Smokey and the Bandit II
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| Smokey and the Bandit II | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical poster |
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| Directed by | Hal Needham |
| Produced by | Mort Engelberg |
| Written by | Michael Kane Jerry Belson Brock Yates |
| Starring | Burt Reynolds Sally Field Jackie Gleason |
| Music by | Snuff Garrett |
| Cinematography | Michael Butler |
| Editing by | Donn Cambern William Gordean |
| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
| Release date(s) | August 15, 1980 (United States) January 1, 1981 (Australia) March 27, 1981 (Finland) January 30, 1981 (Sweden) |
| Running time | 100 min. |
| Language | English |
| Preceded by | Smokey and the Bandit |
| Followed by | Smokey and the Bandit Part 3 |
| IMDb profile | |
Smokey and the Bandit II is a comedy film released on August 15, 1980 in the United States. It is the sequel to the 1977 film Smokey and the Bandit.
The film stars Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Jerry Reed, Jackie Gleason, and Dom DeLuise. Like the first film, it was directed by Hal Needham.
The film was originally released in the United Kingdom as Smokey and the Bandit Ride Again. Early video releases and TV broadcasts also used this title, but in more recent years have reverted back to the original U.S. title.
The film was followed by a sequel three years later, Smokey and the Bandit Part 3, in which Reynolds appeared only in a brief cameo appearance, and Sally Field was absent completely.
The plot centers on Bo "Bandit" Darville (Burt Reynolds), and Cletus "Snowman" Snow (Jerry Reed), transporting an elephant to the GOP National Convention with Sheriff Buford T. Justice, played by Jackie Gleason, in hot pursuit once again.
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[edit] Plot
Big Enos Burdett is attempting to be elected as Governor of Texas. Critical to his bid is to take responsibility of transporting a crate of unknown content from Miami to the Republican Party convention in Dallas. He enlists the help of Bandit and Cledus Snow to carry out the task.
The early parts of the film feature Cledus attempting to convince the Bandit to "do it one last time". Unfortunately, in the time since their previous challenge in the original Smokey and the Bandit film, the Bandit has split from his love-interest "Frog" (Sally Field) and become an alcoholic. The Bandit is said to be "the only man in the world to drink up a Trans Am". This time he buys a 1980 Trans Am... powered by the Turbo 301. Cledus seeks the help of Frog to encourage the Bandit to sober up and regain his fitness, since Big Enos has raised the stakes of the game to $400,000. Frog abandons her second attempt at wedding Buford T. Justice's son Junior to help. She is initially persuaded more by the money than her love for Bandit.
The middle sections of the film feature a madcap race across the United States as the trio once again tries to outrun and outwit Justice and Junior. The team discovers that their cargo is in quarantine for three weeks, and they need to get it to Dallas in three days. When they break into the quarantine area to steal the crate, the mysterious cargo turns out to be an elephant who they named Charlotte after Snowman remarked that she reminded him of his Aunt Charlotte and even smelled like her, too. When Cletus opens the crate containing the elephant, Charlotte races out, nearly trampling Frog. The Bandit saves the day by doing a backflip onto the elephant's back and riding the elephant out of the quarantine shed. Noticing a nail was stuck in her foot, the Bandit removes it from there and the elephant takes a shine to Bandit. On their way to Dallas, they pick up a stranded Italian gynecologist played by Dom DeLuise, who rides in the truck with the elephant. Charlotte is later discovered to be pregnant, and eventually gives birth. The movie closes with Charlotte and her baby being towed away in circus-like chariots, and Buford still pursuing them in a bus.
[edit] Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Burt Reynolds | Bo "Bandit" Darville |
| Jackie Gleason | Sheriff Buford T. Justice / Gaylord Justice / Reginald Van Justice |
| Jerry Reed | Cledus "Snowman" Snow |
| Dom DeLuise | Italian Doctor |
| Sally Field | Carrie/"Frog" |
| Paul Williams | Little Enos Burdette |
| Pat McCormick | Big Enos Burdette |
| David Huddleston | John Coen |
| Mike Henry | Junior Justice |
| John Anderson | Governor |
| Brenda Lee | Nice Lady |
| Phil Balsley | Himself |
| Lew DeWitt | Himself |
| Don Reid | Himself |
| Harold Reid | Himself |
| Joe Greene | Himself (as "Mean Joe") |
| Mel Tillis | Fairground Owner |
| Joe Klecko | Himself |
| Don Williams | Himself |
| Terry Bradshaw | Himself |
| Jeffrey Bryan King | Football Player |
| Nancy Lenehan | Ramona |
| John Megna | P.T. |
| Dudley Remus | Everglades Gas Station Attendant |
| Jerry Lester | Warehouse Guard |
| Hal Carter | Gat Station Attendant |
| Rick Allen | Safari Park Attendant |
| Chuck Yeager | Party Guest |
| Patrick Moody | Ambulance Driver |
| John Robert Nicholson | Patient |
| Anthony T. Townes | As Himself |
| Ritchey Brown | Young Man |
| Nancy Lee Johnson | Young Girl |
| Gayle Davis | Older Girl |
| James L. Buchanan II | Preacher |
[edit] Trivia
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- Although a box office success, critics and fans alike expressed some displeasure at the fact that the movie did not pick up directly after the first film. While the elephant plot was considered funny and entertaining, moviegoers had been expecting for some time to see the exploits of the Bandit, the Snowman, and Buford T. Justice as they raced to Boston for the clam chowder Big & Little Enos wanted.
- A world-record automobile jump was captured on film during the "roundup sequence," when stuntman Buddy Joe Hooker jumped a 1973 Dodge Polara over 150 feet. Hooker suffered compressed vertebra as a result of a hard landing.
- The roundup sequence in the desert shows many new Pontiac Le Mans sedans decorated as police cars being destroyed. The cars were originally ordered by a car rental agency in Phoenix, who refused delivery when they discovered the cars were not equipped with air conditioning. Pontiac took the cars back and eventually gave them to the producers to be used in the film.
- Although the Bandit again sticks to a Pontiac Trans Am, Snowman switches to a 1980 GMC General, silver with blue trim.
- As he did in the first movie, Reynolds breaks the fourth wall after being renuited with Frog, by addressing the camera and saying; "She still likes me".
- Burt Reynolds and Dom DeLuise would star together again in Cannonball Run, Cannonball Run II, and (in voice only) Don Bluth's All Dogs Go to Heaven.
- Many of the movie's scenes take place in Northern Palm Beach County, especially at the Reynold's Ranch in Jupiter, FL.
- Jackie Gleason played Sheriff Buford T. Justice, Gaylord Justice and Reginald Van Justice. For his roles as Sheriff Buford T. Justice and Reginald Van Justice he is credited as MR. Jackie Gleason, but for his role as Gaylord he is credited as Mrs. Jackie Gleason.
