005) | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1995) | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1975) | Netherlands:12 | West Germany:18 (nf) (original rating) | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Norway:16 (1975) | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (video rating) (1987) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Beverly Hills, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

A number of the actors had previously played professional football. Burt Reynolds played for Florida State University and was drafted by the Baltimore Colts. Mike Henry (Rasmussen) played for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Los Angeles Rams. Joe Kapp (Walking Boss) played quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings. Ray Nitschke (Bodanski) was a middle linebacker for the Green Bay Packers, and Pervis Atkins (Mawabe) played for the Los Angeles Rams, the Washington Redskins and the Oakland Raiders.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Richard Kiel hurt his arm during the shoot and can be seen with his arm in a sling in some parts of the football game scenes (his character is supposedly fully fit).

Quotes:

[first lines]
Melissa: How long do we have to keep watching this crap?... Only a moron can sit and watch two football games, one after the other.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Lizzie McGuire: The Longest Yard (#2.7)" (2002)

Soundtrack:

Roadside Roses

the greatest football film ever... period

Burt Reynolds plays Paul Crewe a real man's man. After showing his woman who's boss, he splits in her car and after a great chase scene, the police find him in a bar. So the ex-football player is sent to prison, where the warden offers to shave off some time if he makes a team of the convicts to fight (and lose to) the guards' semi-pro team in a pre-season game. Every part of the movie screams greatness. From the excellent acting all around, to the superb casting (Adam Sandler can't hold a candle to Burt in this movie, that remake is gonna be horrid) Ed Lauter is a great heavy , to the great tension-filled football game that comprises a good deal of the latter half of the movie. This is one of the exceedingly too few MAN's movie and they sadly don't make them like this anymore.

My Grade: A

DVD Extras: Commentary by Burt Reynolds and Writer Albert Ruddy (Among the best I've heard); 11 minute "Doing time on the Longest Yard" featurette; 11 minute "Unleashing the Mean Machine" retrospective; an exclusive look at the re-make (looking absolute crap); Theatrical Trailer;Trailers for "The Longest Yard" remake, "Coach Carter", "Macgyver: Season 1", and "Tommy Boy"

Eye Candy: Anita Ford in a red see-thru number