Stay over the speed limit. (Cannonball Run (DVD))

Member Name: The Duke

Product:	Cannonball Run (DVD)
Date:	15/10/05 (459 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Funny script, Captain Chaos, Sammy Davis Jnr and Dean Martin.

Disadvantages: Not as car focussed as might be expected, extremely basic plot.

Believe it or not, there was a time when Burt Reynolds made good movies. Towards the end of the 70s and into the early 80s, Reynolds made quite a few movies that featured the recurring themes of girls and cars, accompanied by speed and pursuing policemen.

Perhaps the most famous of these was "Smokey and the Bandit", but I prefer 1981's "Cannonball Run" simply because it's a lot more fun.

Speed Cop: "Headquarters, we are still in pursuit of the black Lamborghini."
Dispatcher: "Car 42, you've been in pursuit for two hours. Another five minutes and you'll be in Arizona."
Speed Cop: "Yeah and we're going to stay in pursuit until we catch them."
Dispatcher: "It didn't take us THAT long to catch Dillinger."

JJ McClure (Reynolds) is taking part in the Cannonball Run, an illegal race across America from east to west coast. The challenge is to get there in the quickest time possible, and as this usually means breaking the 55 mph speed limit, avoiding the representatives of the various law enforcement agencies.

JJ and his friend Victor (Dom DeLuise) are the favourites for the race in their ambulance disguise, but there are many more people who also fancy their chances. Seymour Goldfarb Jnr. (Roger Moore) thinks he's the famous actor, Roger Moore. He's entered his gadget-laden Aston Martin thinking it will give him the edge over the others. 'The Sheik' (Jamie Farr or Klinger from M*A*S*H) fancies himself as a race driver and, along with his bodyguards and Rolls Royce, is aiming for first prize. Sometimes a disguise can help and so Morris Fenderbaum and Jamie Blake (Sammy Davis Jr. and Dean Martin respectively) reckon that their combination of a Ferrari and priest disguises will be a winner. Others have decided that speed alone will suffice, but have a few surprises in store in case the cops do catch them (the Lamborghini babes).

Add in the added pursuit of the police, Arthur Foyt (George Furth) who's a government environmentalist) some dirty tricks from the racers and you know that things are going to get complicated!

While Burt Reynolds is regarded as the star of the show and the story does concentrate on his character alongside the other passengers in the ambulance (including 'love interest' Farrah Fawcett and mad doctor Jack Elam), Cannonball Run is really an ensemble piece. It's all very silly and the characters are flimsy stereotypes, but that doesn't detract from the enjoyment at all.

The film does take a while to get going. It's nearly a third of the way into the film before the race actually starts, but that's to be expected when trying to introduce such a large supporting cast (including a young Jackie Chan as a Japanese race driver).

Strangely, for a movie about a race across America and with many flashy cars of the day, there's precious little in car stunt work. In fact, there's not really that much to the race as it's only really used to set up the next gag or set piece.

There are a few gags that run throughout the film, one involving Arthur Foyt and the other involving Seymour Goldfarb Jnr. They're quite funny, but most laughs are saved for Victor's alter-ego, Captain Chaos ("Been a cop long?") and the interaction between JJ McClure and the team of Morris Fenderbaum and Jamie Blake. The interaction between the Rat Packers also proves a fair few laughs.

Fenderbaum (smugly): We've got a secret weapon. God is our co-pilot!
'The Greek': You'll need him!
Jamie Blake (confused): God is our co-pilot?
Fenderbaum: Uh huh...
Jamie Blake: Remember our car?
Fenderbaum: Uh huh...
Jamie Blake: Two seats?
Fenderbaum: Two seats...
Jamie Blake: Where's he gonna sit? [slap] Where's he gonna sit? [slap]

Add to that, the madcap antics of Jackie Chan, along with his mechanic sidekick, and a car that surely inspired Knight Rider and you have the makings of a quality 90 minutes worth of turn-your-brain-off, popcorn-munching entertainment.

The whole thing is just plain silly, but strangely enough, it works, mostly. I thought that some of the co-stars were put in just for the sake of having famous names (Terry Bradshaw, an American Football player doesn't get a lot of screen time) that takes time away from other characters, but it's not a huge issue. I was a bit confused by the ending, too, which depicted an ending to the race that simply didn't match with the start of it. Perhaps I'm expecting too much from the film, though.

It's all typical Hal Needham fayre. Needham first had a hit with Burt Reynolds in 1977's "Smokey and the Bandit". It seems that he liked the combination of Reynolds, fast cars, good-looking women and funny scripts. Cannonball Run was apparently based on the true life experience of Needham and script writer Brock Yates, but it would be hard to believe that their experiences were as barmy as the situations in the film. If you liked "Smokey and the Bandit" or "Hooper", then Cannonball Run will be right up your erm... street.

It's possible to buy Cannonball Run these days for under a fiver these days on both DVD and VHS if you search around.

P.S. I'm surprised that Farrah Fawcett's nipples didn't get a co-starring credit seeing as they're so prominent throughout the movie.

Summary: Burt Reynolds stars in this wacky car race adventure across America.