The Cannonball Run (1981)

A wide variety of eccentric competitors participate in a wild and illegal cross-country road race. However, the eccentric entrants will do anything to win the road race, including low-down, dirty tricks.

Director:

Hal Needham

Writer:

Brock Yates

Stars:

Burt Reynolds, Roger Moore, Farrah Fawcett

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Burt Reynolds	...	J. J. McClure
Roger Moore	...	Seymour
Farrah Fawcett	...	Pamela
Dom DeLuise	...	Victor Prinzim
Dean Martin	...	Jamie Blake
Sammy Davis Jr.	...	Fenderbaum
Jack Elam	...	Doctor Nikolas Van Helsing
Adrienne Barbeau	...	Marcie
Terry Bradshaw	...	Terry
Jackie Chan	...	Subaru Driver #1
Bert Convy	...	Brad
Jamie Farr	...	Sheik
Peter Fonda	...	Chief Biker
George Furth	...	A. F. Foyt
Michael Hui	...	Subaru Driver #2

Storyline

This comedy film brings Burt Reynolds, Roger Moore, Farrah Fawcett, Dom DeLuise, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. and an all-star cast to the starting line of the ultimate auto race, a madcap cross-country scramble that roars full-speed ahead. This action-comedy was inspired by an actual event: the Cannonball Baker Sea-To-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash, an anything goes, all-stops-out - and very much illegal - competition that has grown to legendary proportions within the last ten years.

---

Plot Keywords:

racer | competition | motorcycle | police | cantonese | 

---

Taglines:

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

---

Genres:

Action | Comedy | Sport

---

Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA Hong Kong

Language:

English Cantonese Japanese Arabic

Release Date:

19 June 1981 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Cannonball Trophy

Filming Locations:

St. Louis, Missouri, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$18,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$59,900,000 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Golden Harvest Company, Eurasia Investments

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

'Burt Reynolds' and 'Dom DeLuise' are co-stars of 'All Dogs Go to Heaven' (1989), respectively.

---

Goofs

All the shots of the Harley-Davidson motorcycle used by Brad in the Cannonball race are dubbed with sounds of high-revving four-cylinder engines instead of the typical 'potato' sound of a slower-revving Harley 45° V2.

---

Quotes

Fenderbaum: Isn't that J.J. McClure?
Jamie Blake: He's nothing. Don't worry about him. It's the Blimp next to him! The Blimp! When he puts on that mask, he'll blow your goddamn doors off!

---

Crazy Credits

An animated car drives around the 20th Century Fox logo, hiding out in the zero. It is chased by a police car, which crashes into one of the searchlights. The sequence ends with Burt Reynold's trademark laugh.

---

Connections

Referenced in Death Proof (2007)

---

Soundtracks

Beauty's Theme
Written by John Durrill (as J. Durrill), Al Capps (as A. Capps), Cliff Crofford (as C. Crofford) and Snuff Garrett (as S. Garrett)
Performed by Al Capps

User Reviews

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!!!!!!!!!