ehrldawg Staring Knievil himself,a gang of drug smugglers try to use his custom rig to smuggle drugs from Mexico to America.This is a neat,anti drug movie. It goes to show to never say never. Did Knievel ever marry Lauren Hutton?Cameron Mitchell drives the White - Freightliner big rig.Cameron Mitchell was a permanent A list actor.Ernie Orsatti drives the Peterbuilt big rig.Ernie Orsatti is a permanent A list actor.Laureen Hutton is hot!!---One Truck Drivers Opinion---erldwgstruckermovies.com

bob the moo Evel Knievel is the world's leading motorcycle jumper. When he is asked to accompany his friend Jessie (Marjoe Gartner), the second best motorcycle jumper, on a tour of Mexico he accepts. However Millard, the tour's organiser (Leslie Nielsen) plans to use Knievel to smuggle drugs back over the Mexican border, using Knievel's fame to escape detection.This is very much a star vehicle of it's time - it screams 70's all the way through - from the clothes to the attitude, from the stars to the cheesy theme song it's all very dated. However we should allow this to put us off - although it is hard to see past the terrible flares and big collars. This is actually a reasonable plot - if a little far fetched - but the 70's definitely produced worse crime thrillers. This manages to be quite clever and have an exciting chase conclusion. That's not to say that it's brilliant - but for an Evel Knievel movie anything that is better than OK is good. There is a side plot involving Knievel's mechanic Will and his estranged son - but this doesn't really add any value to the plot.The main weakness of this is that it is a Knievel vehicle (pardon the pun). Several times the film slows down and loses the main plot so that Knievel can be kind to kids, or lecture about the dangers of drugs etc. If the part had been played by a "normal" actor then it wouldn't have stolen as much of the focus as Knievel did. That said - there are times that this doesn't seem like a star vehicle. Knievel overall is played as a kind man who is good to kids etc, but quite often during the film he is an unpleasant man - arrogant, rude, selfish and, in one throwaway remark, racist. It just surprised me that he would let himself be portrayed in that way - unless of course he is like that and didn't see it in the finished film. For the most part though this is a star film that shows him as a moral, kid loving, God-fearing American.The rest of the support is quite surprising, Gene Kelly plays Will quite well, but overdoes the emotions in his subplot. Leslie Nielsen is good as the bad guy, pre-spoof days, and plays it straight (read boring) and steady. Even Red Buttons pops up momentarily as Knievel's organiser. But most are sidelined as the story focuses on Knievel.Overall a good 1970's crime movie, but both Knievel and the other subplots slow the plot and take away from the film. For what it is - it isn't as bad as I thought it would be.

billymac72 I LOVE this movie!! Ok, it is a terrible, terrible film, but that's what makes it so great! Back in high school, I can't begin to tell you how many beers my buddies & I downed whilst laughing our tails off at this movie. We would rewind scenes so many times that even years later, when we reunite, we can still recite some of these scenes verbatim. It's a classic. First of all, just consider this plot: a mob boss, played straight by Leslie Nielson of all people, wants to assassinate good ol' Evel in Mexico so he can use his stunt trucks to smuggle drugs back to the U.S., because no one is going to stop a "funeral procession for a hero." Try to follow THAT logic!! Another priceless moment comes when Evel delivers an anti-drug speech warning kids that if they use dope - just like race car drivers who use nitro in their cars - they too, will "blow all to hell!" (well, at least after "5 or 10 years" by his estimation anyway). I've never seen Gene Kelly looking so disgruntled and tired, and what would be complete without a way-over-the-top Red Buttons (classic line delivered to a groggy Evel: "What is this, Judgement Day!?). Where's Charro when you need her? And let's not forget that kid at the orphanage who literally throws his crutches to the floor and says, I kid you not, "you're the reason Evel! You're the reason I'm walkin'!" Evel Knievel: miracle man...ordained healer. And then of course there's that catchy theme song. I can't figure out why it was never a hit.

dwhite-2 Evel was a great showman, and was incredibly popular in the 1970's. For those who missed that era, or chose to forget it, at least Evel had the skill to back up the hype. There are a few stunt scenes that bear this out, including a great two-person tour around and through a small stadium on Evel's bike.But that's about it; the plot is pretty simple, and the criminals are as stereotyped as they come. Sit back, enjoy the stunts and flashback to the 70's for a while.