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.
The Bandit goes on another cross-country run, transporting an elephant from Florida to Texas. And, once again, Sheriff Buford T. Justice is on his tail.
Hollywood aging stuntman Sonny Hooper wants to prove that he's still got what it takes to be a great professional in this risky and under-recognized line of work.
Director:
Hal Needham
Stars:
Burt Reynolds,
Jan-Michael Vincent,
Sally Field
Big and Little Enos are opening a sea food restaurant. They bet Sheriff Buford T. Justice that he cannot drive from Miami to the Enos ranch in Texas in a given amount of time. If Buford loses he has to give up his badge.
Despite the police's preemptive strike, the illegal coast-to-coast car race is still on with new drivers. It's a race where fair play, red lights, stop signs, police roadblocks and traffic rules in general have no validity.
A sadistic warden asks a former pro quarterback, now serving time in his prison, to put together a team of inmates to take on (and get pummeled by) the guards.
This comedy movie 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.Written by
Murray Chapman <muzzle@cs.uq.oz.au>
When the Rolls arrives at the hotel, Sheik strides to the rear of the car and a boom mic is visible in the windshield following the actor, the shadow of the mic then appears on the ground at the right-front tire. See more »
Quotes
J.J. McClure:
Excuse me. Excuse me. Hey, Mad Dog!
Mad Dog:
Hey, J.J!
J.J. McClure:
Look, you probably didn't realize this, but the parking lot's outside.
Mad Dog:
I know. The brakes went out.
J.J. McClure:
Who do you think you are? The president?
Mad Dog:
[imitating Richard Nixon]
Well, let me make one thing perfectly clear, we feel terrible about it. Now, if they can't take a joke,
[gives the up yours arm gesture sans finger]
See more »
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. See more »
Alternate Versions
For some reason, the video version dubs over some of the language heard in the big screen and pay channel versions. For example, when Bert Convy asks Peter Fonda what he wants, Fonda answers "Your ass" in the original, but is heard to say "You're asking me?" on the video version. See more »
Okay, realistically speaking, it is not "excellent" in the grand scope of cinema history...It has virtually no plot, for example. But it's hysterically funny and just makes you feel happy all over. Could it be Sammy Davis Junior and Dean Martin paired as drunken priests in a red Ferrari that makes it so great? Is it the doctor of mysterious origin ("Don't you EVER tell me where you found him!" who seldom needs more than his middle finger for an examination? Perhaps it's Mr Uh, Mr Uh,...Foyt! No, the greatest reason for watching this film is for the sheer joy of experiencing Dom Deluise in orange spandex saving the world...and don't forget! "Hamsters are a big responsibility!"
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Okay, realistically speaking, it is not "excellent" in the grand scope of cinema history...It has virtually no plot, for example. But it's hysterically funny and just makes you feel happy all over. Could it be Sammy Davis Junior and Dean Martin paired as drunken priests in a red Ferrari that makes it so great? Is it the doctor of mysterious origin ("Don't you EVER tell me where you found him!" who seldom needs more than his middle finger for an examination? Perhaps it's Mr Uh, Mr Uh,...Foyt! No, the greatest reason for watching this film is for the sheer joy of experiencing Dom Deluise in orange spandex saving the world...and don't forget! "Hamsters are a big responsibility!"