Remaking a Masterpiece

It’s almost never good to remake a classic (The In-Laws, Psycho, The Longest Yard), although there are in my opinion a few exceptions (The Thomas Crown Affair and Sabrina). But now comes word that producer Al Ruddy will oversee the remake (with the help of General Motors) of the 1981 cross-country classic Cannonball Run. Yes, this film ranks right up there with Casablanca and Citizen Kane. Seriously, what would you rather see on a Saturday afternoon—Gone With the Wind or Cannonball Run? Does Gone With the Wind have outtakes? I don’t think so.

Thanks to HBO, I probably saw Cannonball at least one hundred times. There are scenes that would not work today, such as the drinking and driving by Terry Bradshaw and Mel Tillis. Why is the hi-tech Japanese team (co-starring Jackie Chan) riding around in a souped-up Subaru? Nevertheless, one shouldn’t mess with greatness—at least “greatness” defined by an 11-year-old sense of humor. (And don’t get me started on the sequel, which I consider as blasphemous as Godfather III.)

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