Watch The Great Smokey Roadblock

The Great Smokey Roadblock is a 1977 comedic drama film directed by John Leone and starring Henry Fonda, Eileen Brennan, and Austin Pendleton. The film tells the story of CB radio enthusiasts who band together to protect a trucker who is being pursued by the police for breaking the speed limit. The film is set in the US in the 1970s, during the height of the CB radio craze. CB radios were popular among truckers, who used them to communicate with each other while driving. The film's central character is a trucker named Elegant John Howard (played by Henry Fonda), who breaks the speed limit while transporting a load of illegal weapons across the country. The police pursue him, and as he races towards the state line, a group of CB radio enthusiasts band together to help him.

The group is led by the feisty and determined Janice (played by Eileen Brennan), who convinces the other CB radio users to help Elegant John by creating a "smokey roadblock". A "smokey" is CB slang for a police officer, and the term "smokey roadblock" refers to a situation where CB radio users block the road to prevent a police car from getting through.

As Elegant John races towards the state line, the group sets up a "smokey roadblock" that prevents the police from chasing him. The group also uses their CB radios to warn Elegant John of any potential obstacles on the road, such as other police cars or roadblocks. Despite the police's best efforts, Elegant John manages to escape and cross the state line.

The film's comedic moments come from the interactions between the group of CB radio users. The group includes a neurotic businessman named Harold (played by Austin Pendleton), a tough-talking trucker named Ironbutt (played by Dana Elcar), and a young hippie couple named Moonbeam and Sunshine (played by Robert Englund and Susan Sarandon, respectively). The group's eccentricities and quirks provide a lot of laughs throughout the film.

The Great Smokey Roadblock also has some more serious themes that provide depth to the story. The film deals with issues of individual freedom and the power of the state. Elegant John is presented as a sympathetic character who is trying to make a living in a difficult environment. The illegal weapons he is transporting are never used or even seen in the film, suggesting that they are not the real issue. Instead, the film suggests that Elegant John is being punished simply for trying to make a living in a world where the odds are stacked against him.

The film also deals with the power of community and the importance of working together. The CB radio enthusiasts in the film are all very different people, but they are able to put aside their differences and work towards a common goal. The group's success in helping Elegant John is a testament to the power of collective action and the importance of standing up for what is right.

Overall, The Great Smokey Roadblock is a fun and engaging film that combines comedy with more serious themes. The performances by Henry Fonda, Eileen Brennan, and Austin Pendleton are all excellent, and the film's message about community and individual freedom is still relevant today. If you're looking for a feel-good film with a heartwarming message, The Great Smokey Roadblock is definitely worth checking out.

The Great Smokey Roadblock is a 1977 action movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 43 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.0.