Oscar Movies: Longest Yard, The (1974)–Action Comedy from Aldrich

In this popular tale, directed by Robert Aldrich, Burt Reynolds plays a football player, who is forced by a sadistic warden (Eddie Albert) to head a convict football team in prison in a game against the official guards.

As expected of Aldrich (The Dirty Dozen) is a vulgar and violent but also sharply executed action-comedy, scripted by Tracy Keenan Wynn.

The supporting cast includes Ed Lauter, Michael Conrad, Bernadette Peters, Mike Henry, and Richard Kiel.

Oscar Nominations: 1

Film Editing: Michael Luciano

Oscar Context

The winners of Film Editing were Harold F. and Carl Kress for the disaster movie, The Towering Inferno