Movie spotlight
Smokey and the Judge
Three bad girls go good in this Southern-fried treat from 1980. When Margo (Gwen Owens), Carol (Cathy Carson) and Maria (Juanita Curiel) get released from prison, they set their sights on R&B stardom, starting with a gig at a roadhouse bar in a rough-and-tumble desert town. As long as they can stay clear of a sleazy sheriff (Gene Price), a dirty-minded judge and a troublemaking parole officer, the buxom trio may just make it after all.
Insights
Plot Summary
A renegade trucker, Bo "Bandit" Righetti, is hired by a wealthy Texan to transport a truckload of illegal Coors beer from Texarkana to Atlanta in just 28 hours. He enlists the help of his "blood brother," Cledus Snow, and the "King of the Road," a watermelon-truck-driving convict named "Fat Man" Enos, to distract the pursuing Sheriff Buford T. Justice.
Critical Reception
Smokey and the Bandit II was met with generally negative reviews from critics, though it was a commercial success, continuing the popularity of the franchise. Audiences were more forgiving, enjoying the familiar antics and chemistry of the cast.
What Reviewers Say
The sequel failed to recapture the magic and charm of the original.
Relied too heavily on slapstick and predictable gags.
The cast's chemistry was still a highlight, but couldn't save a weak script.
Google audience: Audience reviews often cite the humor and the performances of Burt Reynolds and Jackie Gleason as enjoyable elements, but many felt the plot was weak and the film didn't live up to the original's standard.
Awards & Accolades
None notable.
Fun Fact
The film's original title was intended to be 'Smokey and the Bandit Ride Again'.
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