The Longest Yard

1974
R
2h 1m

IMDb RATING

7.1/10

22K

YOUR RATING

Burt Reynolds in The Longest Yard (1974)

Play trailer4:07

1 Video

99+ Photos

Football Prison Drama Comedy Crime Drama Sport

A sadistic warden asks a former pro quarterback, now serving time in his prison, to put together a team of inmates to take on (and get pummeled by) the guards.A sadistic warden asks a former pro quarterback, now serving time in his prison, to put together a team of inmates to take on (and get pummeled by) the guards.A sadistic warden asks a former pro quarterback, now serving time in his prison, to put together a team of inmates to take on (and get pummeled by) the guards.

Director
- Robert Aldrich
Writers
- Tracy Keenan Wynn
- Albert S. Ruddy
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.1/10

22K

YOUR RATING

Director
- Robert Aldrich
Writers
- Tracy Keenan Wynn
- Albert S. Ruddy
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 2 wins & 4 nominations total

Videos1

Trailer 4:07

Official Trailer

Photos185

+ 177

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Sports Illustrated's Rick Telander wrote in the Oct. 17, 1988 issue: After the cast and crew of "The Longest Yard" departed from Georgia State Prison, the inmates played Georgia State Troopers using the equipment left behind by the film crew. The game quickly got out of hand, with inmates pummeling the out-of-shape troopers for their alleged arrogance. The game was called at the half, with the inmates ahead 66-0. End of prison football in Georgia.

Goofs
Melissa warns Paul not to touch her Maserati. The car was sold in the US as a Citroen/Maserati SM, a Citroen with a Maserati engine. The owner would be more likely to refer to it as Maserati.

Quotes
Paul Crewe: My, you have lovely hair. You ever find any spiders in it?

Alternate versions
The 1995 VHS USA re-release does not feature the song "Saturday Night Special" by Lynyrd Skynyrd during the chase scene. Instead, there is no music during the chase.

Connections
Featured in The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson: Burt Reynolds/Dom DeLuise/Art Carney/Ace Trucking Company (1974)

Soundtracks
Saturday Night Special
Written by Ronnie Van Zant and Edward King (as Edward Calhoun King)
Performed by Lynyrd Skynyrd
Recording Supervised by Al Kooper
Courtesy of Sounds of the South/MCA Records

User reviews81

Review

Featured review

8/10

better version

Bitter former football player Paul Crewe (Burt Reynolds) gets into a physical fight with his girlfriend and gets sent to prison. Everybody dismisses Crewe for suspected point shaving. Warden Hazen (Eddie Albert) manages a semi-pro football team of prison guards. Captain Knauer (Ed Lauter) leads the team and orders Crewe from joining. Hazen is not happy with Knauer's result. Crewe reluctantly agrees to organize a prisoners team and play an exhibition game.

I don't mind the Adam Sandler version but it's nothing great. This version is so much better. It is darker. It's not as jokey but the black comedy hits so much harder. It starts dark with Crewe hitting his girlfriend. At first, it doesn't even seem like a comedy except for Burt's casual sly mannerisms. It reminds me of other serious prison dramas until it turns more into a sports movie. So it works as both genre. It has great emotions and touching relationships. It's a good drama and has a great feel good development. It essentially works in all areas.