Hal Needham had worked as the stunt coordinator on Hellfighters before finally climbing into the director’s chair in the late 1970s.  His second film, Hooper (1978), a loving tribute to stuntmen everywhere and Jock Mahoney in particular (Jock was co-star Sally Field’s stepfather), is the best movie Needham ever made.

The title character, Sonny Hooper (Burt Reynolds), is Hollywood’s leading stuntman.  But he’s getting old, his girlfriend (Field) is looking for more commitment, and a young stuntman named Ski (Jan-Michael Vincent) is beginning to get industry attention.  As part of a new spy movie, both men are hired and the rivalry escalates.

Filled with Hollywood references, in-jokes and casting surprises, Hooper is unabashed fun for movie fans.  And as budgets continue to spiral upward, Needham’s loopy film-within-a-film, The Spy Who Laughed at Danger, begins to look more and more like the real thing.

Stunts are ever-present and of all variety; one of them, the drop from a helicopter, actually set a world record.  Not all of them are absolutely convincing, however; the titanic car jump seen in the poster above ends far too abruptly on the far side of the river.  But most are impressive and a few are quite spectacular.

The drama works pretty well, too.  The relationship between Hooper and Field’s dad, stuntman Jocko (Brian Keith; note the Jock Mahoney implication) is realistic and  convincing, even if Keith is a bit too blustery in the role.

Never again would Needham find a vehicle so tailored to his skills, and so charismatic a star as Reynolds to drive it.  Hooper is a profane and innuendo-laden PG, but it’s a fun ride all the way.  My rating:  ☆ ☆ ☆.  (10:1).