It was a fleeting glimpse, but a vision nonetheless. A classic black Trans Am, something of a modern unicorn sighting.
Pontiac's rolling manufacturer of machismo represents the most American set of wheels outside the Mustang and the pickup. And it was cemented into the American consciousness in 1977 with the release of Burt Reynolds' most iconic movie. We're talking about "Smokey and the Bandit."
By the time he signed on to play the Bandit, Burt Reynolds already was the world's top box office star. And he played his role like no one else could've.
No scenes from the film were shot in Arkansas, but the plot (for you spring chickens) entails a bootleg run of Coors beer from Texarkana to Atlanta. (Back then, as hard as it is to fathom today, Coors wasn't available east of Oklahoma. Which made it seem much more exotic than it actually was.)
A good chunk of the action is set in Arkansas and an Arkansas State Police car gets the honor of playing keystone cop to the Bandit and his iconic T-topped ride.
Turns out, "Smokey and the Bandit" originally was intended as a low-budget B movie. That is, until Reynolds got a hold of the script, and plans changed. Sally Field and the incomparable Jackie Gleason--the Smokey of the title--were added to the cast, and suddenly producers had a star-studded screwball comedy on their hands.
The movie was a hit and became a cultural phenomenon. Its theme song, "Eastbound and Down," from Reynolds' sidekick and co-star Jerry Reed, became a hit as well.
Quite a lot of memory for a fleeting glimpse of a car. But for some of us old-timers, any Bandit sighting makes us want to head eastbound and down. Even 45 years later.