Viva Knievel! (1977)

Motorcycle stuntman Evel Knievel is offered a fortune to perform in Mexico. What Evel doesn't know is that they're planning to kill him and use his body to ship cocaine into the U.S. His ... See full summary »

Director:

Gordon Douglas

Writers:

Antonio Santillán (screenplay), Norman Katkov (screenplay),

Stars:

Evel Knievel, Gene Kelly, Lauren Hutton

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Evel Knievel	...	Himself
Gene Kelly	...	Will Atkins
Lauren Hutton	...	Kate Morgan
Red Buttons	...	Ben Andrews
Leslie Nielsen	...	Stanley Millard
Cameron Mitchell	...	Barton
Frank Gifford	...	Himself
Eric Olson	...	Tommy Atkins
Sheila Allen	...	Sister Charity
Albert Salmi	...	Cortland
Dabney Coleman	...	Ralph Thompson
Ernie F. Orsatti	...	Norman Clark (as Ernie Orsatti)
Sidney Clute	...	Andy
Robert Tafur	...	Governor Garcia
Marjoe Gortner	...	Jessie

Storyline

Motorcycle stuntman Evel Knievel is offered a fortune to perform in Mexico. What Evel doesn't know is that they're planning to kill him and use his body to ship cocaine into the U.S. His chief mechanic, who is an alcoholic, is weary of the whole thing and discovers something, but before he can tell Evel he is sent to a rehab clinic for drug addicts, which Evel doesn't believe he is. He goes to see him who tells Evel what he found out but is still in the dark as what is happening.

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Plot Keywords:

stunt | fan | mechanic | mexico | spectator | 

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Taglines:

The one and only real live Evel Knievel in his first dramatic movie role.

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Biography | Crime

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

June 1977 (USA)

Also Known As:

Seconds to Live

Filming Locations:

Veterans Memorial Stadium - 508 E. Lew Davis Street, Long Beach, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros, Sherrill C. Corwin Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

106 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The more difficult stunts in the film were performed by stunt man Gary Lee Davis, though that fact was kept under wraps during the original release of the film.

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Quotes

Jessie: End of the line Evel.
Evel Knieval: What did you say?
Jessie: End of the line, man.
Evel Knieval: What are you talking about, your suppose to be at the other end.
Jessie: No. I always have been before, but not anymore. Today is my turn, my shot at the glory, I'm making this jump.
Evel Knieval: What are you talking about. Those people paid their pesos to see me jump.
Jessie: No way, man. I'm jumping. I've always known I was better than you. Today I'm gonna prove it. Now you just get out of my way.
Evel Knieval: Hey! You been smoking something? You're high!
Jessie: Man, maybe you ...
[...]

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Connections

Edited into E! True Hollywood Story: Evel Knievel (2004)

User Reviews

Crash and Burn!

Viva Knievel has to be one of the worst movies ever made. But like like Plan 9 From Outer Space, it is so bad that it makes for a hilarious night. If you like bad movies, this is a must see. In the film Knievel is presented as some sort of cross between Elvis and Jesus. One scene at the front of the film even has Evel seeming to heal crippled children by presenting them with Evel Knievel model kits. He's shown as being a beacon of hope in a dark world, yet he's also shown nearly threatening the life of Red Button's character because Red hasn't paid him his money yet. By the way, how on Earth did people like Red Buttons, Gene Kelly, Lauren Hutton, and Leslie Nielson end up in this turkey?!? If you can't appreciate an incredibly bad movie, stay as far away as you can!