Convoy (1978) – Film Review

Director: Sam Peckinpah
Cast: Kris Kristofferson, Ali MacGraw, Ernest Borgnine
Certificate:  12

By Roger Crow

When offered the chance to review the new restoration of Sam Peckinpah’s cult action comedy Convoy, I didn’t need asking twice.

Like many, I was around when CW McCall’s 1975 UK number two smash caught the imaginations of millions. Dreams of being a lone trucker on a vast US highway were hugely appealing as the song was a three-minute audio blockbuster which culminated with that memorable sign off: ‘So we crashed the gate doing 98; let them truckers roll 10-4,” before a chorus (which sounds like the Muppets) rounds off one of the best novelty tracks ever made.

Circa 2005 I bought the track and played it on a loop, amazed at how cinematic it was, but I hadn’t seen the movie spun off from that hit in decades, until recently.

“Spruced-up”

If one man was a perfect fit as that steely eyed trucker Rubber Duck, it was the now much-missed Kris Kristofferson at his absolute best. The sun-kissed, tanned, rogue hero had women falling over themselves to be with him. Among them was Ali MacGraw’s character, Melissa, who, thanks to an exhaustive in-depth and always fascinating commentary, landed the part after partner Steve McQueen knocked back the lead role of Rubber Duck.

We also discover the origination of the story which inspired the song (truckers railing against the oil crisis of the early 1970s), and the fact CW McCall was in fact two music artists, Bill Fries and Chip Davies, who joined forces to craft a masterpiece.

Picture and sound quality is pretty good on the new 4K edition as you might imagine for a spruced-up version of a nearly 50-year-old movie. (Strangely I was sent the French review disc with Gallic chapter titles, obviously, so navigating was interesting to say the least).

Among the extras is a great chat with Franklyn Ajaye, aka the pivotal character of Spider Mike (who sports tremendous dreadlocks), and is superbly eloquent reminiscing about his audition, which sort of landed in his lap. An offer of cocaine from James Caan, which he turned down, was enough to persuade Sam Peckinpah that Franklyn was right for the role.

“Fine tribute”

Ajaye’s memories of how Burt Young’s assorted takes of the same scene, or those of Ernest Borgnine, are fascinating. I’ll buy a movie based on extras, and thanks to the yack track and Franklyn interview alone, this is well worth the money.

As a side note, if you’re a fan of the film, I recommend producer Michael Deeley’s excellent book, ‘Blade Runners, Deer Hunters and Blowing the Bloody Doors Off’, in which he recalls the tempestuous working relationship with director Sam Peckinpah.

Convoy isn’t the best trucking movie ever made; at 110 minutes it’s around 20 minutes too long, but it does feature a collection of great actors, some nice set pieces, and the new 4K release is a must for fans who love great extras. And if nothing else it’s a fine tribute to one of the greatest musician-actors of the past half century or more who crashed the (pearly) gates at 88.

What a legacy.