The Cannonball Run

1981
PG
1h 35m

IMDb RATING

6.2/10

42K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

1,821

308

Adrienne Barbeau, Farrah Fawcett, Roger Moore, Burt Reynolds, Dom DeLuise, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr. in The Cannonball Run (1981)

In celebration of the 40th anniversary of 'The Cannonball Run,' we're looking back at Hal Needham's star-studded bonanza, including Burt Reynolds, Dom DeLuise, Farrah Fawcett, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Roger Moore, and Jackie Chan.

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Watch The Cannonball Run | Anniversary Mashup

4 Videos

80 Photos

Car Action Motorsport Road Trip Slapstick Action Comedy Sport

A wide variety of eccentric competitors participate in a wild and illegal cross-country road race. However, the eccentric entrants will do anything to win the road race, including low-down, ... Read allA wide variety of eccentric competitors participate in a wild and illegal cross-country road race. However, the eccentric entrants will do anything to win the road race, including low-down, dirty tricks.A wide variety of eccentric competitors participate in a wild and illegal cross-country road race. However, the eccentric entrants will do anything to win the road race, including low-down, dirty tricks.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.2/10

42K

YOUR RATING

POPULARITY

1,821

308

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 win & 4 nominations total

Videos4

Trailer 3:16

Trailer

Clip 1:22

The Cannonball Run | Anniversary Mashup

Clip 1:22

The Cannonball Run | Anniversary Mashup

Clip 4:37

How the Best Racing Films Raise the Stakes

Clip 3:13

25 Years After 'Pulp Fiction', Tarantino Delivers a 'Hollywood' Masterwork

Photos80

+ 73

‘Snow White’ Stars Test Their Wits

Rachel Zegler, Gal Gadot, and director Marc Webb take our Ultimate Disney Quiz.

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
This movie was originally planned as an action movie starring Steve McQueen. After McQueen's death, the lead went to Burt Reynolds, and the movie became a comedy.

Goofs
Even though the beginning of the race makes a blatant point of explaining that racers are scored by time, not order of arrival at the finish line, the ending seems to suggest the contrary. Since time is the main factor, any racer who started after the Lamborghini team should still have been able to check-in and beat them. Instead, everyone fights over being the first one to clock in, and the instant she checks in, everyone else simply gives up.

Quotes
Doctor Nikolas Van Helsing: I'm Nikolas Van Helsing, professor of proctology and other related tendencies. A graduate of the University of Rangoon and assorted night classes at the Knoxville, Tennessee School of Faith Healing.
J.J. McClure: You may be a little overqualified for this job.

Crazy credits
Outtakes are shown during the credits.

Alternate versions
For some reason, the video version dubs over some of the language heard in the big screen and pay channel versions. For example, when Bert Convy asks Peter Fonda what he wants, Fonda answers "Your ass" in the original, but is heard to say "You're asking me?" on the video version.

Connections
Featured in Sneak Previews: Stripes/Eyes of a Stranger/The Cannonball Run/Superman II (1981)

Soundtracks
Cannonball
Written by Ray Stevens (as R. Stevens)
Performed by Ray Stevens

User reviews164

Featured review

6/10

Cross Country drag race

Before there were Police Academy movies there were these two Cannonball Run films where a whole lot of people did a movie with absolutely no story to it, but looked like they were having a lot of fun. If you could call it starring Burt Reynolds and long time pal Dom DeLuise because they have the most screen time.

It's clear that this cast was enjoying all the overacting they were allowed to indulge in. Except possibly for Roger Moore who rather drolly underplayed his own image as an action hero, James Bond, the Saint, etc. Reynolds did too, to a lesser extent.

You've got to love Dean Martin and Sammy Davis, Jr. as a pair of fake priests who copied Richard Nixon's dirty play book in their effort to win The Cannonball Run which when you come right down to it is just a cross country drag race. Reynolds and DeLuise are using an ambulance, the better to fool the Smokeys that they meet traveling west. And for insurance they have a kidnapped patient in Farrah Fawcett and one bat crazy doctor in Jack Elam. Between Elam and DeLuise I have to say it's a tossup as to who overacts the most.

Like The Police Academy movies, the Cannonball Run films are dumb, witless, stupid, puerile, and you will laugh your derrière off.