1977 film by Don Hulette
| Breaker! Breaker! |
|---|
 Theatrical release poster |
| Directed by | Don Hulette |
|---|
| Written by | Terry Chambers |
|---|
| Produced by | Sam Schulman
Bernard Tabakin
Don Hulette
John Burrows |
|---|
| Starring | Chuck Norris
George Murdock
Terry O'Connor
Michael Augenstein |
|---|
| Cinematography | Mario DiLeo |
|---|
| Edited by | Steven Zaillian |
|---|
| Music by | Don Hulette
Terry Chambers
Denny Brooks |
|---|
Production
companies | Paragon Films Inc.
Worldwide Productions |
|---|
| Distributed by | AIP |
|---|
Release dates |
- May 6, 1977 (1977-05-06) (U.S.)
- May 15, 1978 (1978-05-15) (Germany)
- December 19, 1980 (1980-12-19) (Denmark)
|
|---|
Running time | 85 min. (approx.) |
|---|
| Country | United States |
|---|
| Language | English |
|---|
| Budget | $250,000[1][2] |
|---|
| Box office | $12 million[1] or $3 million[3] |
|---|
Breaker! Breaker! is a 1977 American action film directed by Don Hulette and starring Chuck Norris.[4]
Plot
J.D. (Chuck Norris), a trucker from California, returns from the road to learn that an old friend was assaulted and paralyzed by Sergeant Strode (Don Gentry), a policeman in Texas City, California. He makes inquiries into Texas City and learns that its policemen Strode and Deputy Boles (Ron Cedillos) have a history of "trapping" truckers for a corrupt judge named Trimmings who is running various rackets in the so-called "City".
When his younger brother Billy (Michael Augenstein) begins working as a trucker, J.D. warns him to stay away from Texas City. But Billy is easily fooled by an officer (Strode) on a CB radio, who pretends he is a fellow trucker.
After Billy disappears, J.D. sets out in search of him. He goes to Texas City and barges in on a city council meeting, wherein Trimmings' stooges boast of their speed traps. He befriends a waitress named Arlene, a single mother, working at a diner which overcharges outsiders. After getting into a fight with the owner of the local wrecking yard and accidentally killing him, J.D. is arrested and sentenced to death by Judge Trimmings.
Arlene escapes from Trimmings corrupt lawmen on a motorcycle and contacts J.D.'s fellow truckers about what has happened via CB radio. They come to rescue J.D. and Billy, knocking Strode into a ditch before tearing the town down with their big rigs. J.D. finds Billy in a local barn, and then fights Deputy Boles in a horse corral, knocking him out. One of the truckers drives his rig into Judge Trimmings house while he is in bed with his lover, presumably killing them, as the rest of the corrupt town burns.
Production
Norris said he was paid $5,000 to do the film. "I didn't know anything when I made that movie", said Norris. "We shot it in just 11 days. But it was amazing, people loved it anyway. It's a down-home kind of movie. It's still my dad's favorite."[1]
"I want to become as big in the movie industry as I've been in the karate industry", said Norris in 1977. "I know I can do it because I have the faith to do it."[5]
Reception
Critical response
Norris was not particularly proud of the film but in 1981 said it was his father's favorite of his movies and "made a lot of money".[6]
The New York Times called it "shoddy" with "wooden direction" and a "sophmoric cast".[7] The Los Angeles Times called it "a talky, melodramatic exploitation hybrid."[8]
