I saw this film years ago, and remember thinking it was OK. It's a little hard to imagine now, what a big deal Burt Reynolds was in the Seventies. No other movie star came close. On a recent viewing I found this this movie to be a bit better than I remembered. Still not a classic or anything, but pretty good. The depiction of prison life is harsh, as it surely is, but it seems a different world from today's prisons, with their racial gangs and constant strife. The football game is quite reminiscent of the one in M*A*S*H, from only a few years before.

Overall, a brainless-but-lots of fun flick and very fast-moving one, typically sleazy (er, "gritty," as critics preferred to call them) movie of its decade.In the 1970s, who better than make a thug into a lovable, good guy we all want to root for than Burt Reynolds? Box-office-wise, Burt was the hottest thing going in the '70s and playing a lawbreaker seemed to be tailor-made for him, from "Smokey And The Bandit" on down the line.The shock in this movie was seeing nice-guy Eddie Albert play the mean warden, but he pulled it off convincingly. Most of the characters in this movie are over-the-top, but that was the idea.This movie manipulates all of us to root for the prisoners in the big football games against the prison guards. In essence, that's the story in this film: a big football game played between prison inmates and the guards. Along the way, Burt gives us his normal glib-but-entertaining wisecracks and personality and we get some wild characters to go with him, such as the very likable "Caretaker" (James Hampton).Burt is macho enough, as the quarterback here, for the guys to respect him, and still be a ladies' favorite. I can't say the same for Richard Kiel, but "Jaws" (as became later in a James Bond movie), was always fun to watch. Some real-life pro goons, like Green Bay's Ray Nitchke, join the cast for some gridiron realism.In the end, its a clichéd, but fun two hours of escapism.

One of the biggest (if not THE biggest) box office stars of the 70's, Burt Reynolds, was well cast in 1974's "The Longest Yard". A former college football player at Florida State University, Reynolds plays Paul Crewe, a former pro quarterback who has disgraced himself by throwing games. He lands himself in prison after slapping his girlfriend around, stealing her car and assaulting two cops. The prison, Citrus State, has a semi-pro football team comprised of the institution's guards and is run by the power hungry warden Rudolph Hazen (Eddie Albert). At Hazen's behest and to make his prison term as peaceful as possible, Crewe agrees to assemble a team of fellow cons to give the guards a scrimmage. This of course sets up the final third of the film."The Longest Yard" is entertaining through and through; there is not one sequence in the movie which drags on. The interplay between Reynolds and his collection of convicts is a riot. Fine support is given by character actors Michael Conrad, Harry Caesar, Richard Kiel and Robert Tessier as cons. Real life NFL stars Ray Nitschke and Joe Kapp, representing the guardsmen, lend authenticity to the live football action. Ed Lauter (Capt. Wilhelm Knauer), the leader and quarterback of the guards, provides an excellent counter to Reynolds character.If there is a disturbing element to the film, it is the knowledge that one watches this movie rooting for the convicts- the worst society has to offer. This is effectively off set by depicting them humanely while showing the guards as racist and demeaning. The stereotypical southern prison suggests some of these cons (especially the minorities) were more than likely railroaded or at the very least given harsher sentences than they deserved.This movie was typical of the times for its gritty and impoliticly correct themes- a breath of fresh air compared to today's ultra sensitive society. And the recent remake, as usual in these instances, doesn't compare to the wit and fun of its predecessor; Adam Sandler couldn't hold Burt Reynolds' jock as an entertainer. One of my favorites!

Burt Reynolds Plays Paul Crewe,a former pro quarterback,whose life takes a turn for the worse as he find himself in jail.The warden(Eddie Albert) has a sadistic mean streak.he petitions Crewe to form a football team from the inmates to play against the guards(a semi pro team)in four weeks as a warm up match before the semi pro season begins.the warden assumes an easy brutal victory against the inmates.But Crewe and his ragtag bunch have other ideas.this movie has everything,lots of one liners,some very funny situations.even some drama,and action.oh,yeah,there's football too.i would classify this movie as as dramedy,a drama/comedy hybrid,with some action.i laughed quite a bit.the football scenes,especially the hits, are very authentic and there is a lot of violence,though nothing very graphic.overall,the Longest Yard is a very good movie,that is more than a football movie.even if you don't like football,you should still enjoy this film. a strong 8/10