Film Snail

6.1

The Cannonball Run

PG·1981·95m

Action

Comedy

Family

Action

Comedy

Family

Summary

A cross-country road race is based on an actual event, the Cannonball Baker Sea to Shining Sea Memorial Trophy Dash, organized by Brock Yates to protest the 55 mph speed limit then in effect in the U.S. The Cannonball was named for Erwin G. "Cannonball" Baker, who in the roaring 20's rode his motorcycle across the country. Many of the characters are based on ruses developed by real Cannonball racers over the several years that the event was run.

Cast

Burt Reynolds

J.J. McClure

Roger Moore

Seymour

Farrah Fawcett

Pamela

Dom DeLuise

Victor

Dean Martin

Jamie Blake

Sammy Davis Jr.

Fenderbaum

Jack Elam

Doctor

Adrienne Barbeau

Marcie

Terry Bradshaw

Terry

Jackie Chan

Subaru Driver #1

Bert Convy

Brad

Jamie Farr

Sheik

Peter Fonda

Chief Biker

George Furth

A.F. Foyt

Michael Hui

Subaru Driver #2

Bianca Jagger

Sheik's Sister

Molly Picon

Mom Goldfarb

Jimmy Snyder

"The Greek"

Mel Tillis

Mel

Rick Aviles

Mad Dog

Warren Berlinger

Shakey Finch

Tara Buckman

Jill

John Fiedler

Desk Clerk

Norman Grabowski

Petoski

Joe Klecko

Polish Racing Driver

Grayce Spence

Chair Person

Robert Tessier

Biker

Alfie Wise

Batman

Johnny Yune

TV Talk Show Host

Lois Hamilton

Seymour's Girl

Simone Burton

Seymour's Girl

Finele Carpenter

Seymour's Girl

Susan McDonald

Seymour's Girl

Janet Woytak

Seymour's Girl

James C. Lewis

Missouri Patrolman #1

Fred Smith

California Patrolman #1

Roy Tatum

Connecticut Patrolman

Dudley Remus

New Jersey Patrolman #1

Hal Carter

New Jersey Patrolman #2

Brock Yates

Organizer

Kathleen M. Shea

Starting Girl

Nancy Austin

Phone Booth Lady

Vickie Reigle

Car Hop Waitress

Bob Stenner

California Highway Patrolman #2

Ken Squier

California Highway Patrolman #3

Samir Kamoun

Bedouin

John Megna

Arthur Rose

Linda McClure

Dour Lady

Laura Lizer Sommers

Lady in Distress

Richard Losee

Trans Am Driver

Richie Burns Wright

Farmboy

Hal Needham

Ambulance EMT (uncredited)

Valerie Perrine

Female Cop Pulling Over Lamborghini Babes (uncredited)

Steve Dressler

Race Car Assistant (uncredited)

Dave Mungenast

Man Kicked by Jackie Chan (uncredited)

Tim R. Worley

Missouri Passerby (uncredited)

Lori Randolph

Little Girl in Crowd (uncredited)

Crew

Director

Hal Needham

Screenplay

Brock Yates

Reviews

Geronimo1967

December 16, 2024

Though some of the wheezes employed by the drivers do raise a smile or two, this really doesn't catch fire as Burt Reynolds' brand of mischievous charm struggles to hold it together. He and his pal "Victor" (Dom DeLuise) are determined to win the eponymous, infamous and illegal transcontinental dash - and hit on the idea of commandeering an ambulance so they can blue-light their way across their country. A synch, surely? They are not the only contestants, though, and Roger Moore is also intent on a bit of debonaire skulduggery with his very own Aston Martin - yep, that very one; whilst a couple of priests in a red Ferrari (Sammy Davis Jr. & Dean Martin) do their utmost to "bless" their way to the winning post. It's a star-studded affair with Peter Fonda; an entertaining, if fleetingly used, Jackie Chan and Farah Fawcett all in there too to complement some scene stealing scenes from permanently out of it doctor "Van Helsing" - Jack Elam, but the story soon starts to tire as it becomes a sort of live-action version of "Whacky Races" tinged with a few "Carry On" double-entendres. The "Rat Pack" contingent look like they are just along for the fee and Fawcett adds little but her usual degree of fluffiness as the damsel not really in distress. It's not a patch on "Smokey and the Bandit" (1977) though there are some fairly obvious cop-baiting similarities and by the end it has largely fizzled out. It has it's moments, just nowhere near enough of them until the bloopers reel under the credits.