Smokey and the Bandit (1977): How a $4M Movie Studios HATED Accidentally Beat Star Wars

Universal's head of distribution watched the finished cut, called it a piece of junk and tried to cancel the preview. It opened the week of Star Wars, directed by a stuntman who had never directed a feature, on a budget Universal cut by a million dollars right before the cameras rolled. In the end, the only film of 1977 that did better was Star Wars. This is how Smokey and the Bandit got made, told by the people who made it. Buford, Snowman, or the Bandit: whose line do you still quote? 0:00 It's comedy, it's action, it's Southern 0:47 The maid who stole his Coors 1:47 You direct it 2:47 Lost faith 4:11 Talent is sexy 5:08 One phone call 5:54 The Diablo sandwich 7:51 Change one note 9:40 A piece of junk 10:47 East bound and down 11:36 The question Heard in this video: Burt Reynolds (Universal featurette, 2006; TODAY, NBC, 2018; Guardian Live, 2015), Hal Needham (Universal featurette, 2006; The Jacqueline Bachar Show, 2011; Bandit Run TV, 2013), Ellyn Needham (GenerationAuto 40th anniversary event, 2017), Sally Field (ITV This Morning, 2018; The Howard Stern Show, 2016), Mort Engelberg and Thom Mount (Take Fountain podcast, 2022), Jerry Reed (with Stacey David, 2008). Sources include Variety (1977), Hal Needham's memoir Stuntman! (2011), Box Office Mojo and The Numbers. Clips used for commentary and criticism. #SmokeyAndTheBandit #BurtReynolds #SallyField #JackieGleason #HalNeedham #JerryReed #MovieHistory #BehindTheScenes