Having finally got the chance to see the first Smokey and the Bandit on the big screen, I was brought to mind of the two sequels and how disappointing I found them. Well, you ask, what would I do if I had the ear of Hal Needham?
1980
Big Enos Burdette (Pat McCormick) isn't happy. He managed to get Bo "Bandit" Darville (Burt Reynolds) cleared of all legal troubles following his little job for him, plus he even got Sherrif Buford T. Justice (Jackie Gleason) embarrassed. Yeah, turns out you can't chase someone across multiple states for no reason.
Turns out that cost him some serious green. He has a plan though. He'll be governor! Little Enos (Paul Williams) points out the flaw in this thinking, but Big Enos has a plan. The Republican Convention is going to be held in Dallas in a week. Big Enos figures if he has a heck of a fireworks display (curtesy of the Burdette Fireworks Factory, located just across from El Paso in Mexico) he'll be a lock.
Naturally there is only one man for the job, well, two if you count Snowman (Jerry Reed). Snowman to drive the fireworks from El Paso to Dallas (starting in Georgia) and the Bandit to run blockade. Atlanta to El Paso to Dallas in four days. Should be a milk run, right?
What happened to Frog (Sally Field)? She broke up with Bandit and went back to dancing. She's doing a show too, at least she would of her car hadn't broken down right on the county line of Sheriff Justice's county.
He's ready to haul in her ("Nevermind what for!") when she manages to get her car fixed and hauls tail out of there. The problem comes from Junior (Mike Henry). He was trying to be helpful and ended up locking himself in her trunk.
Now convinced she's kidnapped his son, Buford is in hot pursuit! Not understanding why she's being chased (thinking he's still mad about her leaving Junior), Frog manages to ditch the car and hooks up with Bandit.
They get to El Paso and get the fireworks loaded. Buford, now convinced that Bandit is behind everything, calls in his twin brother Gaylord Justice (Gleason) of the Texas Rangers! Who have jurisdiction for all of Texas you know.
Now the chase is on.
Buford manages to wreck his car crashing into the back of Snowman's trailer. Flicking his trusty lighter as they near the convention, Buford turns the truck into a jet engine. Snowman manages to bail out, taking Fred (the dog) with him as the truck hits a ramp and launches over the convention center and explodes in a spectacular display.
There is a moment of silence as they remember Buford before Junior looks up. We see Bufrod slowly descending to Earth thanks to a parachute. "A lawman is always prepared!" he bellows as he gets snagged on the horns of a nearby bull statue and left hanging.
Taking the money from Big Enos, Bandit and co. race off as Buford hollows "Sumbitch!" after them.
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