The Last American Hero (1973)

A young hellraiser quits his moonshine business to try to become the best NASCAR racer the south has ever seen.

Director:

Lamont Johnson

Writers:

Tom Wolfe (articles), William Roberts

Stars:

Jeff Bridges, Valerie Perrine, Geraldine Fitzgerald

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview:
Jeff Bridges	...	Elroy Jackson Jr.
Valerie Perrine	...	Marge
Geraldine Fitzgerald	...	Mrs. Jackson
Ned Beatty	...	Hackel
Gary Busey	...	Wayne Jackson
Art Lund	...	Elroy Jackson Sr.
Ed Lauter	...	Burton Colt
William Smith	...	Kyle Kingman (as William Smith II)
Gregory Walcott	...	Cleve Morley
Tom Ligon	...	Lamar
Ernie F. Orsatti	...	Davie Baer (as Ernie Orsatti)
Erica Hagen	...	Trina Kingman
Jimmy Murphy	...	Spud (as James Murphy)
Lane Smith	...	Rick Penny

Storyline

A young hellraiser quits his moonshine business to try to become the best NASCAR racer the south has ever seen.

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Plot Keywords:

hixploitation | nascar | moonshine | male rear nudity | male nudity | 

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Taglines:

Instead of a white stallion, he rode a full race, powder blue stocker.

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Genres:

Drama | Sport

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 July 1973 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hard Driver

Filming Locations:

Concord, North Carolina, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Rojo Productions, Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min 91 min (FMC Library Print)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The movie's theme song "I GOT A NAME", written by Charles Fox & Norman Gimbel won the 1973 Young New York Film Critics Award for "Best Song Of The Year". Months after the film's release, it was re-released under the title "I Got A Name". The song was not Oscar Nominated, though it did make it into the top 10 that year in the days when they had pre-nominations.

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Goofs

When the movie starts, Junior is driving a Mustang with a police band radio but there is no antenna on the car that would work on police band frequencies.

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Quotes

Burton Colt: Junior, you got the talent and I got the bankroll. Now how many loads of white lighting you think it's gonna take to get you back running?
Elroy Jackson Jr.: How much it gonna take you? I just gotta replace my car. You gotta find a new shoe who ain't got chickenshit in his veins.
Burton Colt: Woo, you a hard case, kid.
Elroy Jackson Jr.: Colt, I'm gonna whip your ass, along with everybody else. My car don't hold out, I'm gonna footrace with you!
Burton Colt: What about arm wrestling?
Elroy Jackson Jr.: Whatever it by-god takes.

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Connections

Referenced in The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Episode #19.202 (2011)

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Soundtracks

I Got A Name
Sung by Jim Croce
Lyrics by Norman Gimbel
Music by Charles Fox

User Reviews

A great insight into the grassroots of Nascar

Jeff Bridges did a great job as Jr. Jackson(Johnson). It was after reading an old interview with Jr. Johnson and him referencing the movie that I sought it out to see. And I was not disappointed. Gary Busey also did a great job. From the moonshine runs, to the demolition derbies there was a lot of truth. To those who've never experienced the deep south and some of it's uniqueness, especially for the era, this was dead on. Here it is more than 30 years later and Nascar hasn't changed all that much. The grooming of drivers has, so movies like "The Last American Hero", help with the preservation of a simpler time and people. Yet the altruism in the seeking to gain another dollar still reigns today, some thirty years later. There aren't many movies you can say that about.