Viva Knievel!

Overview

Gordon M. Douglas' kitsch masterpiece starts as Evel Knievel (as himself) sneaks into an orphanage at midnight to distribute Evel Knievel action figures. Miraculously, one little boy casts aside his crutches and begins to walk. The plot kicks in as Evel, heading to a performance in Mexico, finds himself waylaid by nefarious drug dealers, headed by Stanley Millard (Leslie Nielsen), who plans to murder Evel in Mexico and then ship the body back across the border, loaded with drugs. Gene Kelly, of all people, is on hand as Will Atkins, Evel's sloppy-drunk sidekick.

Product Details

Release Date:	07/23/2019
UPC:	0883929690169
Original Release:	1977
Rating:	PG
Source:	Warner Archives
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Surround EX, Dolby Digital Mono]
Language:	English
Time:	1:44:00
Sales rank:	48,637

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Evel Knievel	Himself
Lauren Hutton	Kate Morgan
Gene Kelly	Will Atkins
Red Buttons	Ben Andrews
Leslie Nielsen	Stanley Millard
Frank Gifford	Himself
Sheila Allen	Sister Charity
Cameron Mitchell	Barton
Eric Olson	Tommy Atkins
Albert Salmi	Cortland
Dabney Coleman	Ralph Thompson
Ernie Orsatti	Norman Clark
Sidney Clute	Andy
Robert Tafur	Governor Garcia
Marjoe Gortner	Jessie Hammond
Ernie F. Orsatti	Norman Clark
Eric Shea	Actor
Charles Bernstein	Composer

Technical Credits

Norman Katkov

Antonio Santillán

L.B. Abbott	Special Effects
Sherrill C. Corwin	Executive Producer
Gary Davis	Stunts,Stunts
Gordon Douglas	Director
Stan Hough	Producer
Norman Katkov	Screenwriter
Jesse Wayne	Stunts
Herman Lewis	Sound/Sound Designer
Antonio Santillán	Screenwriter

Editorial Reviews

"So bad that it's good" -- a phrase that gets thrown around more often than not, though you can be sure that it does indeed apply to Evel Knievel's one and only dramatic film, Viva Knievel! Surrounded by a cast that includes not only Gene Kelly but also Red Buttons and Lauren Hutton, Evel's big break was and is exactly that, one broken down hunk of junk of a flick, despite the extra star-power behind it. Knievel was always a champion of the anti-drug movement when he talked to kids and this movie is absolutely no different! Not only does it open up in a children's orphanage with the daredevil dropping off presents to the lonely tikes, but the whole plot revolves around a hackneyed scheme to replace Evel at an event in Mexico so that Leslie Nielsen can import drugs into the U.S. illegally. It's like the motorcycled maniac had a checklist of story elements that the writers had to cross off when they were writing the script -- all of which makes Viva Knievel! all the more goofy and downright hilarious. Other high points include Kelly's drug freak-out in an insane asylum along with Evel's deft line delivery and flowing chest hair that never cease to astound each time they appear. Recommended for kitsch lovers and Knievel fans everywhere.