A rich girl steals her dad's Rolls Royce and heads off to Las Vegas to get married. However, her angry parents, a jealous suitor, and a bunch of reward seekers are determined to stop her.

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Randy Rodman (RandyRodman@cs.com) from United States
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This movie will never be remembered as great filmmaking, but it's sure to go down in history as an eerily accurate time capsule of the 1970's. The seventies, a time when, despite the depressingly high crime rate, people left their keys in the ignition without giving it a second thought; when cars were stolen so often we considered them communal property.(By the way, if you're ever the victim of a car theft, stand in the road shaking your fist as the car drives off, then yell 'come back here!' as loudly as possible. This is sure to get your car back.)The seventies were a magical time, when gubernatorial candidates wore jumpsuits without fear of ridicule and kept hired goons on retainer; when towns had only one radio station and we all listened to it; when whiny polo players were considered good catches.

And the car chases! Every day and twice on holy days, my Dad would tell me. Many times, while driving to his job as Jack Lord's shoe buffer, he would come across an impromptu car chase headed to Las Vegas or Tahiti or some other fun place and you better believe he joined in! He would be gone for weeks at a time but we always understood. Mom and I were never worried about him; we could follow his progress from the constant radio reports given by the DJ flying overhead. In the seventies, radio stations thought nothing of scrapping their entire playlist and sending up a fleet of helicopters manned by skinny DJs in smoked glasses to spend days covering a car chase while whole police forces sat idly by, except for that one wacky policeman who always seemed to show up carrying some personal vendetta against one of the chasers and was in way over his head but didn't know it because he wasn't too bright but we understood and we loved him anyway.

Because it was the seventies.



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helpless_dancer from Broken Bow, Oklahoma
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Nutty, non stop laughfest depicting 2 idealistic, love struck teens determined to make it to Vegas to be wed against the wishes of the bride's parents. This sets off a huge manhunt for the pair by any and every breed of looney, each intent on cashing in on the 25K reward. Never have I seen this many wrecks; dozens and dozens, maybe more. Kooky comedy at it's best.

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G-Man-25 from Iowa City, IA
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Ron Howard's directorial debut (in which he also stars) is a pretty good piece of drive-in movie fun, with a silly but fast-paced story and enough car chases and crashes to keep those who go for this kind of thing plenty satisfied. A handful of familiar faces in amusing cameos add to the fun.

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Brian T. Whitlock (GOWBTW) from WILMINGTON, NC
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Ever since his breakthrough with "American Graffiti", and TV'S "Happy Days", this movie should be making the headlines all the way! Transitioning from actor to director and writer, Ron Howard is at the top of his game. In "Grand Theft Auto", Ron plays Sam, a smart, simple man who runs off with a rich man's daughter named Paula ( Nancy Morgan) , whom her father and mother disapproves completely. They set her up with a wealthy man, whom she doesn't like. In order to put them in their places, she runs off in her father's Rolls Royce. And the chase is on! The two couple go on into a high speed chase all the way to Las Vegas to elope.Unfortunately, the father wants to put a stop to it. After avoided all the roadblocks set by her father, the duo never stopped. Even the fiancé wants her back. But, stealing every car cost everyone their chances to stop the couple from heading to Las Vegas. The fiancé mother (Marion Ross) was in so much trouble with the law from stealing a car, to assault to a policeman, I don't think she''ll ever see the light again. With all the wrecks and totals, the insurance rates have skyrocketed. With so many stars including Happy Days producer Garry Marshall, Marion and Ron weren't very Cunningham like in this movie: the language, obscene gestures, and Marion hitting the officer in the groin. The grand theft auto turned into a media circus for the two, but they ended up instant celebrities at the end. Who says you won't have a happy ending? Make your dream come true. This movie was excellent. I enjoyed it very much. 4 out of 5 stars.

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lost-in-limbo from the Mad Hatter's tea party.
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A young couple Sam and Paula are planning to be hitched, but when they confront Paula's influential parents about it. They won't have any of it, and beg her to marry the snobby, rich Colin. Instead she and Sam steal her father's Rolls Royce and head to Las Vegas to elope. From this a large road chase eventuates with Colin calling a radio station to announce a $25,000 reward for Paula. While on their tails, Colin's mother Vivian joins in with another $25,000 for his return. Soon Paula's father has got out the big guns to stop them, while plenty of nutty people join in chase for the doe and the local radio station DJ happens to be commentating the action in a hovering helicopter.

Just sit back, and soak it all up. Following the success of Ron Howard's starring vehicle "Eat My Dust". Another chance was on offer, and this follow up had Ron Howard kicking off his directorial debut under the watchful eye of producer Roger Corman and what we get is purely light-headed fun with non-stop bustle and chaos ensured. This tight budget drive-in, b-film is a madcap chase comedy all the way, which is ebulliently staged and provides such a rush due to Howard's concisely economical and desirable direction. The animatedly mindless screenplay, which is penned by Ron and his father Rance Howard crackles with plenty of freedom to cluster and stretch out the story with mini sub-plots, clever visual gags, highly witty dialogues and a circus show of colourful characters. The concept is simple, old-school and cartoonish, but Howard's knowledgeable timing and honest tailoring lets the film open up naturally with its crackerjack pacing that never lets the momentum slip and expansively robust and tightly choreographed stunts that lead onto a smash-a-thon of fast and stolen motor vehicles ending in flourish of explosions. Howard captures many well-displayed images. Helping out behind the scenes, is that of Joe Dante's airtight, sped-up editing to Gary Graver' sharply inventive cinematography and giving the film some heart is the casually, cosy music score that can spruce up when needed. Being shot on location in open desert back roads gave it a down 'n' dirty feel of authenticity. Attached to it are joyful performances from the entire cast who like to gesture a lot. Nancy Morgan shines excellently in a sprightly cheeky turn as Paula and Ron Howard amusedly sits on cruise control as Sam. The Corman-regulars that co-star on this one range from the eccentrically self-absorbed performance by a fantastic Don Steele, Clint Howard, Rance Howard and a minor appearance by Paul Bartel. Marion Ross and Paul Linke are a riot as Vivian and Collin Hedgeworth. Playing Paula's snotty parents are the enjoyably comic Elizabeth Rogers and Barry Cahill. Also Jim Ritz, Hoke Howell and Garry Marshall give capable, snappy and crazy support. Oh, they don't make 'em like this anymore. Man, these type of spirited features really put these wannabe shallow Hollywood dosh to shame. Something about these outings just seem to stay fresh.

"Grand Theft Auto" is a groovy, no-nonsense splurge into high-octane overload, which is considerably well executed with clarity and precision for what it is. So go ahead and floor it for one pleasurable and fulfilling genre romp.

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Lee Eisenberg (lee.eisenberg.pdx@gmail.com) from Portland, Oregon, USA
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Before Ron Howard made his most famous movies, he started with this ultra-wacky car chase story. Sam Freeman (Howard) and Paula Powers (Nancy Morgan) try to announce their marriage plans to her parents', but the latter refuse to accept it. So, Sam and Paula run away in a car. As the story progresses, the whole situation snowballs. That is, more and more people get drug in. And of course, a bunch of cars get wrecked. Much like in "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World", everyone drives in every direction at top speed, damn the peripheral consequences.

One thing that really caught my eye was that Marion Ross starred in "Grand Theft Auto". You may remember her as Marion Cunningham on "Happy Days". I guess that you could say that Richie decided to cast his mom. Maybe it would look like this:

Marion: "Now Richard, always remember to be careful behind the wheel."

(Richie zooms off.)

Marion: "He always took after Howard when it came to driving."

***

Either way, the movie's outlandish (in fact, it's done like a B-movie), but it's impossible not to like.

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Enchorde from Sweden
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Recap: Paula Powers, daughter of governor candidate Bigby Powers, has decided to spurn the fiancée, Collins, that her parents have chosen for her, and elope with her love Sam. She steals Bigby's Rolls Royce and heads for Vegas. This doesn't sit very well with Bigby and he hires a private investigator to catch them. Paula's wannabe fiancée also has something to say about Paula's idea and sets after them in his Porsche. But when he crashes his car, he calls to a popular radio station offering 25 000 dollars if the pair is caught, then steals a car and restarts the chase. Collin's mother then offers an additional 25 000 dollar if someone can return Collins to her unharmed. And then the chase is really on. Everyone that spots the Rolls wants in on the action, and it doesn't help that the whole circus is reported live.

Comments: One of a few quite similar movies that appeared at the end of the 70's along with such titles as Smokey and the Bandit and Gone in 60 Seconds. Like many of the others, Grand Theft Auto has a simple idea, offer a simple excuse for an extended car chase, crash a lot of vehicles in spectacular ways, and run it for approximately 90 minutes. As it is made in the late 70's, and on a low budget to boot, the special effects is notably poor. The cheapest effect that seemed readily available was to smash and crash cars, so that is repeated extensively. They actually takes it so far so that they actually end up in demolition derby, which just puts a name on what it has been all the way. But at as such it offers some easy entertainment, a few laughs and some very easy watching.

A little extra fun to watch as it is the real directing debut of Ron Howard, who also plays the lead character Sam in the movie. With the story as it is, which was also written partly by Ron, I can't say it is obvious that he would become a famous director. But you got to start somewhere. And as in many other of Ron's movies, brother Clint also appears in the cast.

But other than that, it isn't much to remember. If you enjoy a car chase movie, this is maybe something you want to see. If that doesn't necessarily thrill you, skip it.

5/10

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Anthony Bannon (bannonanthony) from Annalong, N. Ireland
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I've always had a soft spot for car chase movies, so naturally this one interested me. I wasn't disappointed. It has the usual elements of a film of it's type, the most prominent being the cast of eccentric characters constantly trying to get the better of each other.

SPOILER WARNINGS:

In his directorial debut, Ron Howard plays high school kid Sam who is in love with rich girl Paula. Needless to say, Paula's Ma and Pa, rich snobs who care only about their reputations (Her jogging-suit clad dad is running for Governor of California), disapprove. Her dad wants her to marry rich kid Collins Hedgeworth, whom Paula denounces as a 'flake'. Her dad tries to get the better of her by confiscating her car keys, but then she gets the last laugh as she purloins her old man's Rolls-Royce and picks up Sam. The two then set off for Las Vegas to get married.

Polo-playing wimp Collins tries to give chase, as does his mother, who is trying to get him back before he hurts himself. Collins calls DJ Don Steele and offers a $25,000 reward for Paula's safe return. His mother then calls up and offers another $25,000 for his return. At this point, the fun begins as a bunch of assorted nutcases join the chase. They include: a pair of horny mechanics, a bunch of bumbling private eyes hired by Paula's dad, a money-hungry preacher, a group of dynamite toting rednecks, a group of Hispanic low-riders and an LA cop looking to bust most of the group for grand theft auto.

The pace is frantic, and at times, you forget about certain characters because of the amount of time being focused on certain groups of them. The performances are rather good. Nancy Morgan as Paula seems to be the dominant one in their couple as she does most of the talking. The late Don Steele is great in his role as DJ Curly Q. Brown, which is essentially a reprise of his role of Junior Bruce in DEATH RACE 2000 (also produced by Roger Corman. DEATH RACE director Paul Bartel has a cameo here.). Ron's brother Clint of course appears here as one of the mechanics. He and his partner Pete Isacksen are both great as the sex-mad mechanics.

The car wrecks sometimes happen for no real reason, but they are all brilliantly done. Appropriately, the action reaches it's climax at a demolition derby outside Vegas. This film is brilliant and is a must for car chase fans, like me!

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Scarecrow-88 from United States
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Eloping because her parents were not happy of her marrying against their wishes, Nancy Morgan and boyfriend Ron Howard(who also directed)head for Vegas in papa's(Barry Cahill) Rolls Royce with many vehicles damaged along the way. Morgan was supposed to marry a rich prick(Paul Linke, who is hilarious) she doesn't even like because her parents wanted her to be a part of his wealthy family. Set out on the highway, Linke chases after them, with his mom(Marion Ross, Howard's Happy Days co-star)trying to find him. Linke thinks Nancy's been brainwashed and he plans to find her while placing a bond for anyone who will hunt them down and bring her to him. Then Ross is caught driving a stolen car(her chauffeur's!), to be arrested after front ending a tree, flees the scene of the accident, and is followed by a cop whose police car was in turn "borrowed" by a preacher(Hoke Howell who is a hoot, always using the police car intercom as a means of communicating to Linke that he must turn himself over in the name of the Lord!) who sees dollar signs when he learns of a reward for the return of her son! There's nothing quite like vehicle carnage and director Howard lets out all the stops, with a car destroying something(or being destroyed by something)every five minutes it seems. This is also a movie about "evasive action". Howard and Morgan evading those out to catch them, constantly avoiding "reward seekers", hired men paid by her father(using "G-men", or at least they look like them, and a helicopter crew), and nutty Linke who thinks she's under Howard's mind control(in his mind, he's a hero in pursuit of a damsel in distress). The reward seekers come out of the woodwork, too..gas station attendant, two gearheads, the aforementioned preacher, and so on and so forth. I'll just tell the viewer to prepare for plenty of explosions and noise. Like other cross country chase movies, Howard and Morgan's "odyssey" becomes popular news and they reach a form of celebrity. You have a showstopping finale in a demolition derby where the orgy of car violence reaches it's climax. But, Howard doesn't end there..an obnoxious radio personality, who had been following them from a helicopter, decides to continue bugging them, finding instead a suburban house and outside pool awaiting him(there's nothing quite like seeing a station wagon exploding through the living room of a house). Clint Howard shows up as one of the gearheads who chases after our eloping young lovers. Rance Howard, Ron's dad, is hired by Morgan's father to find the kids. GRAND THEFT AUTO is exactly what it was intended to be, an entertaining comedy action drive-in movie. I thought Morgan and Howard has wonderful chemistry as the eloping couple, and the cast really inhibit their roles with a great deal of oomph.

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carbuff
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Not a good movie at all, but kind of dumb fun if you grew up in the 70s.

For any reasons other than nostalgia, I can't imagine anyone wanting to watch this lame film, the actual purpose of which seems to be an excuse to wreck cars and trucks.

It's just kind of entertaining though to look back at a movie that, while totally stupid, shallow and poorly acted, is simultaneously absurdly pure, simple, and innocent, just to remind myself of how different times really were when I was young, and that it wasn't just a dream.

dynamite|police chase|camp|car chase|b-movie|goofball|

AKAs Titles:


Certifications:
Australia:M / Canada:PG (Ontario) / Canada:G (Quebec) / Finland:K-12 / France:U / Iceland:L / Sweden:15 / UK:A (original rating) / UK:PG (video rating) / USA:PG (Approved No. 24958) / West Germany:12