Burt Reynolds was the kind of guy who could sell a bad movie just by winking at the camera. For a solid five-year stretch from 1978 to 1982, he wasn't just a star; he was the number one box office attraction in the world. People didn't go to see a specific story—they went to see "Burt."
Honestly, his filmography is a bit of a chaotic mess. You have absolute masterpieces of 1970s grit right next to movies that are basically just a group of friends getting paid to drink beer and drive fast cars. If you look at a complete Burt Reynolds movie list, it’s easy to get lost in the sea of mustaches and Trans Ams.
But there is a real strategy to watching his work if you want to understand why he actually mattered.
The Performance That Changed Everything
Most people think of Burt as the "Bandit," but his real breakthrough came five years earlier. In 1972, John Boorman cast him in Deliverance. This wasn't a comedy. There were no car chases. It was a brutal, disturbing look at survival in the Georgia wilderness.
Reynolds played Lewis Medlock, a man obsessed with proving his masculinity against the elements. It’s a terrifying movie. You've probably heard the "Dueling Banjos" theme, but the actual film is much darker than that catchy tune suggests.
If he hadn't done Deliverance, he might have just remained a TV actor from Gunsmoke. This film gave him the "alpha male" credibility that allowed him to spend the next decade being a charming goofball.
The Golden Era: 1973 to 1982
After proving he could act, Burt decided he’d rather have fun. He started making what critics often call "Good Ol' Boy" movies. These films were steeped in Southern culture, moonshine, and a deep-seated distrust of authority.
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White Lightning (1973) is the best of this bunch. He plays Gator McKlusky, a convict who goes undercover to take down a corrupt sheriff. It’s grittier than you’d expect. He later directed and starred in the sequel, Gator (1976), which leaned a bit more into the humor that would define his later career.
Then came the heavy hitters.
The Longest Yard (1974)
This is arguably the best football movie ever made. Burt was a real-life football star at Florida State University before an injury derailed his career, so he knew how to move on the field. He plays Paul Crewe, a disgraced quarterback who leads a team of inmates against the prison guards. It’s funny, but it’s also got a real anti-establishment bite to it.
Smokey and the Bandit (1977)
This movie was a freak accident of success. It was the second highest-grossing film of 1977, trailing only Star Wars. Think about that. A movie about a guy trying to transport 400 cases of Coors beer across state lines almost beat George Lucas’s space opera. It’s pure charisma on wheels.
Hooper (1978)
If you want to know who Burt Reynolds really was, watch Hooper. He plays an aging stuntman. It was a tribute to the guys who actually did the dangerous work in his movies. It’s one of his most personal films, even if it’s dressed up as a lighthearted action comedy.
The Directorial Efforts You Probably Skipped
Burt wasn't just a face; he was a filmmaker. He directed several of his own projects, and they are surprisingly experimental.
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Sharky’s Machine (1981) is his attempt at a "Dirty Harry" style neo-noir. It’s set in Atlanta and features a legendary stunt where a man falls from the Hyatt Regency hotel. It’s a tough, violent movie that proves Burt had a great eye for tension.
Then there’s The End (1978). This is a pitch-black comedy about a man trying to commit suicide after a terminal diagnosis. It’s weird. It’s uncomfortable. It’s also very funny. It shows a side of him that didn't care about being the "lovable rogue."
The Boogie Nights Comeback
By the late 1980s, the mustache was fading. He did some questionable stuff. Cannonball Run II and Stroker Ace felt like he was just going through the motions. He even turned down the role of Garrett Breedlove in Terms of Endearment—a role that won Jack Nicholson an Oscar. Burt later called that one of his biggest mistakes.
But then came 1997. Paul Thomas Anderson cast him as Jack Horner in Boogie Nights.
He played a high-minded porn director in the 1970s. It was a meta-commentary on his own life and the era he helped define. He hated the movie while he was making it. He reportedly got into a huge fight with Anderson on set. Ironically, it earned him his only Oscar nomination.
He lost the Oscar to Robin Williams, but the performance proved he still had the "it" factor.
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Navigating the Burt Reynolds Movie List
If you’re looking to binge his work, don't just watch everything chronologically. You'll hit too many duds. Instead, categorize them by "vibe."
- For Critical Quality: Deliverance, Boogie Nights, The Longest Yard.
- For Pure Fun: Smokey and the Bandit, The Cannonball Run, Hooper.
- For Gritty Action: Sharky’s Machine, White Lightning, Hustle.
- For the "Burt" Personality: Starting Over, Semi-Tough, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.
He made over 100 movies. Not all of them are good. Honestly, some are pretty bad. But even in a disaster like At Long Last Love, Burt is fascinating to watch. He had a way of making you feel like you were in on the joke.
What Really Happened with the Career Slump?
The 80s were rough on him. A jaw injury on the set of City Heat (the movie he did with Clint Eastwood) led to a massive weight loss and rumors that he had AIDS. It wasn't true, but the rumors stalled his career for years. He spent a lot of that time doing TV, like the sitcom Evening Shade, which actually won him an Emmy.
He was a resilient guy. He went from being the highest-paid actor in the world to filing for bankruptcy, and then back to being an Oscar nominee.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans
If you want to explore his legacy properly, start with a "Triple Threat" weekend. Watch Deliverance on Friday to see the actor, Smokey and the Bandit on Saturday to see the star, and Boogie Nights on Sunday to see the legend.
Avoid the sequels initially. Smokey and the Bandit II is okay, but Part 3 is barely a Burt Reynolds movie. Stick to the originals. Also, check out his autobiography, But Enough About Me. It’s as honest and funny as his best screen performances.
The man lived a massive life. His movie list is just the map of where he went.
Expert Insight: When watching The Longest Yard, pay attention to the hits. Those weren't all "movie hits." Many of the actors were former pro football players, and the physicality on screen is 100% genuine. It remains one of the few sports movies that athletes actually respect for its realism.