The 1974 version of “The Longest Yard” is one of those must-see films that carries historical appeal in the realm of cinema and I’m glad I can finally sat down to see it. Prison fights, brutal football, and Burt Reynolds make for a great Action Movie May watch. That said, I may be the only critic that wasn’t overly impressed.
Not to say it doesn’t have its strengths.
I loved the story itself and found it quite plausible. Former NFL star quarterback Paul Crewe (Burt Reynolds) is sent to prison, and unlike most other inmate centered stories he actually did commit the crime. Crewe must deal with harassment from inmates that resent him for his celebrity prowess, and vindictive and power crazy guards that are always present in these situations. You already know the plot so I won’t spoil the specifics, but Crewe ends up running a football team of cons and prepping them for a big game against the guards in what amounts to a lose-lose situation for him. “Win?” He rebuffs to a fellow inmate while assembling his team of miscreants. “I’m just talking about surviving.”
I also enjoyed the acting from the film’s star. Burt Reynolds was a Hollywood A-lister and the king stud of the 1970s and here he shows us why. Reynolds has leading man written all over him, from the introductory bedroom scene that has little to do with the story other than to showcase his chest hair, to the way he interacts with his fellow prisoners on and off the field. Paul Crewe is an honorable but flawed individual and Reynolds gives us a great performance.
Billed as a comedy, I didn’t find myself laughing often if at all. Intended humor aside, the biggest drawback was finding a side to root for. The guards are jerks but not shown to be evil and the inmates are identified as arsonists, murderers, and at least one sadistic serial killer. So why are we supposed to want them to win? Even Paul Crewe is guilty of the crime that brought him there in the first place. Yes we have the typical antagonists in the form of a shady warden (Eddie Albert) and lead guard (the great Ed Lauter) but better depth and understanding of the characters and their motives would have been ideal. There is also a nice addition of racial segregation and eventual comradery that comes to play, but it also could have been fleshed out as bit more. We want the inmates to win the game for no other reason than Burt Reynolds is leading them. The audience deserves more.
The movie clocks in at 2 hours, with the final 40 minutes or so devoted entirely to the football game. While I loved the game itself including crafty cinematography and editing that made it look like an actual ESPN production, the first two acts are incredibly slow and dull.
“The Longest Yard” deserves its place as a memorable film, and as I stated at the open, everyone should take the time to watch it once. But one viewing is all for me.
