By the movie's ending, the final surviving Trans Am and LeMans were both barely running and the other cars had become parts donors to keep them running. The film was followed by two sequels: Smokey and the Bandit II (1980) and Smokey and the Bandit Part 3 (1983). At that time Reynolds was the top box office star in the world. It had not been used for some time and was repainted for the film. The updated version of the film features sounds inaccurate for what would be produced by the Trans Am or the numerous other Pontiac vehicles in the film. Reed also penned and performed the song for the opening credits, entitled "The Legend," which tells of some of the Bandit's escapades prior to the events of the film and the ballad "The Bandit," which features in several versions in the movie and on the soundtrack. 1,819. There are hilarious lines, some funny pratfalls and even a bit of home-grown wisdom: "How ignorant you are depends a lot on which part of the United States you're standing on." Wish director Hal Needham had remembered that Alabama State Troopers drive Fords, not Pontiacs, but that's a small thing. [21] With an original budget of $5.3 million (cut to $4.3 million two days before initial production),[3] the film eventually grossed $126,737,428 in North America,[22] making it the second-highest-grossing movie of 1977 (only Star Wars earned more, with $775.5 million). Needham originally planned the film as a low-budget B movie with a production cost of $1 million,[3] with Reed as the Bandit. Gleason was given free rein to ad-lib dialogue and make suggestions. Needham, however, liked the song so much, he assured Reed not to change a word; it would became one of Reed's biggest hits and his signature song. He then realizes he can't get past all these cops so he turns around again and uses the broken bridge to jump the river. Wiki User Answered . ... Policeman / Bodyguard (uncredited) Bill Saito. He was the protagonist of Smokey and the Bandit III. Some of the original sound effects (such as Cledus' dog Fred barking) and music (such as the final chase to the Southern Classic) were removed and not replaced (Note: earlier DVD releases and the 40th Anniversary Blu-ray of the film have the original soundtrack intact). [4] Reynolds revealed in his autobiography that Needham had written the first draft script on legal pads. UNIVERSAL CUT THE BUDGET JUST AS … Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. On review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, it has an 80% rating based on 30 reviews. Called Smoke is the Bandit and playing on Stewart's nickname, the commercials featured him as the Bandit opposite commentators Darrell Waltrip as the Snowman and Jeff Hammond as Buford T. Justice. Number of bids and bid amounts may be slightly out of date. Intent on seeing the Cahulawassee River before it's dammed and turned into a lake, outdoor fanatic Lewis Medlock takes his friends on a canoeing trip they'll never forget into the dangerous American back-country. In the original script, Carrie was called Kate while Big Enos and Little Enos were called Kyle and Dickey. ‘Honest Thief’ Review: Liam Neeson vs. And, once again, Sheriff Buford T. Justice is on his tail. Customs services and international tracking provided. Top Answer. Smokey and the Bandit was the second highest-grossing domestic film of 1977 with $300 million against a budget of $4.3 million (only Star Wars made a higher gross that year, earning $775.5 million). ... Nude 'Smokey' (uncredited) Bill Rampley. He comes up to a broken bridge, and turns around. 5. Eventually Bandit talks Cledus into driving the truck, while the Bandit drives a new Pontiac Firebird Trans-Am as a police blocker. Release Dates View production, box office, & company info. The hood scoop on these cars says "6.6 LITRE," which, in 1977, would have denoted an Oldsmobile 403-equipped car or a non W-72, 180 hp version of the 400 Pontiac engine. Stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Eddie Redmayne share their 5 reasons not to miss The Trial of the Chicago 7 on Netflix. 1,819. Owing to his financial difficulties, in 2014, Reynolds put his vast collection of artwork and memorabilia up for auction, including the Trans Am. Reportedly, Needham had great difficulty getting any studios or producers to take his project seriously, as in the film industry, he was better known as a stuntman. They bet Sheriff Buford T. Justice that he cannot drive from Miami to the Enos ranch in Texas in a given amount of time. Asked by Wiki User. became more acceptable on TV. For example, there was one scene in a barbecue joint where Bandit was getting lunch for everyone. Five black Trans Ams were used for the film. They arrive in Texarkana an hour ahead of schedule, load the truck and head back toward Atlanta. The original characters from The Cannonball Run (1981) race across the country once more in various cars and trucks. The three original films introduced two generations of the Pontiac Trans Am and the Dodge Stealth in the television movies.