So shockingly bad as a film it almost had to be deliberate. The sequel to a film probably nobody wanted and a big career killer for one time box office champ Burt Reynolds. The film almost defies any attempt to summarize the plot or explain the strange casting that prevails throughout the film.
Burt Reynolds and Dom DeLuise are part of a racing team with DeLuise also playing his alter ego Captain Chaos and an Italian mobster called Don Canneloni. Members of Don Canneloni's gang include Abe Vigoda, Alex Rocco, Henry Silva and playwright Michael V. Gazzo. Hispanic actor Ricardo Montalban plays an Arab Shiek with Jamie Farr playing his son. It just gets weirder.
Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. are in the film, Frank Sinatra also makes a brief appearance so this is the final bow of the notorious Las Vegas "Rat Pack". Shirley MacLaine and Marilu Henner are nuns and Susan Anton and Catherine Bach are a couple of drivers not above using their chests to gain an advantage during the race.
Throw in appearances by Telly Savalas, Charles Nelson Riley, Tim Conway, Don Knotts, Jim Nabors, Jack Elam and god knows who else and you have a who's who of the 1980's Hollywood performer scene. Did I mention there is also an orangutan involved. The film was partially financed by Golden Harvest a company that Jackie Chan was associated with so Chan ends up appearing as one of the drivers along with former James Bond villain Richard Kiel. Chan's participation guaranteed box office success in Asia.
The mess was directed by Hal Needham a former stuntman who was also a buddy of Burt Reynolds. Needham was an expert in staging car stunts but not much else, he lets the actors run amok throughout the film.
Obviously just describing the cast should give you an idea of what you are getting into. The film was written by Harvey Miller and Hal Needham, the running time is 108 very bizarre minutes.
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