The Last American Hero (1973) started as a euphoric Tom Wolfe profile of NASCAR driver Junior Johnson. Lamont Johnson adapted it into a fine film, critically acclaimed but shunned by audiences. Featuring a charismatic Jeff Bridges performance, it's worth seeking out.Junior Jackson (Jeff Bridges) works as a moonshiner in 1950s North Carolina. After his father's (Art Lund) imprisoned, Jackson puts his driving skills to good use: he enters the world stock car racing. Junior quickly shows promise, attracting the attention of a NASCAR manager (Ed Lauter) and the enmity of fellow driver Kyle Kingman (William Smith). Nonetheless, a disastrous professional debut, a messy relationship with Marge (Valerie Perrine) and threaten to derail Junior's career.
The Last American Hero sheds Wolfe's eccentric style, preferring a measured docudrama approach. Writers William Roberts and William Kerby introduce melodramatic elements like a love triangle with Kyle and Marge, but mostly keep the drama streamlined and straightforward. Johnson stages the races with realistic aplomb, with crashes, profane pit stops and outsized personalities expertly captured.
Despite its title, Hero offers a detailed characterization. Like many '70s antiheroes, Junior is a nice guy with an edge. He starts as a criminal and struggles to go straight; nonetheless, his father's warnings convince him to follow the line. Junior's cockiness grates on his fellow drivers but a botched race brings him down to Earth. Success rescues him from a hardscrabble life, an American redeemed through hard work and the power of sports.
Jeff Bridges complements this with a flawless performance. He makes Junior friendly and approachable, yet tough and conflicted, an ideal hero. Bridges' easy charm and simple, understated charisma have made him a remarkable actor; he seems remarkably genuine in the most eccentric roles. Junior Jackson isn't a major stretch, but the role's perfectly suited for his strengths.
In supporting roles, Valerie Perrine's groupie is limited to bedding and fretting over Junior. Art Lund and Geraldine Fitzgerald give warm, credible performances as Junior's parents. Gary Busey plays Junior's crackbrained brother; William Smith makes an imposingly macho rival. Ed Lauter, Ned Beatty and Lane Smith feature in minor roles.
Pauline Kael's rave of The Last American Hero, dubbing it one of the '70s finest films, is overstating the case. Its simple, unaffected craftsmanship eschews critical hyperbole.
