The Last American Hero (1973)

We all know what a hero is. What makes the Jeff Bridges character a hero here?Forced to go into car racing to help his jailed father, Bridges emerges as a race car winner. This tale could have been told in about half the time. The racing scenes are what you would expect in a typical Paul Newman film on this subject.What was Geraldine Fitzgerald thinking of when she made this film? Her British accent comes through her southern drawl and besides, she is given so little to do here. Ditto here for Gary Busey. He smiles here and that's about it for him.The one poignant scene where the father tells the sons that he wants something better for them other than prison is wasted. We never really know why the father was jailed for selling the whiskey. Was it moonshine?

Jeff Bridges gives a typically splendid, boyishly affable and charming performance as Elroy "Bobcat" Jackson, Jr., a cocky, rebellious, recalcitrant, trouble-making hot dog hillbilly moonshine runner who becomes a professional stock car racer and demolition derby driver in order to raise enough cash to get his dear ol' crusty, mule-headed pappy (a marvelously gruff Art Lund) out of jail. Assisted by his loyal, but hot-tempered brother Wayne (the always fine Gary Busey) and against the wishes of his staunch, worrisome mother (a wonderfully indomitable Geraldine Page), Elroy aspires to achieve champion driver status in the ferociously competitive world of professional stock car racing, thus having both his stubborn pride and homespun integrity put to the ultimate test in the process.Inspired by a Tom Wolfe "Esquire" article on flamboyant real life racing legend Junior Johnson (who worked as a consultant and technical adviser on the film), this spunky little number offers both a glorious celebration and a compelling exploration of rugged individualism and that great quintessentially all-American desire to be somebody in life. Lamont Johnson's sharply perceptive direction, ably complimented by George Silano's lively, breathtaking cinematography and Charles Fox's twangy country score (Jim Croce's blustery "I Got A Name" makes for a fantastic life-affirming theme song), astutely pegs the rowdy, boisterous, danger-ridden, and testosterone-soaked macho atmosphere of the racetrack milieu (the race scenes are suitably wild and thrilling) and delivers a rich, flavorsome evocation of humble, dirt poor, strongly family-oriented Southern backwoods America. William Roberts' acidulous script affects a cynically barbed and askew point of view in its penetrating portrait of America's love for do your own thing outlaw nonconformists and how winning inevitably comes with substantial unavoidable attachments. The stand-out supporting cast includes Valerie Perrine as a sweetheart racetrack groupie, William Smith as a formidable rival driver, Ed Lauter as a sleazy corporate sponsor, Ned Beatty as an oily demolition derby manager, and Lane Smith as an antsy, burnt-out driver. A terrifically tart'n'smart slice of pure Americana story of the guts and stamina it takes to actively pursue making your dreams come true.

I watched this movie today on AMC and loved it. I don't know how well the film was received upon release, but in light of the current Hollywood narrative for action movies, Last American Hero deserves appreciation. It should definitely be considered an American classic.The movie is a docu-drama based on the few years in the life of Junior Johnson, a famous stock car racer. A young Jeff Bridges brings the main character to life with a great performance, inspired and entertaining. The supporting cast is also excellent with Gary Busey as the brother and Valerie Perrine as the love interest.All the elements of a great movie that time forgot: thrilling racing scenes, three-dimensional characters, humor, a complicated plot, and so on.. It's a shame that action movies today don't sacrifice some of the explosions, blood, and high-tech props for the type of entertainment and engrossment that Last American Hero delivers.

Well, I guess I'll be the first Yank to comment on this "American" story. It's a good story. The film is loaded with some of my favorite offbeat actors: Bridges (Jeff, not the striaight man Bo), Gary (YeeHaw) Busey, Ned ("now take off dem panties") Beatty and Ed (The Venerable Prick) Lauter. I'm not much of a Nascar fan, nor country music fan, but I do bridge the gap between "The Eisenhower Era" (My folks) and today's ubiquitous Commerical Amerika. Not to be a spoiler...but this IS YOUR FATHER's Richard Petty (SENIOR), this IS about real tried and true American Rednecks passion for something. It's no Garth Brooks and seeing it 30 years after it was made, reminds of a time gone by...<sigh> I digress. If you're a nascar fan of today, or a REAL Nascar fan. RENT THIS. If not, catch on Cable and it's good story, good enough acting and technical attributes.