The Last American Hero

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49%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 241

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Movie Info

Lamont Johnson's subtle direction graces this true-life success story about racecar driver Junior Jackson (Jeff Bridges), based on stock-car champion Junior Johnson. As a child in North Carolina, Jackson stays one step ahead of reform school until his father (Art Lund) is thrown in prison for moonshining. Seeing the error of his ways, Jackson begins to concentrate his driving skills, hoping to become a professional stock car racer to raise money to get his father released from jail. Jackson rises from the ranks into the highest rung of professional stock car racing, but Jackson finds his independent nature is compromised by the corporate realities of the professional sports world. The real Junior Johnson served as technical advisor on the film. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

Rating:

PG
Genre:

Action & Adventure, Classics, Drama, Sports & Fitness
Directed By:

Lamont Johnson
In Theaters:

Jul 27, 1973 wide
On Disc/Streaming:

Feb 7, 2006
Runtime:

95 minutes
Studio:

20th Century Fox

Cast

Jeff Bridges
as Elroy Jackson Jr./Junior Jackson

Valerie Perrine
as Marge Dennison

Geraldine Fitzgerald
as Mrs. Jackson

Ned Beatty
as Hackel

Gary Busey
as Wayne Jackson

Art Lund
as Elroy Jackson Sr.

Ed Lauter
as Burton Colt

Gregory Walcott
as Cleve Morley

William Smith
as Kyle Kingman

Tom Ligon
as Lamar

Ernie F. Orsatti
as Davie Baer

Erica Hagen
as Trina

James Murphy
as Spud

Lane Smith
as Rick Penny

View All

Critic Reviews for The Last American Hero

All Critics (5) | Fresh (4) | Rotten (1)

The theme, which got lost somewhere back in the hills or out on the crowded track, is the one about the loner who finds he must compromise with the establishment.

Nov 20, 2003 | Full Review…

Tony Mastroianni
Cleveland Press

View All Critic Reviews (5)

Audience Reviews for The Last American Hero

Dec 23, 2009

Fine drama even if you're not a race fan. Jeff Bridges gives a customarily excellent performance strongly supported by Valerie Perrine, Geraldine Fitzgerald and Art Lund. An added plus is that the movie's theme song, I've Got a Name. a particularly fitting choice given the subject, is sung by Jim Croce.

jay n Super Reviewer