the fresh films reviews

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The Longest Yard (1974)

Director:
Robert Aldrich
COUNTRY
USA
GENRE
Drama/Comedy/Sports
NORWEGIAN TITLE
Spill uten nåde
RUNNING TIME
121 minutes
Producer:
Albert S. Ruddy
Screenwriter:
Albert S. Ruddy
Tracy Keenan Wynn


Cast includes:

CHARACTER ACTOR/ACTRESS RATING
Paul Crewe Burt Reynolds ½
Warden Hazen Eddie Albert
Captain Knauer Ed Lauter
Nate Scarboro Michael Conrad
Caretaker Jim Hampton
Granville Harry Caesar
Pop John Steadman
Unger Charles Tyner
Rassmuesen Mike Henry
Ice Man Jim Nicholson
Warden's Secretary Bernadette Peters
Mawabe Pervis Atkins
Samson Richard Kiel

 

Review

With an intro as stylish and chic as arguably anything starring Burt Reynolds before or since, The Longest Yard may well deceive you at first, because what follows is nothing like the jazzy, erotic opening – instead it is a gritty, sweaty, old-fashioned prison/football movie in which David faces Goliath, and all that implies. Burt stars as an ex-pro football player who upon being sent to a prison run by football crazies, is being persuaded into putting together a team of inmates to face the guards' team of semi-pros. Although the film is full of archetypes and cliches, it is also quite fun and full of heart. And there's nothing simplified about the big game of football which is to settle it all; that runs for a full 47 minutes and is meticulous and enjoyable enough to satisfy both fans of the sport and probably most others.

Copyright © 27.05.2013 Fredrik Gunerius Fevang

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