Pure fun

Rating: 8/10 (7 June 2013)

A diverse array of colorful eccentric folks participate in a wild and illegal cross country road race. Director Hal Needham, working from a brash script by Brock Yates, relates the simple and hugely enjoyable story at a constant zippy pace, maintains an utterly engaging breezy'n'easy loopy tone throughout, and stages the thrilling vehicular carnage with his trademark rip-roaring brio. Moreover, the all-star cast have a ball with the wacky material: Burt Reynolds effortlessly projects his customary amiable charm and plays beautifully well with Dom DeLuise, Farrah Fawcett looks positively radiant and brings a sweetly daffy appeal to her character, Roger Moore gleefully sends up his own slick'n'suave James Bond persona, legendary Rat Pack members Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. display a marvelously loose and natural chemistry as a pair of bogus priests, Jackie Chan provides American audiences with an early demonstration of his considerable martial arts prowess, Jamie Farr joyfully devours the scenery as a madcap sheik, Mel Tillis works uproarious wonders with his stutter, and Jack Elam almost steals the entire goofy show with his inspired off-the-wall portrayal of a creepy'n'kooky doctor of dubious pedigree. George Furth also hits the prissy bull's eye as the uptight killjoy nerd determined to stop the big race. Better still, luscious babes Adrienne Barbeau and Tara Buckman show off loads of tasty cleavage while Valerie Perrine has a witty uncredited cameo as a sexy state trooper. Why, we even have neat bits by such familiar individuals as Bianca Jagger, John Fiedler, and Peter Fonda and Robert Tessier as a couple of belligerent rough'n'rowdy bikers. Cool rocking theme song by Ray Stevens, too. The good-natured sensibility ensures that this picture never becomes too crude or offensive. A total blast.