THE LONGEST YARD
US, 2005, 113 minutes, Colour.
Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, Burt Reynolds, James Cromwell, Walter Williamson, Nellie, David Patrick Kelly, Nicholas Turturro.
Directed by Peter Segal.
Back in the 1970s, Robert Aldrich used to make some hard-hitting dramas that succeeded because of his tough style. The Longest Yard (re-titled The Mean Machine for non-American audiences who do not know or understand American football) was another star vehicle for Burt Reynolds who starred as a disgraced player fallen on hard times who is pressured by the prison warden to coach a team that his guards can play against and defeat. The Longest Yard has inspired two remakes in five years: Mean Machine, a British drama that pitted former footballer Vinnie Jones against David Hemmings and, now, keeping the original title, a vehicle for comedian Adam Sandler to challenge James Cromwell. And, over thirty years on, Burt Reynolds is there with a better than usual role as the prison coach. (Many of us won’t be around for the version thirty years from now with Sandler guest-appearing as the coach!)
This is a football movie, so don’t expect punches to be pulled. They aren’t, neither are the kicks and shoving. This is a prison movie, so don’t expect the usual fights amongst the inmate gangs, the sadistic behaviour of the guards to be pulled either. This is a 2005 movie, so don’t expect the language to be polite or the locker-room jokes to be tidied up. (Cloris Leachman, who is almost 80, turns up in a particularly crass and thankless role.)
That said, this is a testosterone sports film where it is tough to build up a team, where the clashes are grinding, where authorities are corrupt and unscrupulous, where comeuppance is also the name of the game.
It is also a comedy of sorts, especially with Adam Sandler drawing on his hangdog look persona and Chris Rock doing a lot of his usual patter (and able to get away with all kinds of racial humour). But, Sandler has been trying to develop his image in recent years to both romantic hero and stronger screen presence. It is a bit hard to accept him as a champion footballer, especially with Burt Reynolds alongside looking absolutely convincing. And James Cromwell and William Fichtner have proven themselves in many films as adept villains.
1. The entertainment value in the film itself? As a remake of a 70s classic? The story for the 21st century? As an Adam Sandler comedy?
2. The world of Paul Crewe, affluence, his lifestyle, the transition to prison? The detail of life in prison, the inmates, the games, the field? The musical score?
3. The title, prison and sport – the ambiguity of ‘yard’?
4. The plot, the familiarity of the stories of poor teams, their being transformed, victories? The Bad News Bears kind of story?
5. Crewe, his personality, his success as a footballer, the accusation of fixing the match, accepting the money? His girlfriend, her domination, the party, the range of guests, his forgetting, locking his girlfriend in the room, taking her car, the car pursuit – and the irony of its being filmed and her seeing it on television? His mocking her and the police?
6. Crewe going to prison, Captain Knauer and his tough methods, warning? The bashings? The warden, his political ambitions, sinister attitude, his adviser? Wanting Crewe to help him with his football team? The plan and the blackmail? Crewe unable to refuse?
7. The details of prison life, the personalities of the prisoners, the big men, the black men, the Hispanics? The tough men? The punishments, the box and isolation? The fights, the dining room?
8. Caretaker, his friendliness, quips, the racist comments which he could get away with? His friendship with Crewe, helping with the recruiting, the training? His being killed? His funeral?
9. Crewe and the various types, his ingratiating himself with them, the group of black prisoners and their admiration and finally joining him? The big man who was so soft?
10. The picture of the guards, their behaviour? Captain Knauer and his determination? Threats?
11. The training, training in the wet, the motivation?
12. The set-up for the killing of Crewe? Unger and his continually watching, snitching to the guards? The setting up of the explosion, Caretaker’s death?
13. Scarborough, his football background, in prison, his skills, helping with the coaching?
14. The build-up to the match, the warden and his determination? The play, the attack, the scores? The getting vengeance on the guards? The building into a team? The warden and his threats to Crewe, Crewe’s pulling back, Scarborough’s disgust, the group falling apart? Crewe and his memories of Caretaker, of not doing deals, of confronting the warden? The strong game, Scarborough’s scoring? Captain Knauer and his admiration for Crewe and the team playing a proper match, the warden wanting him to shoot Crewe – and his refusal?
15. The portrait of the warden, determined, political ambitions, his adviser, their tactics, the press? The media? His wanting to win at any cost, the threats to Crewe, his comeuppance?
16. The underlings winning, the crowd and their change of support, the queens and their being cheerleaders?
17. Miss Reynolds, the sex comedy? Chloris Leachman and her image of the lecherous secretary, the video taken?
18. The blend of raucous locker-room comedy, jokes, sex references? With the sports sequences? And characterisations of villains and sadistic warders?
