Smokey and the Bandit

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Smokey and the Bandit ★★ ½ 1977 (PG)

The first and best of the series about bootlegger Reynolds is one long car chase. Reynolds makes a wager that he can deliver a truckload of Coors beer—once unavailable east of Texas—to Atlanta from Texas in 28 hours. Gleason is a riot as the “smokey” who tries to stop him. Field is the hitchhiker Reynolds picks up along the way. Great stunts; director Needham was a top stunt man. 96m/C VHS, DVD . Susan McIver, John Schneider, Hank Worden, Sonny Shroyer, Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Jackie Gleason, Jerry Reed, Mike Henry, Paul Williams, Pat McCormick; D: Hal Needham; W: Hal Needham, Charles Shyer; C: Bobby Byrne; M: Bill Justis, Jerry Reed.