The Longest Yard (1974) is a classic sports comedy starring Burt Reynolds as Paul "Wrecking" Crewe, a former professional football quarterback who is sent to prison for a crime he didn\'t commit. While in prison, Crewe is challenged by the sadistic warden
The Longest Yard is a 1974 American prison sports comedy-drama film directed by Robert Aldrich, written by Tracy Keenan Wynn, based on a story by producer Albert S. Ruddy, and starring Burt Reynolds, Eddie Albert, Ed Lauter, Michael Conrad and James Hampton. The film was released as The Mean Machine in the United Kingdom and South Africa. The film follows former NFL player Paul Crewe recruiting a group of prisoners and playing football against their guards. It features many real-life football players, including Ray Nitschke of the Green Bay Packers.