Stroker Ace

Stroker Ace
Theatrical poster by Drew Struzan
Directed by Hal Needham
Produced by Hank Moonjean
Screenplay by
Based on Stand On It (novel)
by
Starring
Music by Al Capps
Cinematography Nick McLean
Edited by
  • William D. Gordean
  • Carl Kress
Production
company
Yahi Productions
Distributed by Warner Bros.
Universal Pictures
Release date
 July 1, 1983 (1983-07-01)
Running time
 96 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $16.5 million
Box office $11.4 million[1]

Stroker Ace is a 1983 American action comedy film directed by Hal Needham and starring Burt Reynolds as the eponymous Stroker Ace, a NASCAR driver.

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. Reynolds said he made this decision because "I felt I owed Hal more than I owed Jim" but that it was a turning point in his career from which he never recovered. Although car-themed films starring Reynolds had all previously been successes - including four made with Needham - Stroker Ace flopped. "That's where I lost them," he later said of his fans.[2]

Plot

Stroker Ace is a popular race car driver from Waycross, Georgia, and (according to dialogue), a three-time champion, on the NASCAR circuit, and driver of a #7 Ford Thunderbird. An all-or-nothing man, he wins if he does not crash. He is arrogant and pompous, with no regard for the business side of his racing team. He also has an on-track, season-long rivalry with ambitious young driver Aubrey James (Parker Stevenson), who drives a #10 1982 Buick Regal sponsored by Four-Star Whiskey.

When he runs afoul of his current sponsor, Jim Catty (Warren Stevens) of Zenon Oil, 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 (Bubba Smith), and newly appointed director of marketing and public relations, Pembrook Feeny (Loni Anderson, a discovery and protege of producer Hugh Wilson), convince Stroker and his chief mechanic, Lugs Harvey, to sign up with him.

Overlooking his contract by 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 proves to stipulate that he must do personal appearances, which include dressing up in a chicken suit—feet included.

Realizing that he is 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, does not drink, and is a virgin. She spurns all of his advances until he learns to respect her views. One night, after getting her drunk on champagne, he removes her clothing and has a chance to take advantage of her, but decides against it.

Stroker is winning races under the Chicken Pit sponsorship and is in the running for the season-ending championship. At the beginning of the final race, Torkel is offered a deal to sell his franchise for a huge profit, as part of an elaborate scheme that Stroker and his friends have concocted. The catch is that if he wins the championship Stroker has to sell chicken for the next two 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. Torkel, 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. Torkel then finds that the lucrative offer for his chicken franchise is a fake, cooked up by Stroker and his friends.

Main cast

Production

Original Novel

The film was adapted from the 1974 novel Stand On It, an autobiography of fictional driver "Stroker Ace." The novel's joint authors, William Neely and Robert K. Ottum, based the book on actual events from the racing world but with their protagonist as the subject.[3]

The critic from the Chicago Tribune thought it "would do for stock car racing what... Semi-Tough did for football."[4] "How this one found its way between hard covers is a mystery," said The New York Times.

Development

In 1977 Philip Feldman of First Artists Productions announced the company had bought the film rights to the novel to make a vehicle for Paul Newman.[5] The following year Mort Sahl was reportedly writing a script.[6]

Producer Walter Wood read the novel in 1978 and decided it would make a film.[7] "I see it as an innocent, unpretentious comedy," said Wood. "I just wanted it to be a slice of fun." [8]

"It was never my intention to make a 'racing film'," he added. "I wanted a light comedy and that's what I got. I also wanted Hal Needham to direct and Burt Reynolds to star and that's who I got. I knew that they'd know about the milieu and that they'd teach me. Those guys know the film's characters. Stroker is a composite." [9]

He got Hal Needham, who owned a NASCAR racing team with Reynolds, to direct. Needham got Burt Reynolds to star. "I didn't actually ask Burt if he'd like to do it," said Needham, "but when I was in New York I looked him up and told him how funny the script was. Two days later he called and said 'Needham, I want to do that film'. I hadn't been laying a trap for him. With his other commitments I just didn't see how he could do it but he pushed everything back to fit this one in."[10]

The actor's fee was reportedly $5 million.[11] Finance came from Warners and Universal, which both owned Reynolds a film - Universal got domestic theatrical, Warners other domestic and foreign.[12]

The co-stars were Jim Nabors, Loni Anderson, Ned Beatty, Parker Stevenson, and Bubba Smith, with appearances by many NASCAR drivers, such as: 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 film was Anderson's feature debut, although she was already well known through he appearances in WKRP in Cincinnati and in TV movies.[7][13]

Filming

Stroker Ace was filmed in North Carolina[14][15] and Georgia at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway and the Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia.

The theme song was performed by Charlie Daniels.

"We wanted to make a very broad comedy and I was worried that the drivers might resent it when they saw it," Wood said. "But they loved the simplicity of it, so I'm off the hook as far as the racing is concerned."[8]

"If you like Burt Reynolds, you'll like this movie," the producer added. "It was made for his fans which, for a producer, is not a bad reason to make a movie. I've never been involved in so commercial a movie. I'm not really that financially-oriented. I always go for the subject. I've lost a couple of fortunes doing that. Making 'Stroker Ace' was like being a kid and running away with the circus. But that's not my lifestyle."[9]

Reception

The film was a 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.

Wood said, "For the past five years, Burt has been No. 1 at the box office, and during that period, there has seldom been a good review of anything he's done."[7] However the film was a major commercial disappointment.[16]

Stroker Ace also earned a 20% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 15 reviews, with an average rating of 2.3/10.[17]

Legacy

Comedian Robert Wuhl specifically mentioned Stroker Ace as an example when he said that "Burt Reynolds makes so many bad movies, when someone else makes a bad movie Burt gets a royalty."

References

  1. ↑ A record summer at the box office. The Globe and Mail September 8, 1983. p. E2.
  2. ↑ Modderno, Craig (4 January 1987). "Burt Reynolds is the Comeback Kid". Los Angeles Times. p. L6. Retrieved 2 July 2014. ]
  3. ↑ Glick, Shav. Books Detail Inside Racing Information: Motor Racing. Los Angeles Times. December 20, 1973. p. D10.
  4. ↑ Markus, Robert. But for snowstorm, Stroker Ace might be revealed. Chicago Tribune December 21, 1973. p. C3.
  5. ↑ Kilday, Gregg. Film Clips: Taking Stock at First Artists. Los Angeles Times. December 10, 1977. p. C9.
  6. ↑ Grant, Lee. Humble Sahl as a Screenwriter. Los Angeles Times. June 19, 1978. p. F11.
  7. 1 2 3 Chase, Chris (July 8, 1983). "At The Movies - A job for fans of Burt Reynolds". New York Times. p. C6. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
  8. 1 2 Ryan, Desmond. Prospect Park Graduate Brings His Movie Home. Philadelphia Inquirer. June 26, 1983. p. H3.
  9. 1 2 Baltake, Jo. Walter Wood, Producer. Philadelphia Daily News. July 1, 1983. p. 41.
  10. ↑ Stunt Man's Big Break: Directing: Hal Needham. Los Angeles Times. June 24, 1982. p. I1.
  11. ↑ Harmetz, Aljean (July 26, 1983). "At The Studios, Star Billing Means a Parking Space". New York Times. p. C11. Retrieved September 25, 2018.
  12. ↑ LA Clips – Is E.T. intended to pave the way for alien contact? Deans, Laurie. The Globe and Mail. Toronto, Ont. July 9, 1982. p. E3.
  13. ↑ Burt & Loni!: Fast cars! A blonde virgin! And a great chicken suit! Stewart, Zan. Los Angeles Times. April 29, 1983. p. N4.
  14. ↑ "NC Film & TV Productions 1980–1989". North Carolina Film Office. Retrieved February 17, 2015.
  15. ↑ "Race Country USA Popular Location For Hollywood". North Carolina Film Office. December 22, 2008. Retrieved February 17, 2015.
  16. ↑ Pollock, Dale. Summer Films: The Why of Those Red-Ink Blues: Summer Movies: Box-Office Blues. Los Angeles Times July 14, 1983. p. G1.
  17. ↑ "Stroker Ace (1983)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
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