Movie |
Stuntman | Motorcycle
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The film premiered in June 1977, three months before Evel Knievel and his associates attacked promoter Shelly Saltman with an aluminum baseball bat on September 21, 1977. With Knievel losing most of his sponsorship and marketing deals as a result of the bad publicity, the film became much less commercially attractive, only opening in four further international markets after Knievel's conviction. In addition, the wholesome image of Knievel the movie promoted and the plot point concerning Knievel's promoter being corrupt seemed ill-judged in the light of the events that saw Knievel imprisoned. As a result, the film fell into comparative obscurity until the DVD release.
Silent partner Irwin Allen ended up directing 80% of this movie after director Gordon Douglas became ill early in the production.
The more difficult stunts in the film were performed by stunt man Gary Lee Davis, though that fact was kept under wraps during the original release of the film.
There is a scene where Evel spots his friend and competitor Jessie (Marjoe Gortner), and races his bike up to him head-on, and Jessie (on foot) leaps over Evel's bike. This is actually a stunt that Evel used to do in his very early daredevil days (as the jumper), and even got seriously hurt once doing it.
The original footage used for Jessie's failed jump was from Evel Knievel's May 1975 crash at Wembley Stadium.
"Jessie: End of the line Evel. Evel Knieval: What did you say? Jessie: End of the line, man. Evel Knieval: What are you talking about, your suppose to be at the other end. Jessie: No. I always have been before, but not anymore. Today is my turn, my shot at the glory, I'm making this jump. Evel Knieval: What are you talking about. Those people paid their pesos to see me jump. Jessie: No way, man. I'm jumping. I've always known I was better than you. Today I'm gonna prove it. Now you just get out of my way. Evel Knieval: Hey! You been smoking something? You're high! Jessie: Man, maybe you oughtta get high! Hey man, Millard wants to kill you and your buddy Will to. You know, he even thinks he's gonna kill me. Evel Knieval: Why? Why would he do that? Jessie: Millard only brought you down here for one purpose and that's to take your body back to the United States as cover for about fifty million bucks worth of cocaine. Evel Knieval: Look, I've got a jump to make. [Jessie hits Evel in the head with his helmet and is knocks him out] Evel Knieval: ."
"Ralph Thompson: He's among friends. You see, this is an American sanitarium, Mr. Knieval. We're staffed by Americans and we accept only American patients. Evel Knieval: Boy, you sound too good to be true."
