The Cannonball Run
The Cannonball Run brings Burt Reynolds, 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.
Hal Needham, the director of such souped-up hits as Smokey and the Bandit, Hooper and Smokey and the Bandit II is at the helm of a wild action-comedy inspired by an actual event: The Cannonball Sea-To-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash, an anything-goes, all-stops-out - and thrillingly illegal - competition that has grown to legendary proportions in the last ten years.
Member Reviews
Very Dated, But Fun - MovieProf
I hadn’t seen this one since I was a kid, and I have to say, it hasn’t held up overly well over time, the same way as the other Hal Needham films—“Smokey and the Bandit”—haven’t. Despite the all-star cast in this film, the jokes are often misfires by today’s comedy standards. Dom Deluise and Rick Aviles are particularly annoying, as is the quickly-redundant James Bond references whenever Roger Moore is on the screen.
However, this film was a big hit in 1981, and isn’t a complete waste of time. Farah Fawcett looks as great as she ever did, and Burt Reynolds throws in a typically competent performance. Jackie Chan is perhaps the most entertaining of any of the actors, years before he became a household name here in Canada.Campy, corny and fun! - palmtree
I watched this because it is such a part of pop culture, and also because I wanted to see so many old (or dead) actors in their heyday. It was a lot of fun, and I laughed as often as I groaned in pain! It is also based mostly on a true story, including the part about racing an ambulance with a fake patient in the back. Do yourself a favor and read about the true story, it makes it even better.A great race - Radio_Jane
I have to admit that I had pretty near condemned this movie from the start. It just looked cheesy. I am so glad that I gave it a chance. Reynolds and Deluise are always a great team but the real treat here was Sammy Davis Jr and Dean Martin who I feel were terribly underused. The only complaint I have is that there were so many areas ripe for jokes that the movie could have been another 2 hours longer. All in all,I liked this film although numerous sexual references and alcoholic episodes make it unsuitable for the youngins.
Member Reviews
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Very Dated, But Fun - MovieProf
I hadn’t seen this one since I was a kid, and I have to say, it hasn’t held up overly well over time, the same way as the other Hal Needham films—“Smokey and the Bandit”—haven’t. Despite the all-star cast in this film, the jokes are often misfires by today’s ...Campy, corny and fun! - palmtree
I watched this because it is such a part of pop culture, and also because I wanted to see so many old (or dead) actors in their heyday. It was a lot of fun, and I laughed as often as I groaned in pain! It is also based mostly on a true story, including the ...A great race - Radio_Jane
I have to admit that I had pretty near condemned this movie from the start. It just looked cheesy. I am so glad that I gave it a chance. Reynolds and Deluise are always a great team but the real treat here was Sammy Davis Jr and Dean Martin who I feel were ...