Film 33/52: Grand Theft Auto (1977)


As I mentioned a few weeks back, after reading Ron Howard's memoir, we were looking forward to watching his directorial debut for Roger Corman, Grand Theft Auto. I'm pleased to report that this one is even more fun than Eat My Dust!

Ron Howard plays Sam, whose love for Paula (Nancy Morgan, wife of John Ritter) isn't appreciated by her wealthy parents. When she announces that they're engaged, her father takes away her car keys, and tells her that she's going to marry the suitably rich Collins Hedgeworth (Paul Linke — CHiPs Artie Grossman). She steals the family Rolls-Royce, and with Sam they head to Vegas to get married. Hedgeworth arranges for a $25,000 reward for Paula's 'rescue,' and Hedgeworth's mother (Happy Days' Marion Ross) offers the same for his safe return, all of which gets communicated through radio DJ Curly Brown (the Real Don Steele!). This leads to a wild and zany chase from Los Angeles to Las Vegas by a crazy cast of characters interested in cashing in on the opportunity. Gary Marshall has a great cameo as a mob boss. 

The film is impressive for a first-time director, particularly given that the bulk of the story takes place on the road. There's no shortage of car action and crashes, and that's before we get to the climax set in a demolition derby. I also appreciated the fact that though he was the de facto star of the film, Ron Howard really takes a back seat (not literally) to Paula, whose story this really is, and Nancy Morgan does a convincing job with her performance. I might have to pull The Nest off the shelf to check her out in another role.  

The film was written by Ron Howard with his father Rance (who also has a role in the film), based on an earlier screenplay his father had written. I thought it was particularly funny that the stealing of the Rolls-Royce is not the only instance of grand theft auto in the film. It's a fun example of a road chase picture, and one that was enjoyable to experience on the big screen in The Slaughtered Lamb Cinema. 


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