The Cannonball Run (1981)

Director:

Hal Needham

Writer:

Brock Yates (written by)

Release Date:

19 June 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy

Tagline:

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

Plot:

A wide variety of eccentric competitors participate in a wild and illegal cross-country car race.

Plot Keywords:

Race | Car | Cross Country | Racer | Motorcycle

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Burt Reynolds	...	J.J. McClure
Roger Moore	...	Seymour Goldfarb, Jr.
Farrah Fawcett	...	Pamela Glover
Dom DeLuise	...	Victor Prinzim / Captain Chaos
Dean Martin	...	Jamie Blake
Sammy Davis Jr.	...	Morris Fenderbaum
Jack Elam	...	Doctor Nikolas Van Helsing
Adrienne Barbeau	...	Marcie Thatcher, Lamborghini Babe #1
Terry Bradshaw	...	Terry
Jackie Chan	...	Jackie Chan, Subaru Driver
Bert Convy	...	Bradford Compton
Jamie Farr	...	The Sheik
Peter Fonda	...	Chief Biker
George Furth	...	Arthur J. Foyt
Michael Hui	...	Subaru Engineer

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA | Hong Kong

Language:

English | Cantonese | Japanese | Arabic

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | Netherlands:12 (original rating) | Netherlands:6 (re-rating) | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 (1982) | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:PG | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

King Harbor, Redondo Beach, California, USA

Company:

Golden Harvest Company

Trivia:

The front shots of the ambulance driving down the road were some of the last to be filmed. In what Hal Needham referred to as "poorman's process" they were filmed in a garage with crewmen rocking the vehicle back and forth. The scene in the rain was filmed by simply spraying water on the windshield.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: Reflected in motorcycle mirror.

Quotes:

[Seymour pulls up to the starting line with his lights off]
Seymour Goldfarb Jr: Would you mind?
[the official punches his time card and gives it to him]
Seymour Goldfarb Jr: Thank you.
Organizer: Might be easier with your lights on.
Seymour Goldfarb Jr: Why advertise?

Movie Connections:

Spin off The Stockers (1981) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Cannonball

one of my all-time favourites!!!!!!!

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!"