C.C. and Company (1970)

Very interesting film. Was caught on the premise when seeing the trailer but unsure as to what the outcome would be for the showing. As it turns out, it was a very good film.

Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast

it is finally so absorbing because it plays like a lyrical road odyssey that’s also a detective story.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Largely forgotten now, this movie was viewed by a lot of people in the 1970s. Parents saw it, mainly for Ann Margeret, in movie theaters during its 1st run, older kids caught it, mainly for Joe Namath, during its drive-in run and all us youngsters saw it when it made it's way to TV in the mid-1970s. I remember it fondly.A product of a by gone era, it's really not as bad as some have made it out to be. Worth it for the novelty of Joe Namath and the 1970s cheese factor alone. Broadway Joe isn't really half bad because he did have tremendous charisma and a screen presence which somewhat compensates for his lack of acting chops. Plus as his adversary, we have quintessential 1970s bad guy, William Smith (the unforgettable Falconetti from Rich Man, Poor Man mini series or bad-ass Jack Wilson in Clint Eastwood's Any Which Way You Can) who turns in a fine performance. Throw in Sid Haig, Crispin Glover's father Bruce (of Diamond's Are Forever fame) and a delightfully campy performance from Teda Bracci and you have a pretty memorable Biker gang.I wonder if Ann Margret and her husband originally thought of Elvis for the title role because this film is similar to many of his mid-sixties on screen personas (misunderstood rebel woos wary girl, defeats opposition in race at end). Fortunately for Elvis, his career, unlike Miss Margret's at the time, had just been spectacularly reignited with his TV Comeback Special and Vegas headlining. Anyway, Ann always possessed a great screen presence of her own; enough, along with all the outdoor scenery, to keep the viewer interested.I think if you take this movie for what it is, a mindless artifact of late 1960s/early 1970s culture starring one of that era's biggest icons, you won't regret having spent 90 mins. watching it on a dreary Saturday afternoon.

With Joe Namath being hot stuff on the football field, he had to have received a lot of different offers for his motion picture debut. So I'm wondering why he picked this one. Were the other offers even worse than this one? While Namath is not the worst actor I have seen in a movie, he is clearly out of his league here. He often seems ill at ease, and doesn't look comfortable on or off a motorbike. Maybe he felt defeated right from the start because of the script. The story is really rambling, and at times feels like the screenwriter was making things up as he went along instead of forming a solid story in his mind before putting the first piece of paper in his typewriter. There is some interest in the movie from the presence of B movie stars William Smith and Sid Haig, but for the most part they are wasted. Though the movie may sound unintentionally amusing, most viewers will be bored still far before the end credits roll by.

SPOILER below:The bikes are the stars here. Forget the plot - something about a biker who falls in with a rich "swinging chick," or some such bad cliche. The gang kidnaps her and he wins her back in a chopper race around the local school track. (at least, I remember that's what happens.) That Speedvision hasn't run this late some Saturday night will give you an idea what a snorer this is. If ever they do, keep the remote handy so you can surf back to the highway shots.

Joe threw the biggest bomb of his career and unfortunately it was intercepted by the viewers. This wasn't the stupidest film I've ever seen, but close. It wasn't the poorest performed, but mighty close. It was awfully close to being the most boring experience of my movie career; even Ann M. couldn't help in that area. Smooth Joe just didn't come off as an Hell's Angel type, he's just to nice looking. And that sandwich building crap at the beginning...what amateurism. Get half drunk with some buddies and maybe this stumpwater will be palatable. Maybe.