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, Sir 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.

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Plot Keywords:

batman character | van helsing character | batman | van helsing | three word title | 

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Taglines:

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

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Genres:

Action | Comedy | Sport

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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)

Opening Weekend USA:

$11,765,654, 21 June 1981

Gross USA:

$72,179,579

Company Credits

Production Co:

Golden Harvest Company,Eurasia Investments

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Legendary odds-maker Jimmy the Greek had a cameo in this movie, where he did a scene with Dean Martin and Sammy Davis, Jr. Jimmy and Dean grew up in Steubenville, Ohio, and were friends since childhood.

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Goofs

When Fenderbaum is placing his bet with the Greek you can see that the references to Porsche on the odds board are listed as Porche.

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Quotes

Jamie Blake: I just want to thank you for informin' them about us back in Missouri. You know, how we're flashers and sex maniacs.
J.J. McClure: Well, I was just repayin' you for what you and the chocolate monk did back in Ohio.
Fenderbaum: Chocolate Monk?
Jamie Blake: He can say that. Yeah, he can say that, cause he's ridin' around with the "Good Year" blimp!
J.J. McClure: [Looking at Vic] He can say that. He can say that cause if I had the time, I'd take those rosary beads and shove em up your nose.
Jamie Blake: These rosary beads? Up this nose?
J.J. McClure: Yeah.
Jamie Blake: Will ya take a ...
[...]

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Crazy Credits

Outtakes are shown during the credits.

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Connections

Spoofs Goldfinger (1964)

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Soundtracks

Just for the Hell of It
Written by Ray Stevens (as R. Stevens)
Performed by Ray Stevens

User Reviews

What a pile-up....

If you're looking for a movie loaded with cars, crashes, 1/8th of the Rat Pack, Adrienne Barbeau's best assets... oh yeah, and Burt Reynolds, look no further than "The Cannonball Run".

It was a hit back in 1981 and no wonder: Burt was on top of his game and we were all young and naive back then. Heck, I have a warm spot for all the rampant stupidity, myself.

All the better that Roger Moore plays a deft parody of his own James Bond persona, complete with an Aston Martin.

If you've seen this film way back when, no doubt you remember it with some fondness. Let's face it: it may not have been on par with films like "The Gumball Rally" or even "Death Race 2000", but in its own way and on its own terms, it works just fine.

A word of sage advice: if you watch this film, skip "Cannonball Run 2". It'll only ruin your good memories of the first. And if you didn't like the original, well....

Five stars. Plus one star extra for adding Jackie Chan for what adds up to mostly as a cameo as a karate-kicking racer. And a half star more for Adrienne Barbeau's fancy work with a jump suit zipper. Altogether, six and a half stars.

Wish she would have made it a seven.