The Longest Yard (1974)

Director:

Robert Aldrich

Writers:

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

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:

Warden | Prison | 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	...	Warden's Secretary
Pervis Atkins	...	Mawabe
Tony Cacciotti	...	Rotka
Anitra Ford	...	Melissa
Michael Fox	...	Announcer
Joe Kapp	...	Walking Boss
Richard Kiel	...	Samson (as Dick Kiel)
Pepper Martin	...	Shop Steward
Mort Marshall	...	Assistant Warden
Ray Nitschke	...	Bogdanski
Tony Reese	...	Levitt
Sonny Sixkiller	...	The Indian
Robert Tessier	...	Shokner
Dino Washington	...	Mason
Ernie Wheelwright	...	Spooner
Joe Dorsey	...	Bartender (as Joseph Dorsey)
Gus Carlucci	...	Team Doctor (as Dr. Gus Carlucci)
Jack Rockwell	...	Trainer
Sonny Shroyer	...	Tannen
Ray Ogden	...	Schmidt
Don Ferguson	...	Referee
Chuck Hayward	...	Trooper I
Alfie Wise	...	Trooper II
Steve Wilder	...	J.J.
George Jones	...	Big George
Wilbur Gillian	...	Big Wilbur
Wilson Warren	...	Buttercup
Joe Jackson	...	Little Joe
Howard Silverstein	...	Howie
Donald Hixon	...	Donny
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
J. Don Ferguson	...	Football Referee (uncredited)
Lance Fuller	...	Secondary Role (uncredited)
Harold Morris	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
Bill Rampley	...	Guard / Football Player (uncredited)
Phillip Wende	...	Guard (uncredited)

Directed by
Robert Aldrich

Writing credits
Tracy Keenan Wynn		(screenplay)
Albert S. Ruddy		(story)

Produced by
Alan P. Horowitz	....	associate producer
Albert S. Ruddy	....	producer

Original Music by
Frank De Vol

Cinematography by
Joseph F. Biroc

Film Editing by
Michael Luciano

Casting by
Joyce Selznick
Steven R. Stevens

Production Design by
James Dowell Vance

Set Decoration by
Raphael Bretton		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Tom Ellingwood	....	makeup artist
Guy Del Russo	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Russell Saunders	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Clifford C. Coleman	....	assistant director
Hal Needham	....	second unit director: car chase sequence
Ron Wright	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Horst Grandt	....	property master
Ralph A. Nelson	....	assistant property master (uncredited)
Arnold Pine	....	construction coordinator (uncredited)

Sound Department
Howard Beals	....	sound editor
Gordon Daniel	....	sound editor
Jim Foglesong	....	recordings supervisor
James Fritch	....	sound editor (as Jim Fritch)
John Wilkinson	....	sound re-recording mixer
James Contrares	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Fred Faust	....	sound mixer (uncredited)
Michael Scoville	....	cableman (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Thol Simonson	....	special effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Denny Arnold	....	stunts (uncredited)
Mickey Caruso	....	stunts (uncredited)
Louie Elias	....	stunts (uncredited)
James M. Halty	....	stunts (uncredited)
Chuck Hayward	....	stunts (uncredited)
Gary McLarty	....	stunts (uncredited)
Hal Needham	....	stunt coordinator (uncredited)
Hal Needham	....	stunts (uncredited)
Frank Orsatti	....	stunts (uncredited)
Pat Studstill	....	stunts (uncredited)
Glenn R. Wilder	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Oscar Barber	....	camera operator: second unit (uncredited)
Donald C. Cowger	....	assistant grip (uncredited)
John Donnelly	....	best boy (uncredited)
Orville Hallberg	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Bill Hannah	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Henry Harrison	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Joe Hicks	....	dolly grip (uncredited)
Sherman Kunkel	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Lon Massey	....	best boy (uncredited)
Clifford H. Poland Jr.	....	photographer: second unit (uncredited)
Paul Schwake Jr.	....	head grip (uncredited)
Frederic J. Smith	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Stephen Wever	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Julian Wilson	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Charles E. James	....	wardrobe (as Charles James)
Ken Harvey	....	wardrobe assistant (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Frank Capacchione	....	associate editor: football sequences
George Hively	....	associate editor: football sequences
Allan Jacobs	....	associate editor: football sequences
Steve Orfanos	....	montage: Modern Film Effects
Roy E. Peterson	....	assistant editor (as Roy Peterson)
Dennis Wooley	....	assistant editor

Transportation Department
Richard Enoch	....	transportation captain (uncredited)

Other crew
Walter Blake	....	title designer
Dave Davies	....	unit publicist
Alvin Greenman	....	script supervisor
Bettye McCartt	....	assistant to producers
Alex Romero	....	choreographer
Robert Sherman	....	dialogue supervisor
Pat Studstill	....	technical advisor (as Patrick Studstill)
Joan Bennett	....	secretary to director (uncredited)
Frank Capiello	....	landscaper (uncredited)
Michael Newman	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Robert Sinclair	....	auditor (uncredited)
Anna Zappia	....	production secretary (uncredited)

Thanks
Jimmy Carter	....	acknowledgment (as Governor Jimmy Carter)

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures (presents)
• Albert S. Ruddy Productions
• Long Road Productions

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1974) (USA) (theatrical)
• Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1974) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Cinema International Corporation (UK) (1974) (UK) (theatrical)
• Cinema Internazional Corporation (1975) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1977) (USA) (TV)
• Paramount Home Video (1979) (USA) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2005) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD) (special edition)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• Paramount Home Video (19??) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)

Other Companies

• Freedom Service Company  production services
• Glen Glenn Sound Company  sound
• Opticals West/N.J.S.  titles

Also Known As:

Runtime:

121 min | Argentina:122 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

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

Filming Locations:

Beverly Hills, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

According to Hal Needham in an Atlanta radio interview, someone was standing by waiting as they filmed the chase, and as soon as they pulled the Citroen SM out of the river, he paid for it and took possession.

Goofs:

Continuity: There are inconsistencies with the scoring throughout the game.

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 The Longest Yard Sale (2007)

Soundtrack:

Paramount on Parade

Great Legacy

Seeing as this year this movie will have it's 33rd birthday, it has had a great legacy. I saw the remake with Adam Sandler, and that made me want to see this version. I didn't expect to like this, as I've had pretty bad encounters with movies made from 1980 or earlier.

But...I did like this. For a movie that's 33 years old, it's long and has a touching story. Burt Reynolds was great as the hero.

It is long. I'm not calling it a bad thing, though. This story is really too great to only be told in 90 minutes. Over 2 hours is a long time for someone with no attention span, but I can stay for a long time.

If you can stay in your seat for 120 minutes and like these movies, rent or (I strongly suggest to) buy The Longest Yard. It has a great legacy, and it isn't about to die yet!