Checkered Flag or Crash Checkered Flag or Crash Checkered Flag or Crash is a 1977 American adventure comedy film about off-road racing through the Philippines jungle, starring Joe Don Baker and Susan Sarandon and featuring Larry Hagman, Alan Vint and Parnelli Jones. It was written by Michael Allin and directed by Alan Gibson. Hard-charging race car driver "Walkaway" Madden (Baker), nicknamed that because of his history of walking away from car crashes, just wants to win the big Manilla 1000 off-road race. Photojournalist C.C. Wainwright (Sarandon) intends to ride with him in that race. But Walkaway just wants to get rid of her. Fast-talking
Glenn Close first Shakespeare role that Close had ever attempted on screen (she appeared in 1975 in a stage production of "King Lear" in Milwaukee). Close would later go on to join the cast of "The House of the Spirits", reuniting her with Jeremy Irons. She also had a cameo appearance in Steven Spielberg's "Hook" (1991) as a pirate. In 1992, Close starred in "Meeting Venus" for which she received critical acclaim and won Best Actress (Golden Ciak) at the Venice Film Festival. In the same year, Close became a trustee emeritus of The Sundance Institute. Close appeared in the newsroom comedy-drama