Smokey and the Bandit

1977
PG
1h 36m

IMDb RATING

7.0/10

58K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

Play trailer2:42

Car Action Road Trip Action Adventure Comedy

The Bandit is hired on to run a tractor-trailer full of beer over state lines, in hot pursuit by a pesky sheriff.The Bandit is hired on to run a tractor-trailer full of beer over state lines, in hot pursuit by a pesky sheriff.The Bandit is hired on to run a tractor-trailer full of beer over state lines, in hot pursuit by a pesky sheriff.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.0/10

58K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

2,128

855

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 3 nominations total

Trivia
Hal Needham asked Jerry Reed to write a theme song for the film. A couple of hours later, Reed presented "East Bound and Down" to Needham. With an acoustic guitar, Reed started to play it and Needham immediately stopped him. Thinking Needham didn't like it, Reed offered to re-write the song. To which Needham replied: "If you change one note, I'll kill you!" The song went on to become one of Reed's biggest hits.

Goofs
When the police car at the road block is knocked off the embankment, the car seen rolling down towards the river is a late-'60s Ford Galaxy, but when it comes to rest at the bottom, it is a Plymouth Fury.

Quotes
Buford T. Justice: [to his son] There's no way, *no* way, that you came from *my* loins. Soon as I get home, first thing I'm gonna do is punch yo' momma in da mouth!

Alternate versions
The TV print needed extensive overdubbing to reduce the amount of profanity. In particular, Jackie Gleason's expression "Sum-bitch!" was replaced with "Scum-bum." This new word became a popular catch phrase with kids after the film made its TV debut.

Connections
Featured in Hollywood: The Gift of Laughter (1982)

Soundtracks
East Bound And Down
By Dick Feller and Jerry Reed
Sung by Jerry Reed

User reviews244

Review

Featured review

Burt, Sally, and a truckload of beer

One of the first films to tap into the anti-authoritarian aspects of the Citizen's Band (CB) radio craze, "Smokey" is basically a movie-length car chase and a pleasantly insipid slice of late-'70's Americana.

The tissue-thin plot has good ole boy pals The Bandit (Reynolds) and Cletus (a surprisingly good Jerry Reed) running a load of Coors cross-country on a tight deadline while trying to avoid an assortment of less-than-bright cops, led by pompous blowhard Buford T. Justice (Jackie Gleason). Sally Field, as a runaway bride who thumbs her way into Reynolds' car, brings charm and a welcome sense of irony to the macho proceedings.

Stunt coordinator-turned-director Hal Needham stages the action competently, and the actors, who supposedly improvised much of the dialogue, obviously enjoy themselves. A good choice for those who want to relive the glory days of CB rebels, long sideburns, plaid western shirts, and black Trans-Ams with "screaming chicken" decals on the hood. Avoid the two vastly inferior sequels.