''Moving Violations'' is a 1985

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...

based around a

traffic school Driver's education, driver education, driving education, driver's ed, driving tuition or driving lessons is a formal class or program that prepares a new driver to obtain a learner's permit or driver's license. The formal class program may also ...

. Directed by

Neal Israel Neal Israel (born July 27, 1945) is an American actor, screenwriter, film and television producer, and director best known for his comedic work in the 1980s for films such as ''Police Academy'', ''Real Genius'', and ''Bachelor Party''. Biograp ...

, the film stars John Murray,

Jennifer Tilly Jennifer Tilly (born Jennifer Ellen Chan; September 16, 1958) is an American–Canadian actress and poker player. Known for her distinctive voice and comedic timing, she has been nominated for an Academy Award, two MTV Movie Awards and three Sat ...

Brian Backer Brian Backer (born December 5, 1956) is an American former actor who has starred in film and on television. He is best known for his role in the 1982 hit comedy film ''Fast Times at Ridgemont High'' as shy teenager Mark "Rat" Ratner. He appeared ...

Sally Kellerman Sally Clare Kellerman (June 2, 1937 – February 24, 2022) was an American actress and singer whose acting career spanned 60 years. Her role as Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan in Robert Altman's film ''M*A*S*H'' (1970) earned her an Oscar no ...

Nedra Volz Nedra Volz (née Gordonier; June 18, 1908 – January 20, 2003) was an American actress. In television, she portrayed Aunt Iola on ''All in the Family'', Adelaide Brubaker on ''Diff'rent Strokes'', Emma Tisdale on ''The Dukes of Hazzard'', a ...

Clara Peller Clara Peller (August 4, 1902 – August 11, 1987) was a Russian-born American manicurist and television personality who, already an octogenarian, starred in the 1984 "Where's the beef?" advertising campaign for the Wendy's fast food restaurant ...

Wendie Jo Sperber Wendie Jo Sperber (September 15, 1958 – November 29, 2005) was an American actress, known for her performances in the films ''I Wanna Hold Your Hand'' (1978), ''Bachelor Party'' (1984), and ''Back to the Future'' (1985), as well as the telev ...

Fred Willard Frederic Charles Willard (September 18, 1933 May 15, 2020) was an American actor, comedian, and writer. He was best known for his roles in the Rob Reiner mockumentary film ''This Is Spinal Tap'' (1984); the Christopher Guest mockumentaries ''Wai ...

, and the film debut of

Don Cheadle Donald Frank Cheadle Jr. (; born November 29, 1964) is an American actor. He is the recipient of multiple accolades, including two Grammy Awards, a Tony Award, two Golden Globe Awards and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. He has also earned ...

Synopsis

The film follows a group of people in Birch County, California (a fictionalized city/county that is similar to real-life

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

) who, after being ticketed for numerous traffic violations (and hence losing their drivers' licenses, and vehicles to impounding), are ordered by Judge Nedra Henderson (

) to attend a driving course to get their licenses and their vehicles back. However, the assigned teacher for this course, Deputy Henry "Hank" Halik (

James Keach James Keach (born December 7, 1947) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is the younger brother of actor Stacy Keach Jr. and son of actor Stacy Keach Sr. Early life and education Keach was born in Savannah, Georgia, the son of Mary Cain () ...

), is conspiring with the judge to execute a plan to ensure these offenders fail miserably, at all costs, so the corrupt duo can sell their impounded vehicles for their own personal gain. Clues lead one of the traffic offenders, landscaper Dana Cannon (John Murray), to discover their scheme, and he enlists his fellow students to help him stop it.

Cast

*John Murray as Dana Cannon *

as Amy Hopkins *

as Deputy Henry 'Hank' Halik *

as Scott Greeber *

as Judge Nedra Henderson *

Ned Eisenberg Ned Eisenberg (January 13, 1957 – February 27, 2022) was an American actor known for his recurring role on ''Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' as Roger Kressler. Early life and education Eisenberg grew up in the Riverdale, Bronx, Riverdale ...

as Wink Barnes *

as Emma Jean *

as Joan Pudillo *

as Mrs. Loretta Houk *

as Terrence 'Doc' Williams *Lisa Hart Carroll as Deputy Virginia Morris * Nadine van der Velde as Stephanie McCarty *Ben Mittleman as Spencer Popodophalos *

as Juicy Burgers Worker *William Forward as Police Officer #1 *

Robert Conrad Robert Conrad (born Conrad Robert Falk; March 1, 1935 – February 8, 2020) was an American film and television actor, singer, and stuntman. He is best known for his role in the 1965–1969 television series ''The Wild Wild West'', playin ...

as Chief Robert A. Fromm (uncredited) *

Willard E. Pugh Willard Earl Pugh (born June 16, 1959) is an American actor with numerous film and television credits. He has appeared in notable mainstream Hollywood films such as ''The Color Purple (1985 film), The Color Purple'' and ''Air Force One (film), Ai ...

as Jeff Roth *

Dedee Pfeiffer Dorothy Diane "Dedee" Pfeiffer (born January 1, 1964) is an American actress, the younger sister of Michelle Pfeiffer. She began her career appearing in films include '' Vamp'' (1986), '' The Allnighter'' (1987) and '' The Horror Show'' (1989). ...

as Cissy * Michael McManus as Farmer #1 (as Mike McManus)

Production

Writer and director Israel himself attended traffic school after having been pulled over by a police officer, for doing an illegal U turn:

"I made the mistake of arguing, and that was very foolish because the cop called in and found I had 13 tickets outstanding. Plus, I had one moving violation that I'd never settled. I went right to jail and did not collect $200. They put me in a cell with an arsonist. He had just blown somebody up. It was a very unsettling experience. I went to traffic school for a very long time, and I had to go to a whole lot of different courts with different jurisdictions. It was a real hassle. So, I suggested the idea of the film to Joe Roth, our producer, and he had just been to traffic school, too, so he thought it was great."

However he says "Traffic school is boring ... I interviewed a lot of people, including a man who owned a traffic school, but all his stories were boring. So, we made up everything." Robert Conrad appeared in the film, unbilled, as a favor to Pat Proft, who was an old friend. A spokesman from the studio said, "We'd describe it as an uncredited star turn. It's no different from Robert de Niro in ''Brazil'' or Darren McGavin's part in ''The Natural'', neither of which was mentioned in the credits."

Reception

The film was reviewed poorly by

Janet Maslin Janet R. Maslin (born August 12, 1949) is an American journalist, best known as a film and literary critic for ''The New York Times''. She served as a ''Times'' film critic from 1977 to 1999 and as a book critic from 2000 to 2015. In 2000 Maslin ...

at ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'', who described it as an "especially weak teen-age comedy, even by today's none-too-high standards." In a later appraisal, David Nusair of Reelfilm.com wrote that ''Moving Violations'' contains "enough laughs to be had here to warrant a mild recommendation."Moving Violations
Reelfilm.com, July 8, 2005.

Notes

External links