Smokey and the Bandit (1977)
Smokey and the Bandit (1977)
If you ever wanted to see what The Fast and the Furious would look like in the 1970’s,
look not further than this 1977 feature, Smokey and the Bandit. The
movie is filled to the rim with cars, more cars, and even more cars. The movie
also displays a good amount of vehicle destruction, which is common in the
forementioned Fast and Furious series. The cars were quite impressive
to look at, even though I am not a big fan of car watching. If it has an engine
and a steering wheel, that is okay by me. But seeing these 1970’s models was
actually pretty cool. The main car was a 1977 Pontiac Trans Am, and that is my
kind of ride. So if you’re into cars, then this wouldn’t be a bad film to check
out. When these cars are put into action….look out!
I desperately wanted to hate this movie. I
refused to watch the movie for years because it did not seem so appealing. But
my love for the Fast and Furious franchise got me
curious to check this film out. Color me surprised when the credits rolled
onscreen, because I was pleasantly surprised. I did not expect to be thoroughly
entertained the entire film. From start to finish, I was involved with the
action, and most importantly the characters. My two favorite characters were the
main character named Bandit and the sheriff chasing after him, Buford T.
Justice. I wouldn’t call these characters likable, but definitely entertaining.
Admittedly, the story is very silly. But then
even silly stories can work sometimes if you have the right actors and the
right material. Bandit (Burt Reynolds) and Cledus (Jerry Reed) are two truck
drivers who decide to take a dare from these bigshot rich men. The dare
consists of picking up beer from Texas and transporting it to Georgia. After
they pick up the beer, Bandit decides to pick up a runaway bride named Carrie
(Sally Field). Her husband-to-be’s father happens to be the Sheriff Buford T.
Justice (Jackie Gleason). When Justice realizes what is going on, they begin a
pursuit of Bandit, his new lady, and his beer. Sounds silly, right? But my
gosh, I was incredibly entertained. I also learned a fact, believe it or not,
from this plotline. The famed Coors beer brand was actually illegal east of the
Mississippi River during this time. So even high-profile people such as Dwight
Eisenhower or Gerald Ford had to smuggle the beer from the West.
The characters helped elevate the mediocre,
silly story into something that was entertaining. At the time, Burt Reynolds
was a movie superstar. I was impressed at his tough-guy performance in the 1972
drama, Deliverance. He brings more of that persona into this
role, but with a sense of humor. His character was actually funny at times in
the midst of the action that is occurring. He is also portrayed at times as a
drunk and a womanizer, but compared to people he is dealing with, I’d consider
Bandit a hero. I also loved the character of Sheriff Buford T. Justice. His
high-speed pursuit ended up in failure most often, but one thing his character
is known for is his foul mouth. (He actually gave credence to the term
“sumbitch”) I also thought Sally Field turned in a strong performance as
Carrie. This is one of her early roles, and she gained instant fame because of
this role.
Smokey and the Bandit turned out to be a much better
film than I could have ever anticipated. It’s not an all-time favorite, but it
is a solid, serviceable action film. Watching Bandit escape dozens of cops was
entertaining for me. There are plenty of car chases, cool stunts, and enough
characterization to give any action junkie a rush of adrenaline. There is also
a good sense of humor. I particularly loved the scenes between Cledus and his
dog. They were funny, but it helps there was a cute dog. I would hesitate to
call the movie a classic as some people do. This movie may be silly and
over-the-top at certain points, but I was incredibly entertained.
My Grade: B+
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