Caught this before it dropped out of Netflix (I need to seriously trim my queue). I vaguely recall the title when I was a kid too.
It’s mostly a Heist/Car Chase movie which was based upon a novel. With how this movie was executed, I would say its foundation being a “novel” was rather generous, it’s more like a pamphlet or a page six news story. The character interactions are mainly an excuse for pauses between high-speed chases. This doesn’t mean it’s a terrible movie but DMCL is definitely a grandparent of those craptacular Fast and Furious flicks.
The story is pretty simple. Larry and his partner Deke rob a department store in the farm lands of California. They plan to use the money to build the ultimate stock car to enter into NASCAR. Two complications/flaws derail their plans. The first is Mary tagging along because she didn’t appreciate Larry using her for a one-night stand. The other is their head start against the cops getting shortened by the robbery victims being more resourceful than expected. Throw in a tenacious sheriff (legendary heavy Vic Morrow) hellbent on catching them with his logistical skills and you have a battle of wits for this genre.
What separates DMCL from say Smokey and the Bandit is the ending which makes it a true Seventies flick.
I am glad I saw it though. It’s not often I see anything starring Peter Fonda in his prime.