Smokey and the Bandit II

Directed by Hal Needham and screenplay Jerry Belson and Brock Yates from a story by Michael Kane, Smokey and the Bandit II is the sequel to the 1977 film in which the Bandit and the Snowman are asked to transport an elephant to the GOP National Convention in Texas from Miami with the aid of Frog as they’re once again pursued by Buford T. Justice aka Smokey. The film is another adventure of fun and car chases in the South where the Bandit tries to go for another ride as well as deal with some issues as Burt Reynolds reprises his role of the Bandit and Jackie Gleason once again playing Smokey. Also starring Sally Field, Jerry Reed, Mike Henry, David Huddleston, Pat McCormick, Paul Williams, and Dom DeLuise. Smokey and the Bandit II is a wild yet adventurous film from Hal Needham.

The film is sort of a rehash of the first film where the Bandit is being asked to transport an elephant to the GOP National Convention in Texas where he will be paid lots of money as he also has to endure the pursuit of Smokey and his dim-witted son Junior (Mike Henry). Yet, the situation is different as it relates to Big Enos Burdette (Pat McCormick) trying to run for governor of Texas with help from his son Little Enos (Paul Williams) as they deal with their rival candidate John Coen (David Huddleston) where things had gotten ugly. The Burdettes are trying to get the Bandit to help them but the Bandit has become a drunken, washed-up mess who is dealing with heartbreak and the downside of fame. The film’s script doesn’t just explore the Bandit trying to get back in the game with help from his friend Cledus aka Snowman (Jerry Reed) and ex-girlfriend Carrie aka Frog (Sally Field).

Once they learn what they have to transport and get some help from an Italian doctor in Doc Carlucci (Dom DeLuise), the stakes get much higher as it adds to the Bandit thinking more about himself rather than this elephant. The Bandit’s selfishness lead to some tension but also some issues that relates to the Bandit who is still trying to coast on his fame without really thinking about the fact that not everyone likes him. It is a harsh reality that the Bandit has to face while knowing that he is still being pursued by Smokey who has called on some help from his brothers Reggie and Gaylord (both played by Jackie Gleason) for a wild climax.

Hal Needham’s direction is quite lavish for its big action sequences and moments that are quite spectacular as it includes a massive climax involving lots of police cars and trucks. Yet, the film is more grounded where even though Needham uses a lot of wide and medium shots for many of the film’s locations as much of it is set in Florida with a few shots in Texas and Georgia. Needham’s usage of close-ups and some of the medium shots to focus on the characters where they would rest for a while would really be the meat of the film as it showcased characters coping with their situations. Even as there’s a scene where a gas station attendant thinks the Bandit is an asshole as the Bandit takes offense to that as it does add to some of the reality in the film. Needham does manage to balance that reality with some humor where some of it is lowbrow from the opening sequence the Burdettes and their rival do outlandish things to humiliate each other. It all plays into some of the hilarity that occurs throughout the film as it is all about a chase and a trooper trying to get some revenge. Overall, Needham creates a fun and exhilarating film about a trooper trying to catch a trucker.

Cinematographer Michael Butler does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography as it is colorful as it plays into the vibrancy of the locations in Florida along with some unique lighting for some of the scenes at night and in some of the interiors in the truck. Editors Donn Cambern and William Gordean do nice work with the editing as it is straightforward with some stylish rhythmic cuts to play into the humor and action. Production designer Henry Bumstead, with set decorator Richard J. DeCinces and art director Bernie Cutler, does fantastic work with the look of the truck interior as well as some of the places the characters go to.

Carrie’s costumes designed by Bob Mackie are amazing from the wedding dress she wears to some of the stylish clothes she would wear during her trip as it play to her sense of style as opposed to the more cowboy look of the Bandit. Sound editor Gordon Davidson does terrific work with the sound as it is natural with some sound effects that help play into the action. Snuff Garrett does wonderful work with the film’s soundtrack that includes a few country-inspired score pieces by Garrett as well as a lot of country music from Jerry Reed, the Statler Brothers, Tanya Tucker, Mel Tillis, Burt Reynolds, Brenda Lee, and Don Williams.

The film’s superb cast include cameo appearances from Brenda Lee as woman attending the wedding, the Statler Brothers and Don Williams as themselves, Chuck Yeager as a party guest, Mel Tillis as a fairgrounds owner, and football legends “Mean Joe” Greene and Terry Bradshaw as themselves helping out the Bandit. John Anderson is terrific as the Texas governor who is angry over the mud-slinging between Coen and the Burdettes while David Huddleston is fantastic as the Burdettes’ opponent in John Coen who decides to humiliate them in the worst way. Mike Henry is wonderful as Justice’s dim-witted son Junior who is once again left in the altar by Carrie as he would say some dumb-ass things. Pat McCormick and Paul Williams are excellent in their respective roles as Big and Little Enos Burdette as the father-son duo where the former is trying to run for governor and pay off the Bandit and Snowman money to do a job for them in three days.

Dom DeLuise is hilarious as Doc Carlucci as an Italian doctor who is asked to help watch over the elephant Charlotte as he provides some nice comical moments that is fun to watch. Jerry Reed is brilliant as the Snowman who would convince the Bandit to do the job as he would name the elephant as he becomes fond of her where he realizes there is much more at stake instead of money. Sally Field is amazing as Carrie aka Frog as the Bandit’s former flame who joins the job for money while she tries to understand what is wrong with the Bandit while becoming concerned for the elephant Charlotte where she gives the Bandit a hard dose of reality. Jackie Gleason is phenomenal in a trio of roles as Buford T. Justice aka Smokey as well as his brothers in the effeminate Gaylord and the opera-loving Mountie Reginald where Gleason provides a lot of humor and hilarious comments as it’s one of his finest performances. Finally, there’s Burt Reynolds in a marvelous performance as the Bandit as the trucker who is dealing with heartbreak as he copes with doing his job but also attain that status as an icon not knowing that not everyone likes him where it’s a performance that has Reynolds be funny but also display some humility.

Smokey and the Bandit II is an excellent film from Hal Needham. Though it isn’t entirely original as it sort of rehashes everything. It is a film that is all about a lot of fun as it involves elephants, big chases, and all sorts of crazy shit. In the end, Smokey and the Bandit II is a superb film from Hal Needham.

Hal Needham Films: Smokey and the Bandit - (Hooper) - (The Villain (1979 film)) - (Death Car on the Freeway) - (The Cannonball Run) - (Megaforce) - (Stroker Ace) - (Cannonball Run II) - (Rad) - (Body Slam)

Related: Smokey and the Bandit Part 3

© thevoid99 2016

Smokey and the Bandit

Directed by Hal Needham and screenplay by James Lee Barrett, Charles Shyer, and Alan Mendel from a story by Needham and Robert L. Levy, Smokey and the Bandit is the story of a trucker who is helping to carry some bootlegged beer from Texas to Georgia as he’s being chased by a highway state trooper. The film is a mixture of the chase film and the car movies all set in the American South where a lot of things ensue. Starring Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Jerry Reed, Mike Henry, Paul Williams, and Jackie Gleason as Sheriff Buford T. Justice. Smokey and the Bandit is an exhilarating and exciting film from Hal Needham.

Set in the American South, a trucker and his friend are asked to travel to Texarkana, Texas from Atlanta to carry and transport 400 cases of Coors Beer, which is illegal to sell east of Texas, back to Atlanta in the span of 28 hours where they will be paid $80,000. That is pretty much what the film is about where a trucker is driving a black Trans Am as a blocker while his friend would drive the 18-wheeler truck to carry all the beer as they’re later chased by a Texan highway state trooper who is angry that his son’s bride has jilted them and join this charming trucker. It’s a film that is a road movie but also a chase movie, a buddy comedy, and a romance as it meshes a lot of genres but do it with such style.

The film’s script doesn’t just play into the events of the chase but also what the Bandit (Burt Reynolds) is doing it for though there is that risk of failure as he has to drag along his friend Cledus (Jerry Reed) to drive the truck who takes his dog Frank with him. Upon picking up Carrie (Sally Field) on the way back, the Bandit finds himself dealing with all of these patrolmen but also Sheriff Buford T. Justice of Texas whose son was supposed to marry Carrie but is jilted at the altar. During the course of the chase, there is this grudging respect between Justice and the Bandit where the latter sees the former as a formidable adversary. Though Justice has no idea what the Bandit is doing, the fact that the Bandit has Carrie just riles him up as he’s kind of this idea of the old school ideals as it’s something the Bandit actually respects.

Hal Needham’s direction is quite stylish in terms of the crazy stunts and chase sequences that are created. Shot largely in Georgia with a few set pieces shot in California, the film does have this look and feel that is very Southern from its trees and rivers as well as some of the locations where it featured restaurants and people that really defined the South. Needham’s compositions are quite simple with its usage of wide and medium shots to capture the location while the close-ups help play into the intimacy and some of the humor. Even as he knows when to give some of the moments set on the road a few stops where it’s about the characters as it helps build the relationship between the Bandit and Carrie. There’s also elements of the comedy that are quite unconventional in the fact that Justice isn’t some foil but rather a man that doesn’t take shit from anyone no matter what the situation is. All of which plays into a chase involving a runaway bride and 400 cases of Coors in a hilarious yet adventurous film. Overall, Needham creates a fun and thrilling film about a trucker going from Georgia to Texas and back in the span of 28 hours.

Cinematographer Bobby Byrne does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography as it‘s very colorful to play into the look of the American South with its many locations as much of the film is shot in the day with only one sequence shot at night. Editors Walter Hannemann and Angelo Ross do nice work with the editing as it is largely straightforward with its rhythmic cuts to play into the action and humor. Art director Mark W. Mansbridge and Anthony C. Montenaro do terrific work with the look of the sets from the place where the beer was at as well as the design of Justice‘s car in its ruined state as well as a few places in the film. The sound work of John Speak and Ray West, with sound editor Anthony Magro, are superb for some of the sound effects of the cars and trucks as well as some of the moments in parties and gatherings. The film’s music by Bill Justis and Jerry Reed is amazing as its country-based music and score play into the world that is the American South with some songs that help tell the story.

The casting by Jennifer Shull is great as it feature some notable small roles from Alfie Wise as an Alabama state trooper, Susan McIver as a friend of the Bandit called Hot Pants, and George Reynolds as a sheriff that tried to catch the Bandit only to be foiled by the Bandit and Justice. Pat McCormick and Paul Williams are fantastic as the father-son duo in their respective roles as Big and Little Enos Burdette as two wealthy Texans trying to hold a shindig in Georgia and want the Bandit to bring them Coors. Mike Henry is terrific as Justice’s son Junior who is this dim-witted moron that Carrie was supposed to marry as he just tries to help his daddy in the most idiotic ways. Jerry Reed is excellent as the Bandit’s friend Cledus Snow aka Snowman as the Bandit’s friend who reluctantly drives the big 18-wheeler truck with his dog Frank as he deals with bikers and all sorts of shit that is happening while knowing that the Bandit will always have his back.

Jackie Gleason is amazing as Sheriff Buford T. Justice aka Smokey as a highway patrolman that tries to go after the Bandit as it’s just a performance that is really funny as well as showing Gleason not afraid to be the foil but also prove that there is something about him that can be admired as it’s really an iconic performance. Sally Field is brilliant as Carrie aka Frog as this runaway bride who realized she is about to marry the wrong man as she befriends and falls for the Bandit while being very funny and be able to handle herself. Finally, there’s Burt Reynolds in a marvelous performance as Bo Darville aka the Bandit as this charming and calm trucker who can drive very fast while being someone that has some honor and tries to do what is right as it’s a comical but fun performance.

Smokey and the Bandit is a phenomenal film from Hal Needham that features great performances from Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, and Jackie Gleason. The film is just an entertaining and raucous road-chase film that is all about fun, beer, chicks, and all sorts of fun shit. It’s not high-art cinema nor does it need to be as it knows what it is and gives the audience wanting to have a good time. In the end, Smokey and the Bandit is an incredible film from Hal Needham.

Hal Needham Films: (Hooper) - (The Villain (1979 film)) - (Death Car on the Freeway) - Smokey and the Bandit II - (The Cannonball Run) - (Megaforce) - (Stroker Ace) - (Cannonball Run II) - (Rad) - (Body Slam)

Related: Smokey and the Bandit Part 3

© thevoid99 2016