Hooper *** (1978, Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Jan-Michael Vincent, Brian Keith, John Marley, James Best, Adam West, Robert Klein) – Classic Movie Review 6739

Director Hal Needham’s amiable 1978 action adventure comedy is a very typical Seventies vehicle for Burt Reynolds, re-teamed with his Smokey and the Bandit (1977) co-star Sally Field and its director Needham (a former Hollywood stuntman).

Reynolds and Field star with Jan-Michael Vincent in a movie about a long-time Hollywood stuntman called Sonny Hooper (Reynolds) who faces a $50,000 challenge from a young upstart named Ski (Vincent).

Hooper is carefree, and sometimes careless, but it is a robust, good-natured and entertaining show from the height of Reynolds’s prime, and deservedly extremely popular at the box-office. Look at this: it cost $6 million and grossed $78 million in the US.

Hooper is a tribute to stuntmen in general, but to great stuntman Jock Mahoney, stepfather of Sally Field, and sometime Tarzan (Tarzan’s Three Challenges, Tarzan Goes to India). As a stuntman, he doubled for Errol Flynn, John Wayne and Gregory Peck.

Also in the cast are Brian Keith, John Marley, James Best, Adam West, Robert Klein, Alfie Wise, Terry Bradshaw, Norman Grabowski, Jim Burk, Don ‘Red’ Barry, Princess O’Mahoney and George Furth.

Hooper is directed by Hal Needham, runs 100 minutes, is released by Warner Bros, is written by Thomas Richman and Bill Kerby, from a story by Walt Green, is shot in Metrocolor by Bobby Byrne, is produced by Hank Moonjean and scored by Bill Justis.

Warner Bros advertised ‘It just ain’t summer without Burt!’ Those were the days, my friend!

Outtakes from stunts in the movie are seen over the closing credits.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 6739

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