Viva Knievel!

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Viva Knievel! is a 1977 American action film directed by Gordon Douglas. Evel Knievel plays himself, with an ensemble cast that includes Gene Kelly and Lauren Hutton. The movie follows Knievel on a dramatic stunt tour that becomes tangled in danger, drug crime, and personal relationships.

Plot
Daredevil Evel Knievel performs another big jump. His alcoholic mechanic, Will Atkins (played by Gene Kelly), helps him while dealing with his own pains from the past. A photographer named Kate Morgan (Lauren Hutton) is sent to document the jump. A drug lord named Stanley Millard uses Knievel’s tour for a drugs scheme and plans to cause Knievel’s death. A former protégé, Jessie, is pushed to try a dangerous jump to prove who’s the best. Will’s estranged son Tommy shows up, and Knievel helps him reconnect with Will. As the story unfolds, Knievel and Will uncover the drug plot, rescue hostages, and confront corrupt people. In the end, Knievel finishes the final jump successfully, and love and family ties are repaired.

Cast (selected)
- Evel Knievel as himself
- Gene Kelly as Will Atkins
- Lauren Hutton as Kate Morgan
- Red Buttons as Ben Andrews
- Leslie Nielsen as Stanley Millard
- Marjoe Gortner as Jessie
- Cameron Mitchell as Barton
- Frank Gifford as himself
- Eric Olson as Tommy Atkins
- Albert Salmi as Cortland
- Dabney Coleman as Ralph Thompson
- Sheila Matthews Allen as Sister Charity

Production
- The film was released under the Irwin Allen banner, with Allen serving as an uncredited Supervisor Producer.
- Stunt work for the most dangerous motorcycle scenes was done by stuntman Gary Charles Davis (uncredited).
- Some footage of Knievel’s real Wembley Stadium crash was used for Jessie’s failed jump.
- Although there is a romantic subplot with Lauren Hutton’s character, Knievel was actually married at the time of filming.

Reception and legacy
- Viva Knievel! premiered in June 1977. Soon after, Knievel attacked a promoter, which hurt his public image and sponsorships, reducing the film’s commercial appeal.
- The movie faded from view until a 2005 DVD release brought it back into attention.
- In 2013, RiffTrax released an audio commentary for the film, giving it a humorous re-release after years of obscurity.

Trivia
- The film features Evel Knievel playing himself, alongside famous actors in a fictional story about a stunt tour and a criminal plot.
- It has since become a cult curiosity for fans of Knievel and mid-1970s cinema.