Film Overview"Cannonball Run II" is a 1984 American comedy film, serving as a sequel to the 1981 film "The Cannonball Run". The film is directed by Hal Needham and includes a star-studded ensemble cast including Burt Reynolds, Dom DeLuise, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., and numerous others. The film takes its name from the real-life cross-country road race, widely referred to as the "Cannonball Baker Sea-To-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash".
Plot SummaryThe movie features an eccentric millionaire called Sheik Abdul ben Falafel, played by Jamie Farr, who is chastised by his father for not winning the initial Cannonball Run. Undaunted to claim success, he sets out to sponsor a 2nd Cannonball race with a grand prize of one million dollars, to tempt in previous individuals, and redeem his loss.
The returning characters include brash racers J.J. McClure (Burt Reynolds) and his sidekick Victor Prinzi (Dom DeLuise), con-men 'Father' Jamie Blake (Dean Martin) and 'Monsignor' Morris Fenderbaum (Sammy Davis Jr.), Pamela Glover (Marilu Henner), and Jill Rivers (Shirley MacLaine). In addition to the initial cast, a plethora of brand-new characters are introduced consisting of mob employer Don Canneloni (Charles Nelson Reilly), accompanied by his dimwitted henchmen.
Key EventsAs the mangy lot of racers journey throughout different states, the plot undertakes a subplot. Jill and Marci wind up abducted by the mobsters in a case of incorrect identity, which involves Jill being mistaken for a mob manager's daughter. The Cannonballers get wind of their friends' trouble and band together to hatch a rescue objective to save them. This results in a high-speed automobile chase and a comedic parody of military operations. The heroes, utilizing tricked-out vehicles and shrewd wits, manage to save the damsel in distress and escape from mobsters and the police.
ConclusionIn the last scenes of the movie, the participants race against time to reach the finishing line, believing that the million dollars cash prize is still in play. However, in an amusing twist, the Sheik exposes that he has actually blown all his wealth which there is no monetary reward left. The racers, nevertheless, express that their happiness depends on the excitement of the chase rather than the money. The film ends with the Sheik's dad exposing a luggage filled with money which he had actually banked on the Sheik to win, resulting in a pleased ending.
Reception"Cannonball Run II", while entertaining to fans of the original film and of slapstick comedy, got mainly negative evaluations from critics for its predictable story and overuse of comedic gimmicks. Regardless of the unfavorable reviews, the film was among the year's business successes, largely attributable to the ensemble cast and the general public's fondness for car-race comedy. The film is now considered a cult classic, substantial for being the final function film looks of Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra.
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