The Gumball Rally

PG

1976

1h 46m

Comedy

List

29%

14 Reviews

Tomatometer

65%

2,500+ Ratings

Audience Score

A businessman (Michael Sarrazin), his rival (Tim McIntire) and other speed lovers enter an outlaw coast-to-coast car race.

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Tim O

Another film that I 'remember' - from seeing in a drive-in as a kid in the 70s - than holds up to later watches as an adult. Entertaining in it's way. But not particularly solid, nor the best example of a depiction of this set of races... [shrug]

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

12/18/23

Full Review

Christopher B

I would watch this movie as a kid just for the cars

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/28/23

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Audience Member

As a kid when Gumball Rally came out it started my infatuation with car movies. Is it high cinema? No but it's funny and glorious excess.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/15/23

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kevin w

Innocent live action cartoon whose gist is a light-hearted and adolescent upward turned middle finger against the 55 mph speed limit. Starring a Cobra, a Ferrari, a Camaro, a Kawasaki, and some erstwhile half-drawn characters behind the wheels of said vehicles, this protest shakes it's fist at "for-your-own-good" societal norms, a meaningless act of rebellion with a half smile. Only lacking the Delta House fraternity.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

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Audience Member

Fun harmless movie full of fast cars.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/24/23

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Audience Member

The original film version of the coast-to-coast illegal Cannonball Run race is better than 1981's "Cannonball Run" but lacks the star power of that film. It does have a solid cast with Michael Sarrazin, Tim McIntire (who did the voice of Blood in "A Boy and His Dog"), Raul Julia, Gary Busey, J. Pat O'Malley, Nicholas Pryor, Vaughn Taylor, and Colleen Camp. Still, that's nowhere as cool or fun as Burt & Dom and Sammy & Dean (not to mention Jack Elam). This version of the illegal race unfolds pretty much the same as Cannonball, with a quirky group of diverse characters racing from the east to west coast in a series of comedic episodic events. Directed by Chuck Bail, this film features more exciting of chase sequences, with lots of effective low-angle car POV shots and some exciting editing, but the film's overall tone is just about as light as breezy as Cannonball. There's fun sequences involving the racers getting past police roadblocks and other obstacles, and Gary Busey doing a rebel yell is pretty irresistible. Overall, "The Gumball Rally" isn't a classic, but it's a fun breezy car chase film that you'll enjoy while watching, but will probably forget about 10 minutes after it's over.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/31/23

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Chuck Bail

Director

Michael Sarrazin

Michael Bannon

Tim McIntire

Steve "Smitty" Smith

Raul Julia

Franco

Norman Burton

Lieutenant Roscoe

Gary Busey

Gibson

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Variety Staff

Variety

Former stunt coordinator Chuck Bail produced and directed but he didn't have much of a plot.

May 5, 2008

Full Review

Time Out

It relies almost exclusively on the exceptional stunt work, the plot only occasionally dropping into first gear for some boring and irrelevant dramatic stuff.

Jun 24, 2006

Full Review

Richard Eder

New York Times

People who pay money to see this effort to find knee-slappers in the 55 mile-an-hour speed limit will also make amiable fools of themselves.

Rated: 2/5

May 9, 2005

Full Review

Vickie Ong

Honolulu Advertiser

As a film, The Gumball Rally is as substantial as chewing gum, as satisfying as the day-old gunk that sticks to your shoe... In short, The Gumball Rally is horrid stuff.

Apr 5, 2024

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Rene Jordan

El Nuevo Herald (Miami)

The Gumball Rally is a perfect film if you watch it with your mind blank. [Full review in Spanish]

Aug 14, 2023

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Steve Warren

The Barb (Atlanta)

The Gumball Rally is for people who like stupid movies.

May 9, 2023

Full Review

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Synopsis

A businessman (Michael Sarrazin), his rival (Tim McIntire) and other speed lovers enter an outlaw coast-to-coast car race.

Director: Chuck Bail
Production Co: Warner Brothers/Seven Arts
Rating: PG
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2009
Runtime: 1h 46m

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