May 27th, 1977. Some days are just like any other, but not this one. The line from the door that stretched all the way around the corner past Rose’s and to the A&P certainly was an indicator. Hundreds showed up with money in hand to see a legend and they were not disappointed. From the first throaty notes of the diesel coming to life and the sight of black smoke erupting from twin chrome stacks, all knew they were in for a wild ride…one that has lasted 40 years and has yet to stop.
“What do you really do,” she asked sincerely.
“What I do best,” was his reply.
“And what is that?”
“Show off.”
Those words described both the speaker and the character he portrayed when Burt Reynolds slipped behind the wheel in “Smokey and the Bandit”. Bandit, Snowman, Frog, Fred, Sherriff Justice and Junior have stuck with a generation. These days folks would call it a “popcorn” movie, just something to watch while munching on buttery goodness. Around these parts it’s a classic. It was also a money maker as it was the second highest grossing movie of 1977. Star Wars was number one. With a budget of $4.3 million it grossed $126 million in the U.S. and had a worldwide take of $300 million.
I think the reason it was so well received and still enjoyed is its lack of pretentiousness. It never tried to be anything more than Burt Reynolds driving fast and cracking jokes. In the process they do a good job of showing the C-B culture that gripped the nation at the time and poking fun at it. Throw in a soundtrack that included songs from co-star Jerry Reed and you’re talking a great way to spend ninety minutes.
“I’m east bound just watch ole Bandit run!”
It hit Gainesville at the Sherwood Rocking Chair Theater. No, it didn’t have rocking chairs like you see on a front porch, but the seats did rock. I remember rocking back pretty hard with laughter to the point my face hurt and my abs were sore. Sadly the Sherwood is gone, but the Bandit lives on.
“You have a great profile.”
“Well that’s one thing we have in common….we both like half my face.”
Recently I was fortunate enough to go on that rollicking ride to deliver Coors to Atlanta in 28 hours one more time. TCM has a program where they show older movies in theatres across the country so folks can experience them on the big screen once again…or for the first time for those who weren’t around for the original release. You would think that after seeing the movie countless times over the past four decades (of course I own it on DVD) I wouldn’t enjoy it as much as the first time. The first time feeling is a one-time feeling, but this ride was just as good because I’ve seen it so many times.
I went with some friends from high school. We’ve quoted lines from the movie to each other over the years which never failed to bring a laugh. Same this time. We would begin cracking up when a scene would start in anticipation of what we knew was about to happen. The chuckling became more animated as we spoke the lines to come as the scene progressed. Then it was all-out laughter when the actors delivered the lines. Once again my cheeks were sore as were my abs.
We certainly were loud, but apparently not disruptive. I thought fellow movie goers would be upset by our behavior. Looking around I saw they weren’t. That’s because they were doing the same thing.
I will likely never own a Trans-Am like Bandit drove. I’m not made of that kind of money. But I wonder if it would be possible to put one of those big birds on the hood of my Nissan Versa. Hmmm……
