Stroker Ace is a 1983 action/comedy movie, filmed in North Carolina and Georgia, about a NASCAR driver played by Burt Reynolds.
The co-stars were Jim Nabors, Loni Anderson, Ned Beatty, and Bubba Smith, with appearances by many NASCAR drivers. Cameos include: Dale Earnhardt, Richard Petty, Neil Bonnett, Harry Gant, Terry Labonte, Kyle Petty, Benny Parsons, Tim Richmond, Ricky Rudd, Cale Yarborough, and announcers Ken Squier, David Hobbs, and Chris Economaki. The movie was filmed on location at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Talladega Speedway and the Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia. The theme song was performed by Charlie Daniels.[1]
Burt Reynolds turned down the role of astronaut Garrett Breedlove in Terms of Endearment to do this film. The role went to Jack Nicholson, who went on to win an Academy Award.[2]
The movie was adapted from the 1971 novel Stand On It, an autobiography of fictional driver "Stroker Ace". Authors Bill Neely and Bob Ottum wrote this compendium of stories of actual events from the racing world as if they had all happened to the driver they created (so they wouldn't face legal action for naming the real participants).
Plot summary
Stroker Ace is a popular race car driver on the NASCAR circuit. An all-or-nothing guy, if he doesn't crash, he wins. He is arrogant and pompous, with no regard for the business side of his racing team. When he runs afoul of his current sponsor by dumping a load of wet concrete on him, he has to find a new one.
Fried-chicken mogul Clyde Torkel, along with his chauffeur, Arnold, and newly appointed director of marketing and public relations, Pembrook Feeny, convince Stroker and his chief mechanic, Lugs Harvey, to sign up with him.
Overlooking his contract (not reading its specifics), Stroker begins a new life as the commercial face for The Chicken Pit fast-food restaurants. (The slogan on Stroker's car reads: The Fastest Chicken in the South.) His contract stipulates that he must do personal appearances, which include dressing up in a chicken suit.
Realizing that he's locked into a bad deal, Stroker devises a plan with Lugs to get out of it. Torkel is on to Stroker, though, and allows his antics because he sees the racer as his big ticket to regional fame by promoting the Chicken Pit franchise.
A ladies' man, Stroker tries to seduce the beautiful Pembrook, who is a Sunday School teacher, doesn't drink, and is a virgin. She spurns all of his advances until he learns to respect her views. One night he has a chance to take advantage of her but doesn't.
Stroker is winning races under the Chicken Pit sponsorship and is in the running for the season-ending championship. Clyde at the beginning of the final race is offered a deal to sell his franchise for a huge profit (an elaborate scheme concocted by Stroker and his friends). The catch is if he wins the championship Stroker has to sell chicken for the next three years; if he loses is he out of the contract.
During the race Stroker is at odds with himself. He drops back in the race in an effort to lose, but his ego won't let him so he quickly begins moving back through the pack. Clyde, realizing that Stroker would rather lose than be bound by the contract, makes a public announcement that he is releasing Stroker immediately. He is unaware that Stroker is moving up through the field in an effort to win.
With the news that he is free from the contract, Stroker wins the championship in spectacular fashion by flipping his car over as he crosses the finish line. Clyde then finds that the lucrative offer for his chicken franchise is a fake, cooked up by Stroker and his friends.
Reception
The film was both a commercial and critical bomb. It received five Golden Raspberry Award nominations including Worst Picture, Worst Director, Worst Actress (Anderson) and Worst New Star (also for Anderson), winning one for Jim Nabors as Worst Supporting Actor.
Main cast
Sources
References
- ^ Stroker Ace at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ Tears of Endearment trivia at the Internet Movie Database.
External links
