{{short description|1977 film by Jim McCullough Sr.}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2026}} {{Infobox film | name = Charge of the Model T's | image = The Charge of the Model T's VHS coverart.jpg | alt = | caption = Theatrical poster | native_name = | director = Jim McCullough Sr. | producer = {{unbulleted list|Jim McCullough Sr.|William Lewis Ryder}} | screenplay = Jim McCullough Jr. | based_on = {{based on |''Charge of the model T's'' (novel) |Lee Somerville}} | starring = {{unbulleted list|John David Carson|Carol Bagdasarian|Louis Nye|Herb Edelman|Arte Johnson|John Doucette}} | music = Euel Box | cinematography = Dean Cundey | editing = Robert Gordon | studio = Jim McCullough Productions | distributor = Rye-Mac Film Distribution | released = {{Film date|1977|11|4|Lakeland, Florida}} | runtime = 90 minutes | country = United States | language = English | budget = | gross = <!--(please use condensed and rounded values, e.g. "£11.6 million" not "£11,586,221")--> }}

'''''Charge of the Model T's''''' is a 1977 American comedy spy film directed by Jim McCullough Sr. with the screenplay by Jim McCullough Jr. based upon the novel of the same name by Lee Somerville. Starring John David Carson, Carol Bagdasarian, Louis Nye, Herb Edelman, and Arte Johnson.

The final film of vaudevillian and actor George Mann,<ref name="The Lawton Constitution">{{cite news|last1=Crawford|first1=James William|title=This Business Is Based On Constant Rejection|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/36648494/|access-date=13 January 2015|pages=1-D & 50-D|publisher=The Lawton Constitution|date=18 July 1976}}</ref> the project was shot on locations in Texas<ref name="The Evening Independent 1">{{cite news|last1=Moorhead|first1=Jim|title=Slips And Foibles His Bread 'n Butter|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=950&dat=19761118&id=E0ZQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=dFgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4739,824267|access-date=13 January 2015|publisher=The Evening Independent|date=18 November 1976}}</ref> and in the Wichita Mountains region of Oklahoma near Lawton and Cache,<ref name="book 1">{{cite book|last1=Wooley|first1=John|title=Shot in Oklahoma: A Century of Sooner State Cinema|year=2011|publisher=University of Oklahoma Press|isbn=978-0806184098|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iSxeO8fM8e4C&pg=PT320 |access-date=13 January 2015}}</ref> and was distributed by MGM.<ref name=NYT>{{cite web|title=Charge of the Model T's|url=https://www.nytimes.com/movies/movie/8928/Charge-of-the-Model-T-s/overview|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140228222948/http://www.nytimes.com/movies/movie/8928/Charge-of-the-Model-T-s/overview|url-status=dead|department=Movies & TV Dept.|work=The New York Times|author=Kristie Hassen|date=2014|archive-date=2014-02-28}}</ref>

The film had both theatrical and television airings and, paired with ''The Switch'', was released on DVD by VCI Entertainment on March 13, 2007.<ref>{{cite web|last1=staff|title=Charge of the Model T's / The Switch|url=http://www.oldies.com/product-view/40874O.html|publisher=oldies.com|access-date=13 January 2015}}</ref>

==Plot== During World War I, the Germans try to disrupt American war efforts by encouraging Mexican guerrillas to destabilize the Texas border with Mexico. Masterminding the German plot is spy Friedrich Schmidt. As the border become disrupted, Friedrich drives into the United States at the wheel of the high-speed secret weapon: the "RX4", a Ford Model T equipped with armor and weaponry and tricked out with a powerful motor. US Army Lieutenant Matthew Jones pursues Schmidt with a fleet of special trackers.

==Principal cast== {{Cast listing| * John David Carson as Lt. Matthew Jones * Carol Bagdasarian as Coral Adams * Louis Nye as Friedrich Schmidt * Herb Edelman as Villa Nueva * Arte Johnson as Doc Bailey * John Doucette as Capt. Mundy * Louisa Moritz as Hilda * Terry Wilson as Stonewall Adams * Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez as Sanchez * George Mann as Rancher * Jim McCullough Jr. as Pvt. Hansen * Bill Thurman as Sgt. Bond * Marged Wakeley as Martha Adams * Roy Tatum as Juan * John P. Fertitta as Little Cloud * Lloyd Slagle as Dutch Braun * Robert Hulley as Sheriff * Lou Schilling as Blacksmith }}

==Reception== ''The Evening Independent'' panned the film, making note that as the film was a "dull contrivance", G-rated did not stand for "good".<ref name="The Evening Independent 2">{{cite news|last1=Moorhead|first1=Jim|title=Speaking Of Turkeys, Miss These Movies|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=950&dat=19771124&id=OEZQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=TVgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6238,2203532|access-date=13 January 2015|publisher=The Evening Independent|date=24 November 1977}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist|2}}

==Further reading== * {{cite journal |url=https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc2016985/m1/1/ |title=Early Cinema and Oklahoma |last=Rhodes |first=Gary D. |year=2011 |journal=The Chronicles of Oklahoma |volume=89 |issue=4 - Winter 2011-12 |publisher=Oklahoma Historical Society |lccn=23027299 |oclc=655582328 |pages=388–429}}

==External links== *{{IMDb title|0078953}}

Category:1977 films Category:American independent films Category:1977 English-language films Category:1970s spy comedy films Category:American spy comedy films Category:1970s war comedy films Category:American war comedy films Category:Films set in Texas Category:Films shot in Texas Category:Films set in Oklahoma Category:American World War I films Category:Films scored by Euel Box Category:1977 comedy films Category:1977 independent films Category:Films directed by Jim McCullough Sr. Category:1977 American films Category:English-language independent films Category:English-language war comedy films Category:English-language spy comedy films