Smokey And The Bandit

"The boys are thirsty in Atlanta
And there's beer in Texarkana
And we'll bring it back
No matter what it takes!"

If that particular piece of American poetry doesn't sound familiar to you, I would submit that you're young enough to have missed the 70s entirely, because if you'd been there, there was no missing this one! It's Smokey And The Bandit, and if there's such a thing as an American Classic Movie, this one is it!



Here's the basic story: Burt Reynolds plays the bandit, a truck racer who's down on his luck. Into the bandit's lap falls a challenge, get some Coors beer from Texarkana, Texas back to Atlanta, Georgia for a barbecue. Now, while that might not sound like such a big challenge, remember that in the 70s Coors was only sold west of the Mississippi, so all of us on this side of the big river thought that it was the best beer ever (having had it since then, it's okay, but I think the mystique was caused by what's known as the 'forbidden apple' syndrome), and if you got caught carrying across state lines you were in trouble...Federal trouble! So, now the bandit has a mere 18 hours to get the beer back to Georgia. Calling on his trucker friend, the Snowman (played by Jerry Reed), Bandit is off! What follows is pure 70s joy. Jackie Gleason as Sheriff Buford T. Justice picks up the speeding duo in Texas and chases them all the way back to Georgia. It's a trip full of wild people, crazy car crashes and good old fashioned country music...as I said, pure 70s joy!

If you haven't seen Smokey And The Bandit, I would question your age and your patriotism, my friend. After this movie was released sales of the Trans Am skyrocketed, everyone wanted a black one with the gold bird on the hood, sales of CB radios went through the roof too, anyone who was anyone in the 70s had a handle (that's your CB nickname or call sign...10-4). This is classic American Drive In stuff of legends!

I'm giving Smokey And The Bandit 4 out of 4 cigars,

because it just doesn't get much better than this, and I defy you to watch this movie and not walk away singing that damned song...it's stuck in my head still! So, until next time, when I'll take the challenge of watching 18 movies in one long weekend, without getting up once for a bathroom break, remember that the best movies are bad movies!