''Steelyard Blues'' is a 1973 American

comedy Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...

crime film Crime films, in the broadest sense, is a film genre inspired by and analogous to the crime fiction literary genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and its detection. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine ...

directed by

Alan Myerson Alan Myerson (born July 1, 1940) is an Americans, American film and television director. Career Myerson began working in theatre in New York City, then directing The Second City in Chicago. He founded the improvisational comedy troupe The Committe ...

and starring

Donald Sutherland Donald McNichol Sutherland (born 17 July 1935) is a Canadian actor whose film career spans over six decades. He has been nominated for nine Golden Globe Awards, winning two for his performances in the television films ''Citizen X'' (1995) an ...

Jane Fonda Jane Seymour Fonda (born December 21, 1937) is an American actress, activist, and former fashion model. Recognized as a film icon, Fonda is the recipient of various accolades including two Academy Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, sev ...

and

Peter Boyle Peter Lawrence Boyle (October 18, 1935 – December 12, 2006) was an American actor. Known as a character actor, he played Frank Barone on the CBS sitcom ''Everybody Loves Raymond'' and the comical monster in Mel Brooks' film spoof ''Young Fra ...

Plot

A group of misfits tries to find a happier life against the norms of society. Donald Sutherland plays an ex-con with a passion for demolition derbies. He has wrecked almost every possible car. He violates his parole when confronted by a 1950

Studebaker Studebaker was an American wagon and automobile manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana, with a building at 1600 Broadway, Times Square, Midtown Manhattan, New York City. Founded in 1852 and incorporated in 1868 as the Studebaker Brothers M ...

. This embarrasses his brother, a politically ambitious district attorney played by

Howard Hesseman Howard Hesseman (February 27, 1940 – January 29, 2022) was an American actor known for his television roles as burned-out disc jockey Dr. Johnny Fever on ''WKRP in Cincinnati'', and the lead role of history teacher Charlie Moore on ''Head of ...

in an unlikely respectable role. Jane Fonda plays a prostitute engaging in an off-again/on-again relationship with Sutherland's character. The plot hilariously thickens when this gang of merry misfits tries to repair an old

Consolidated PBY Catalina The Consolidated PBY Catalina is a flying boat and amphibious aircraft that was produced in the 1930s and 1940s. In Canadian service it was known as the Canso. It was one of the most widely used seaplanes of World War II. Catalinas served w ...

airplane, and get it flying again.

Cast

Mel Stewart Milton "Mel" Stewart (September 19, 1929 – February 24, 2002) was an American character actor, television director, and musician who appeared in numerous films and television shows from the 1960s to the 1990s. He is best known for playing Hen ...

– Black Man in Jail *

– Jesse Veldini *

– Frank Veldini *

Morgan Upton Morgan may refer to: People and fictional characters * Morgan (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Morgan le Fay, a powerful witch in Arthurian legend * Morgan (surname), a surname of Welsh origin * Morgan (singer), ...

– Police Capt. Bill *

– Eagle Thornberry * Jessica Myerson – Savage Rose * Beans Morocco – Rocky (as Dan Barrows) * John Savage – Kid *

– Iris Caine *Nancy Fish – Pool Hall Waitress *

Roger Bowen Roger Wendell Bowen (May 25, 1932 – February 16, 1996) was an American comedic actor and novelist, best known for his portrayal of Lt. Col. Henry Blake in the 1970 film ''M*A*S*H''. Bowen considered himself a writer who only moonlighted as an ...

– Fire Commissioner Francis *

Garry Goodrow Garry Goodrow (November 4, 1933 – July 22, 2014) was an American actor known for his role in the original stage production of the Obie Award-winning play ''The Connection'' (1959) and its 1961 film version, and as one of the original memb ...

– Duval Jax * Lynette Bernay – Bar Waitress *

Richard Schaal Richard Schaal (; May 5, 1928 – November 4, 2014) was an American film and television actor born in Chicago, Illinois. Career In 1962, Schaal joined Chicago's famed Second City, becoming skilled in sketch and improvisational comedy. He was ...

– Zoo Official Mel * Edward Greenberg – Rookie Cop

Alternate title

In 1979, the film was broadcast on

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...

under the title, ''Final Crash''.Listings for

KSD-TV KSDK (channel 5) is a television station in St. Louis, Missouri, United States, affiliated with NBC and owned by Tegna Inc. The station's studios are located on Market Street in Downtown St. Louis, and its transmitter is located in Shrewsbury, Mi ...

fro
Radio-Info: "Retro: St. Louis Tues, July 31, 1979", July 31, 2012.
/ref>

Soundtrack album

All tracks written by

Nick Gravenites Nicholas George Gravenites (; born October 2, 1938) is an American blues, rock and folk singer, songwriter, and guitarist, best known for his work with Electric Flag (as their lead singer), Janis Joplin, Mike Bloomfield and several influential b ...

and

Mike Bloomfield Michael Bernard Bloomfield (July 28, 1943 – February 15, 1981) was an American guitarist and composer, born in Chicago, Illinois, who became one of the first popular music superstars of the 1960s to earn his reputation almost entirely on his ...

, except where indicated.

Side One

# "Swing With It" # "Brand New Family" # "Woman's Love" # "Make the Headlines" # "Georgia Blues" (

Maria Muldaur Maria Muldaur (born Maria Grazia Rosa Domenica D'Amato; September 12, 1942) is an American folk and blues singer who was part of the American folk music revival in the early 1960s. She recorded the 1973 hit song "Midnight at the Oasis" and has ...

/Bloomfield/Gravenites) # "My Bag (The Oysters)" # "Common Ground"

Side Two

# "Being Different" # "I've Been Searching" # "Do I Care" (

Merl Saunders Merl Saunders (February 14, 1934 – October 24, 2008) was an American multi-genre musician who played piano and keyboards, favoring the Hammond B-3 console organ. Biography Born in San Mateo, California, United States, Saunders attended Polyte ...

/Muldaur) # "Lonesome Star Blues" (Maria Muldaur) # "Here I Come (There She Goes)" # "If You Cared" # "Theme from Steelyard Blues (Drive Again)" Performers:

John Kahn John Kahn (June 13, 1947 – May 30, 1996) was an American electric and acoustic bassist. From 1970 to 1995, Kahn was Jerry Garcia's principal musical collaborator outside of the Grateful Dead. Biography John Kahn was born in Memphis, Tennessee ...

, Chris Parker, Merl Saunders, Annie Sampson, Mike Bloomfield, Maria Muldaur, Nick Gravenites,

Paul Butterfield Paul Vaughn Butterfield (December 17, 1942May 4, 1987) was an American blues harmonica player, singer and band leader. After early training as a classical flautist, he developed an interest in blues harmonica. He explored the blues scene in his n ...

References

External links

* * {{rotten-tomatoes, steelyard_blues 1973 films 1970s crime comedy films American aviation films American crime comedy films Films directed by Alan Myerson Films produced by Michael Phillips (producer) Films produced by Julia Phillips Films with screenplays by David S. Ward Warner Bros. films 1973 directorial debut films 1973 comedy films 1970s English-language films 1970s American films