The Nostalgic Riot of “The Cannonball Run”

Oh, “The Cannonball Run” – a film that feels like a mad road trip you didn’t know you needed. Directed by Hal Needham, this crazy cavalcade bursts out of the starting line with a star-studded cast that’s more jam-packed than a Friday night på Globen. Burt Reynolds flashes that charming grin of his, racing alongside Dom DeLuise and the ever-slick Roger Moore. I remember watching it on an old VHS at my mormor’s place, the tape barely holding together from being rewinded so many times.

The plot? Well, it’s about as serious as a joke at a midsommar fest. A bunch of eccentrics decide to race across the U.S. in the most haphazard, anything-goes style possible. I mean, what’s not to love about a film where racing ambulances and priests in hot rods are mere sidenotes?

Is it a cinematic masterpiece? Maybe not. It’s more like that odd piece of folk art at a garage sale—a bit rough around the edges but full of charm. And that theme song, “Cannonball” by Ray Stevens, still comes knocking in my head every so often.

It’s all in the spirit, really. You can almost smell the burnt rubber and hear the roaring engines, like they’re zooming past your local café instead of across the States. Made during a time when films didn’t take themselves too seriously, it evokes a nostalgia for a fun that’s both reckless and innocent.

A bit like Swedish summers in Piteå, running wild till the sun peeks back up. If you haven’t seen it, maybe give it a spin. Not everything has to be Oscar material to bring a smile, right?

Check the trailer below