The Longest Yard

The Longest Yard (1974) (1974)

  • 81% of critics liked it
    (32 reviews)

  • 75% of users liked it
    (80,720 ratings)

Ex-football star Paul Crewe (Burt Reynolds) ends up in a prison run by sadistic sports-nut Warden Hazen (Eddie Albert). Strong-armed into forming an inmate football team, Crewe manages to instill an esprit de corps previously lacking in the prisoners' lives. Besides, they now have the chance to… More

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R,
Directed By
Genres
Drama, Action & Adventure, Classics, Comedy
In Theaters
Aug 30, 1974 Wide
Paramount Home Video

Critic Reviews

  • Variety Staff, Variety

    An outstanding action drama, combining the brutish excitement of football competition with the brutalities of contemporary prison life.

  • Richard Schickel, TIME Magazine

    What saves it, aside from good performances by Burt Reynolds and a thundering herd of supporting grotesques, is, of all things, a tough, tiny nut of valid social criticism.

  • Geoff Andrew, Time Out

    Very exciting, very witty, and elevated above its action-movie status by Aldrich's deliberate references to Nixon in Albert's characterisation of the warden.

  • Nora Sayre, New York Times

    Though The Yard is a terrible picture, I'll admit to having unwillingly enjoyed some of the football practice and parts of the final game -- even though it's much too long.

  • , Film4

    If it ultimately descends into macho nonsense, then that's all part of the fun.

Read all 16 critic reviews

See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • Jeff "


    Decent enough sports film, The Longest Yard for me, has been s tad overhyped and its reputation slightly killed the tone of the film for me. The film is far better than the remake of course and it should be seen as one of the best sports films, but it's not one of my personal… More

  • Lafe F


    Burt Reynolds plays a football player who goes on a spree and is locked in jail and forced to play football. There are a few disturbing things, like the old gay snitch, the cell fire, the mean warden, and Burt without a moustache! There's a muddy hard labor scene. But it has… More

  • Mister C


    The movie that cemented Burt Reynolds as a bonafide action superstar of the 70's

  • xGary X


    Gritty and brutal sports-prison film hybrid that sees Burt Reynolds at his most watchable, sticking it ot the man via american football. It has shades of Aldrich's earlier The Dirty Dozen, and although formulaic and a little predictable, you can't help cheering for the cons… More

  • John B


    Amusing but a bit dated, the original Longest Yard is assisted by the complexity of Reynolds and their window for revenge on the guards that keep them locked up.

Read all 10 featured audience ratings

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Cast

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Trailers & Clips