Hooper (1978)

User Rating:

5.9/10   

Director:

Hal Needham

Writers:

Walt Green (story)
Walter S. Herndon (story)

Release Date:

28 July 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy

Tagline:

It just ain't summer without Burt!

Plot:

Aging stuntman Sonney Hooper is still on top as one of the best stuntmen in the business. But up and...

Plot Keywords:

Stunt | Stuntman | Director | Hollywood | Friendship

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Burt Reynolds	...	Sonny Hooper
Jan-Michael Vincent	...	Ski Chinski
Sally Field	...	Gwen Doyle
Brian Keith	...	Jocko Doyle
John Marley	...	Max Berns
Robert Klein	...	Roger Deal
James Best	...	Cully
Adam West	...	Himself
Alfie Wise	...	Tony
Terry Bradshaw	...	Sherman, SWAT Commander
Norman Grabowski	...	Hammerhead (as Norm Grabowski)
George Furth	...	George Budwell, Humane Society Representative
Jim Burk	...	Jimbo
Don 'Red' Barry	...	Sheriff
Princess O'Mahoney	...	Wanda

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | Netherlands:AL | UK:A (original rating) | Germany:12 (2005, DVD-rating) | UK:PG (video) | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Birmingham, Alabama, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Stunt man A.J. Bakunas, doubling for Burt Reynolds, dropped 232 feet, setting a record for the highest jump without a parachute.

Goofs:

Factual errors: When Hooper and Ski are discussing Ski's falling stunt after the Charity Stunt Show, Hooper starts mentioning the heights he's fallen from, Ski mentions that Hooper fell "Seventy-five feet in Bullitt." The movie Bullitt (1968) has no high fall stunts. (The only thing close is when Steve McQueen chases the bad guy out of an airplane parked at the airport and they both leap out of a back door. But that's only about 15ft.)

Quotes:

Ski: My life is worth more than a piece of film.
Hooper: I'll tell you EXACTLY what your life is worth. Your life is worth fifty thousand dollars, that's the price you put on it when you got behind this wheel!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Party Down: Pepper McMasters Singles Seminar (#1.3)" (2009)

Burt at the top of his game

"Hooper" is yet another example of Burt Reynolds at the top of his game. Burt was a superstar who enjoyed making these action comedies for the summer drive-in crowd. The films usually made bundles of money and were usually pretty enjoyable. "Hooper" is one of Burt's better comedies of the 70's. He plays the title character, an aging Hollywood stuntman looking to make that last great stunt for the money and retire before his body gives out on him and serious damage occurs. Sally Field yet again plays Burt's girlfriend and, yet again, isn't given a whole lot to do. Jan Michael Vincent plays the new, young, hot shot stuntman that worries Burt. Brian Keith has a nice turn as Sally's father who happens to be a veteran stuntman himself.

The characters are not the important thing though. You go to see "Hooper" to laugh and enjoy the action scenes. The filmmakers deliver the goods on both counts. One standout scene involves a bar fight involving such tough guys as Terry Bradshaw. Burt confronts Terry one on one and it's the comic highlight of the film. The stunts are sensational and the final stunt is, thematically, totally ridiculous. But it's so well filmed we forgive the obvious silliness.

"Hooper" is a fun film to watch but make sure to see it uncut. It seems that many of Burt's PG-rated movies of the 70's stretched the limits to get as close to the R-rating as possible without going over the line. "Hooper" is no exception.