BURT REYNOLDS WITH JERRY REED IN 'SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT'

Burt Reynolds in SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT Year: 1977 Rating: ****

While SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT has been maligned for not allowing Burt Reynolds to continue his DELIVERANCE style of worthwhile acting, it should be complimented for finally perfecting the good-old-boy persona/rural car-chase action he ignited in WHITE LIGHTNING...

Mostly thanks to the director, who was already a veteran stuntman, as Hal Needham brought the action up front to where the characters — from Jerry Reed's trucker Snowman to Burt's Trans-Am driving cop-blocking Bandit — flows smoothly along with the trek and the reason behind it...

Mike Henry and Jackie Gleason in SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT

Illegally hauling beer from one state to another, dodging various cops with one particularly dogged sheriff on their tail in scene-stealing Jackie Gleason paired with Mike Henry... his dimwitted son who lost would-be-bride Sally Field (soon nicknamed Frog) to the chase at hand...

If her part were saved until the second act, there would be more perilous action for Reynolds and Reed... the latter eventually taking backseat to the hit-and-miss rolling romantic comedy...

Jerry Reed in SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT

But it's still a fun time, with Reynolds basically doing an imitation of the swaggering/scoundrel persona he'd been building since loosening-up on Johnny Carson in the 1970's following mostly hard-line film/TV roles in the 1960's...

And it's not like he wasn't trying here... as the hero he didn't have to... whether looking into the camera or improvising witty dialogue, Reynolds, Field and Gleason breeze along naturally while Reed, in one particular scene getting beaten to a pulp, shows he's more than a cowboy crooner: yet it's still his music that helps shape the entire ride.

Caye Barnett Jones as Snowman's Daughter in SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT

Caye Barnett Jones: Hal Needham [the director] found our house while he was looking for a house on Main Street in Jonesboro. He stopped and asked if he could use our house for a Burt Reynolds movie. Of course we said yes...

Hall then said that they needed some kids to be in the background playing and said I was the perfect age. When it came time for filming I decided I didn’t want to be in it. I went and told Hall and that is when he offered me a speaking part to Burt... I still said no. He then said, ”Well what if I paid you” I asked how much and he said $225.00 so I said ok... LOL 

Hal Needham was one of the nicest people I have ever met. Loved him!! Burt was amazing as well. Such a sweet guy and really went out of his way to make me feel comfortable.

Caye Barnett Jones in SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT

Caye Barnett Jones in SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT

Burt Reynolds in SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT

Burt Reynolds and Jerry Reed in SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT

Burt Reynolds and Jerry Reed in SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT

Burt Reynolds in SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT

Jerry Reed in SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT

Burt Reynolds and Sally Field in SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT

Mike Henry and Jackie Gleason in SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT

Burt Reynolds and Jackie Gleason in SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT

Burt Reynolds and Sally Field in SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT

Mike Henry and Jackie Gleason in SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT

Jerry Reed in SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT

Jerry Reed in SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT

Burt Reynolds and Sally Field in SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT

Burt Reynolds and Sally Field in SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT

Jackie Gleason and Alfie Wise in SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT

From SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT

From SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT

From SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT

From SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT

From SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT

 Susan McIver and Micheal Goodrow in SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT

 Susan McIver and Micheal Goodrow in SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT

Burt Reynolds and Sally Field in SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT

Burt Reynolds and Jerry Reed in SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT

Burt Reynolds and Jerry Reed in SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT

Burt Reynolds in SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT

From SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT

From SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT

From SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT

Burt Reynolds in SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT

Burt Reynolds in SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT and THE LAST MOVIE STAR aka DOG YEARS

Burt Reynolds in SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT