The Longest Yard

After leaving his wealthy girlfriend Melissa in Palm Beach and stealing her Citroën SM, Crewe leads police on a high-speed chase and assaults two officers. He is captured and subsequently sentenced to 18 months in Citrus State Prison. The incident sets his path toward the prison football scheme.

Convicts resent Crewe for his NFL point-shaving past, and the warden Rudolph Hazen sees an opportunity. He pressures Crewe to coach a semi-pro team of guards and prisoners as a way to restore order and win a championship.

After facing pressure from the head guard and captain, Crewe reluctantly agrees to participate and coaches the team. He plans to play quarterback himself, despite initial reluctance. The group forms a makeshift squad of inmates and guards.

Crewe forms a prison team that includes Samson, Connie Shokner, Granny Granville, Pop, and others with the help of the Caretaker. They recruit Nate Scarboro and the first black inmate willing to play, Granny Granville, to bolster the lineup.

Granny Granville, the first black inmate, is harassed by guards but remains steadfast. Witnessing this, other black inmates volunteer to join the team, broadening the pride and diversity of the Mean Machine.

Unger, a prison trustee, schemes to eliminate Crewe by rigging a light bulb bomb in Crewe's cell. The plan backfires when Caretaker enters the cell to retrieve papers and is killed by the blast. Unger locks Crewe in, preventing a rescue.

Hazen sternly warns Crewe's teammates about the consequences of any escape after the game, underscoring the brutal nature of the operation. His threats foreshadow the brutal treatment that awaits the prisoners if they lose.

Crewe surprises the team by presenting them with professional uniforms stolen from the guards. The Mean Machine storms onto the field, arousing anger among the guards and Hazen. The transformation both boosts morale and fuels rivalry.

The Mean Machine starts strong and the game is close at halftime, with the guards leading 15–13. Crewe's leadership and the inmates' grit begin to turn the tide as the audience watches intently.

Hazen pressures Crewe to ensure the guards win by at least 21 points, threatening the players if they fail. Knauer reluctantly agrees to the plan, setting the stage for a brutal second half.

Knauer follows Hazen's instruction and has the guards inflict physical punishment on the prisoners as soon as the score reaches the 21-point threshold. Crewe realizes the betrayal and bitterness grows within the team.

Crewe deliberately jams the rhythm of the offense to lose badly, allowing the guards to injure several teammates. After a moment of doubt, he regains his resolve and rekindles the team's fighting spirit.

Nate Scarboro, though with a bad knee, scores a touchdown and is crippled by guard Bogdanski. His sacrifice inspires Crewe to rally and fight harder for the win.

Crewe orchestrates a comeback, and with a final touchdown, the Mean Machine defeats the guards 36–35. The team erupts in celebration as Crewe seals the victory with a rare display of leadership and mercy.

After Hazen orders Knauer to shoot Crewe, Knauer hesitates and ultimately returns the rifle, calling it a 'Game ball'. Crewe retrieves a football and confronts Hazen, declaring the trophy 'belongs in your trophy case'. He exits with Pop amid mixed emotions from the crowd.