The action-comedy classic from 1981, The Cannonball Run, is still regarded as one of the most fun and crazy movies of its time. With an all-star ensemble that included Roger Moore, Farrah Fawcett, Burt Reynolds, and Dom DeLuise, the film offered a unique blend of humor, fast-paced racing, and memorable one-liners. Even the most committed viewers, however, could have overlooked some intriguing backstage information and minute elements that add to the film’s already amazing quality.
The Cannonball Baker Sea-To-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash, an actual illegal cross-country race, served as the model for the Cannonball Run, which is a startling truth. The humor was even more realistic than audiences thought since a number of the film’s ludicrous situations were partially inspired by real-life incidents between those races.
The remarkable quantity of cameos and unspoken allusions dotted throughout the film is another aspect that viewers frequently ignore. There were many inside gags in the movie that only auto fans and Hollywood insiders would get, from brief cameos by well-known comedians to references to vintage vehicle culture.
The stunt work in the movie was even more amazing. Every chase sequence and collision, long before computer-generated imagery, was executed by talented stunt drivers who took actual risks to capture the comedy’s exhilarating intensity.
The Cannonball Run’s unique combination of humor, mayhem, and charm has delighted audiences for more than 40 years. It honors a period when the biggest names in Hollywood and the most outrageous concepts came together for unadulterated, high-octane enjoyment.