The Longest Yard (1974)
Bernadette Peters, Burt Reynolds, Charles Tyner, Ed Lauter, Eddie Albert ... (see more) , James Hampton , Joe Dorsey , Joe Jackson , Michael Conrad , Richard Kiel
Director Robert Aldrich had a knack for depicting outsiders with originality and authenticity. Much like The Dirty Dozen, The Longest Yard is a popular fable about integrity and group unity. It possesses a requisite toughness along with the loneliness that accompanies the outsider status. Compromise...
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Director Robert Aldrich had a knack for depicting outsiders with originality and authenticity. Much like The Dirty Dozen, The Longest Yard is a popular fable about integrity and group unity. It possesses a requisite toughness along with the loneliness that accompanies the outsider status. Compromise is never easy in an Aldrich film. There's always a bitter price to pay.
Burt Reynolds, in peak form, plays a former pro quarterback ostracized for shaving points. After beating up his girlfriend and resisting arrest, Reynolds winds up in prison, where he's taunted by warden Eddie Albert to help his semiprofessional team of guardsmen win a championship. Naturally, the inmates despise Reynolds, and naturally he redeems himself in one of the great movie football matches of all time. --Bill Desowitz
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R, 121 min.
Directed by:
Robert Aldrich
Release Date: Aug 30, 1974
DVD Release Date: Jan 30, 2001
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Flixster User Reviews
Just saw this last year (hadn't since it came out) and I rather like it. Burt is quite good here (not campy).
Classic Burt Reynolds flick. Ex pro-footballer gets sent to prison where a miserable warden makes his life hell if he doesn't play prison football for him. Great cast of characters, especially Eddie Albert who plays the warden. A great car chase at t... (read more) Classic Burt Reynolds flick. Ex pro-footballer gets sent to prison where a miserable warden makes his life hell if he doesn't play prison football for him. Great cast of characters, especially Eddie Albert who plays the warden. A great car chase at the very start of the movie involving Burt Reynolds in classic form.
I like the Sandler remake for what it is. Mindless comedy punched up with NFL and Sandler-troupe cameos. However, if I had seen it after the original, I may not feel the same.
Reynolds original is much more grounded. The comedy is less slapstic... (read more) I like the Sandler remake for what it is. Mindless comedy punched up with NFL and Sandler-troupe cameos. However, if I had seen it after the original, I may not feel the same.
Reynolds original is much more grounded. The comedy is less slapstick, but a lot of the jokes are the same (did not expect the crossdressing cheerleaders in a mid-70's film). Burt was the highest grossing actor for a reason. He has that magnetic charisma for the silver screen.
Much better than the remake. The remake strove to have cheap, slap-stick humor while this film was just good. I was impressed how well the remake stayed to this classic, but still. This movie was so much better, in that the acting seemed to flow, ... (read more) Much better than the remake. The remake strove to have cheap, slap-stick humor while this film was just good. I was impressed how well the remake stayed to this classic, but still. This movie was so much better, in that the acting seemed to flow, especially for characters that weren't supposed to act together. The story line was predictable but not over the top like some of the other sports movies coming out lately. Although I don't particularly watch sports films on purpose, I seem to watch quite a few of them, and I would say that this one is one of my favorites. It could be that it's because it's more than merely the sport. Either way, I enjoyed this film from the opening, the chase scene, the character bonding, the forming of the team, and Reynolds' character in general.
Buena historia, solo que carece de sentido del humor... Mucho mejor el remake!
Critic Reviews
Aldrich's film is most alive during the team recruitment scenes.full review
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