Race car driver Walkaway Madden signs up for the big Manilla 1000 off-road race through the Philippines jungle. The photojournalist C.C. Wainwright comes along for the ride.
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Title: Checkered Flag or Crash (1977)
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Cast
| Cast overview: | |||
| Joe Don Baker | ... | Walkaway Madden | |
| Susan Sarandon | ... | C.C. Wainwright | |
| Larry Hagman | ... | Bo Cochran | |
| Alan Vint | ... | Doc Pyle | |
| Parnelli Jones | ... | Self | |
| Logan Clarke | ... | Ringer | |
| Daina House | ... | Rider in Black | |
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Michel Pitton | ... | Perrier |
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Bert LeRoy Jr. | ... | Fly (as Bert LeRoy) |
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Dick Adair | ... | Adams |
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Bill Cross | ... | Angel |
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Ben Leeman | ... | Pits |
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Eazy Black | ... | Wilkinson |
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Cachupoy | ... | Ramon |
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Eddie Mercado | ... | Reporter |
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Plot Summary
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Storyline
Race car driver Walkaway Madden signs up for the big Manilla 1000 off-road race through the Philippines jungle. The photojournalist C.C. Wainwright comes along for the ride.
Taglines:
The First Movie About Off-Road Racing. See more »Parents Guide:
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Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
18 January 1978 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
High Gear See more »Filming Locations:
PhilippinesCompany Credits
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I searched long and hard for this movie, as I do for all of Joe Don's early work. This movie is magnificent! I watch it over and over. It's got Joe Don, Susan Sarandon, Larry Hagman and Parnelli Jones, and it casts Joe Don much better than a lot of his other movies.
A GREAT thing about this movie is how creatively the actors talk--they NEVER use profanity, but come up with other ways to express what they are feeling. Any other "action" movie is full of foul language.
Another great thing about it is all the Bugs and rail-jobs. Even Walkaway's car started out as a Bug. I've been a Bug person most of my life.
And I LOVE the way Bo says "motor-cicle" instead of motorcycle. I say it that way myself very often.
I guess the best thing about this movie for me is that it is set in the 1970's. That was a kinder, gentler time when Joe Don was young and SO gorgeous.