The Gumball Rally

I remember articles about the movie when it was still being shot. It was supposed to be a light hearted romp across the country with the cars being the stars. With that in mind, it succeeds greatly. My son and I have watched the "Garage Scene" over and over again. This movie is to car nuts what a porno is to sex nuts. It's hard to believe you can indulge yourself this much in front of the family without feeling guilty. :^)

Also, I've read a few of the comments and would like to make corrections here. The transmission in the Cobra (yes it was a real 427 Cobra) was a four speed "Toploader" transmission, not a 5 speed Tremec. There were no replica Cobras in those days. Also, the Ferrari was a 365 GTS/4. I also remember reading that the first Ferrari rented for the movie was totaled and they had to get another to take its place. However, that was over 30 years ago.

Upon first view.. one will chuckle at the 70's production value in the opening sequence.

Get past that.

Gumball is the best of the cross-country race genre. Much better than any film in the Cannonball series. Why? For one...It's just as funny. Filled with some great lines and chock full of fantastic car sequences. Turning the speakers up may make it sound like you are at a Busch race. Raul Julia steals the show as far as the characters. Every moment that he's on the screen you'll have a smile from ear to ear.

"55 is unsafe....it's slow enough to make you think you're safe....but it's fast enough to kill you" Many scenes were shot at breathtaking speeds WITH THE ACTUAL ACTORS....this really adds to the realism... and overall, every car sequence is eye-popping. Where the 70's production value detracts from the film in the opening sequence....it actually helps in others...like when it adds a lightheartedness to the absolutely awesome downstretch in the waterways with the music....and of course the cars making music to automobile fans...Ferrari Daytona zipping....427 cobra roaring... steam from the water flying off the engine block.

The actors had fun making this one...and I had fun watching...all 20 some odd times.

shhhhhhhh..... ..........GUMBALL! 71/100

Somehow this movie came and went on DVD and I missed out. My loss.

This is one of the great outlaw road race comedies - better than Cannonball

Run, better than most of the Smokey and the Bandit movies. Time-warp

yourself back to America in 1976 with its national 55 mile-per-hour speed

limit and a recent history of gas rationing, and you will better appreciate

the spirit of this film. The incomparable Raul Julia is superb as the ringer Italian race car driver hired to win for the Ferrari team. Norman Burton

defines for generations the frustrated cop role in this film, and a youthful

Garey Busey tears up the screen as a rebel hick in a Camaro. I still get a

chill when I see the Cobra and Ferrari tearing down the Long Beach flood

control channels with no speed limits, lots of water and smooth concrete,

and the California sun shining down, and I still can't visit the Queen Mary

without seeing the Gumball Rally finish line and the lovely young insurance

policy hired by Michael Sarrizin. Mindless fun, but like a Sunday drive up

the coast, well-worth the trip. And if you find an extra copy of the DVD,

please send it my way!!!

If you're looking for non-stop racing, wild chases and more of the old good movies, check out "the Gumball Rally". It's fast and hilarious, it's old but it didn't lose its charm. My personal favorites were Michael Bannon and Samuel Graves and the car they drove - a beautiful, blue Shelby Cobra. To find out who wins is up to you - so watch it!

There's one negative point I have to add: during the movie, you will only see freaky, no-limit racing and a speed above 100 mph. Oh yes, enjoy the Ferrari 275 GTB. Beside the 250 GT California in FBDO, this is a unique car you won't see a lot in movies!

Just seeing these cars when in 1976 they were still "cheap" enough to not simply be garage queens - a Mercedes-Benz 300SL roadster, 427 Cobra, Ferrari Daytona Spyder, E-Type Jag...

This is based loosely on a true race, Brock Yate's original Cannon Ball Run - in which, if I am not mistaken, was in 1971 and like the movie, left Manhattan but ended up in Redondo Beach. Yates and Dan Gurney won in a Ferrari Daytona Coupe at 35:54, and surprisingly a Chevy Van was second some 50 minutes later.

Like the actual race there was some contestants who had a specially rigged van with a huge gas tank that was supposed to take them across the country without need for a fill up - nothing said on bathroom breaks.

If you are looking for a movie with some deep social message this isn't the one but if you like cars (and listening to the wonderful noises of the Cobra and Ferrari) this is the movie...