This 1981 film is based on the actual races that were held in the seventies. Burt Reynolds is among the participants in a highly illegal cross-country road race. The teams include:

Ambulance Team
J.J. McClure-Burt Reynolds
Victor Prinsi/Captain Chaos-Dom Deluise
Pamela "Beauty" Glover-Farrah Fawcett
Dr. Nicolas Van Helsing-Jack Elam

Ferrari Team
Jamie Blake-Dean Martin
Morris Fenderbaum-Sammy Davis Jr.

Lamborghini Team
Marcie Thatcher-Adrienne Barbeau
Jill Rivers-Tara Buckman

Subaru Team
Driver-Jackie Chan
Computer Operator-Michael Hui

Aston Martin Team
Seymour Goldfarb Jr.-Roger Moore

Rolls Royce Team
Sheik-Jamie Farr

Motorcycle Team
Brad Compton-Bert Convy
Shakey Finch-Warren Berlinger

Pickup Team
Maddog-Rick Aviles
Batman-Alfie Wise

Stock Car Team(DNF)
Terry-Terry Bradshaw
Mel-Mel Tillis

Basicly, it's like a live-action version of the Hanna-Barbera cartoon Wacky Races.

So, any comments?

Was this also a remake (or inspired by) a 70's film called The Gumball Rally (or something like that)?

Both Cannonball Run and Gumball Rally were based on the real life Cannonball Run race run by Brock Yates. For my money, Gumball Rally is the better movie.
In Gumball Rally, the clothing style of "Mr. Guts" is based on Brock Yates real life attire.
Yates himself appears in Cannonball Run.
IIRC, the race was originally called The Cannonball Baker Sea to Shining Sea Memorial Trophy Dash. Some of the incidents in the movies are based on actual events from the races.

I may get some people here mad, but - Worst movie ever. Worse than Gigli, Heaven's Gate or Plan 9. I was dragged to this on a date in 1981, and there were infinitely better ways to waste 91 minutes than watching this movie. I was counting down the number of reels, just waiting for this film to end. I felt like it never would. My last medical procedure was more fun.

I notice you didn't mention it was worse than Manos: The Hands of Fate. That's got to be one of the worst films ever. Even the MST3K version is barely tolerable.
No, this post doesn't really have a point...

Was Cannonball Run the one with the "insert" shots of Frank Sinatra? I recall Ebert & Siskel talking about how bad it was -- shooting all of Burt Reynolds' scenes in the office from one POV, then Sinatra's from the other, even though they were never together on the same set.

You may be talking about Cannonball Run II. (Yes, this unbearably tedious "comedy" spawned a sequel.) That would turn out to be Frank Sinatra's last movie.
Never saw Manos, CR, so I'm not judging it now. I have heard enough about it, though.

Manos is everything CR said and less.

I'm warning you now, Adam, if you watch Manos at all, watch the MST3K version... it will lessen the pain!

So, not having seen Cannonball Run II, was it worse than the first one? (I ask that whether one likes or hates the first one, by the way.)

The credited producer of this film is Albert S. Ruddy. A decade earlier, he produced The Godfather, almost universally acknowledged as one of the greatest films ever made. So, just how did Mr. Ruddy become associated with this complete piece of garbage? It just goes to show how the mighty have fallen.

J&R Music World currently has the DVD of this "film" for $6.99. At 69 cents, it still would be overpriced.

A real-life Cannonball Run.

"I like to watch." - Chauncy Gardner

That's not news. I've know about the Cannonball Run Europe, the Player's Run, and the Gumball 3000 for some time now due to Teckademics' Mischief series. (That's a series of street racing videos.) Apparently, the movie has its share of fans. These are the people who understand the appeal.

Well while this movie may not be everyone's cup of nitrous I do happen to like this bit of kitsch. And even more so since it is based on a real life event.

The real Cannonball was a race from New York to Redondo Beach organzied (if you can use that word) by Car and Driver Editor Brock Yates. The rules where quite simple be the quickest from the Red Ball garage in NY to the Portofino Restraunt in Redondo Beach Ca. Route speeds and everything else was up to the drivers. Including paying for all tickets and other issues enroute. The race was run 4 times during the early seventies. There is also a modern equivalent that is involved in orienteering and route planning With a bit of track racing involved as well.

And the movie has a plot about as thin as the originial connball race rules. Basically being a setup for the main stars (Reynolds, Deluise) to make all kinds of jokes (some funny some flatter than a tire hit by a stop stick) and the second stringer's to get their own share of jokes and screen time (including a wonderful Dean Martin/Sammy Davis Jr pairing playing priests) and Roger Moore basically playing James Bond (including driving the gadget tricked out trademarked aston martin right down to the revolving plates which at least in this movie play a major part unlike in the bond movies) which allegedly got him in trouble with Broccoli.

Of course Adrienne Barbeau and Tara Buckman in tight driving suits and carrying their DLs in a strategic location is legally required for a low budget eighties movie. As well as some other eye candy including the also required Farrah Fawcett role.

Peter Fonda showing up in his Easy Rider role letting Jackie Chan go all kung fooie on folks.

And this movie is the one that motivated Jackie Chan to place bloopers at the end credits in all his. And I got it backwards CBR2 was the one jackie had to do he wanted to do this one.

So basically not high on plot but a good time waster for a saturday afternoon.

You asked me this on a previous page, and I'll re-post here:

And what is so bad about Cannonball Run?

As Gene Siskel often said about a movie he hated, "That was 91 minutes of my life I'll never get back." It was just plain unbearable to sit through. Burt Reynolds acted so smarmy, Dom De Luise as Capt. Chaos acted just plain stupid. Neither Adreine Barbeau nor Tara Buckman in low cut blouses could make up for the sheer awfulness of this pic. I counted down the black dots in the upper right corner of the screen (the cue for a reel switch), the only time im my life I ever did that in any movie. I wanted to see For Your Eyes Only, which was playing at the same time, but my date dragged me to this. (I was not so nice to her later on. The day we saw Cannonball Run, she also bought play tickets for us to see Evita at a future date. I bugged out from the show at the absolute last minute, and she wound up taking a girlfriend.)

What kind of trouble did Roger Moore get into with Broccoli over the Aston Martin? He did go on to do two more Bond movies for Broccoli afterward.

In early 1981, CBS did a profile of the movie industry, focusing on films that would be released in the summer of 1981. This film was one that they chose to profile. CBS stated that Burt Reynolds was paid $5 million for three weeks work on this pic, possibly the highest salary paid to a star at that time.

Well like I said its not everyone's cup of gasoline. Personally I'll agree its not great thespian drama and definately leans more to the three brain cells working entertainment. But sometimes thats all that I'm looking for. Of course when I first saw this in the mid to late eighties on TV I was teenager so fast cars and low cut blouses was enough for me. :-) Acting and culture had to come later.

As for what kind of trouble Moore got into. Allegedly according to some trivia pages (including IMDB) broccoli got so peeved about how close Moore parodied his Bond role that he had to sign an agreement or clause in his contract that he wouldnt do it again. I have no idea or claim if its true or not

Wow I did not know that. I'll agree he certainly did get overpaid for his work in this movie. Maybe he got paid per smartaleck comment and smarmy smile?

NANJAO: If you listen closely to the voices of Roger Moore's companions in the movie, one of them speaks in the voice of 'Natasha Fatale' AKA June Foray.

As for what kind of trouble Moore got into. Allegedly according to some trivia pages (including IMDB) broccoli got so peeved about how close Moore parodied his Bond role that he had to sign an agreement or clause in his contract that he wouldnt do it again. I have no idea or claim if its true or not

Perhaps that's why he didn't appear in the sequel. Kind of ironic considering he ends this film by saying "Maybe next year, we'll do this again."

Speaking of which, does anyone else find it weird that Roger Moore is driving the Aston Martin from "Goldfinger" in which Sean Connery played Bond? He should probably have been driving the Lotus from "The Spy Who Loved Me".

I remember thinking it was a bit of an oddity to have Roger Moore in the car from the Connery era. I guess Sean Connery wasn't interested & they couldn't get their hands on the Lotus Espirit.

I've always thought they chose the Aston Martin since it is the more recognizable Bond car. I mean you say Bond car and you hear Aston Martin. Also it had the gadgets that fit better with this movie. (revolving plates, ejection seat etc..)

Perhaps that's why he (Roger Moore) didn't appear in the sequel.

But, Frank Sinatra did appear in the sequel, along with Rat Pack buddies Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. In fact, CR II was Sinatra's last theatrical movie appearance.

And (from IMDB) CR II was also the final film of Dean Martin.