Delta Farce
Delta Farce is a 2007 American action comedy film directed by C.B. Harding and written by Bear Aderhold, centering on three incompetent National Guard reservists—portrayed by Larry the Cable Guy, Bill Engvall, and DJ Qualls—who board a plane bound for Iraq but are erroneously dropped off in a remote Mexican village.[1] Mistaking the location for the Middle East and local bandits for insurgents, the protagonists embark on a bungled mission to "liberate" the area, resulting in chaotic slapstick encounters involving target practice mishaps, romantic entanglements, and confrontations with figures like a menacing butcher played by Danny Trejo.[2] Released theatrically by Lionsgate on May 11, 2007, the film earned $8.7 million worldwide, underperforming commercially relative to similar low-budget comedies of the era.[3] It garnered scathing critical reception, with a 5% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 43 reviews, derided for crude humor, lack of genuine satire on military themes, and reliance on flatulence gags and stereotypes rather than insightful commentary.[2] Despite ties to the Blue Collar Comedy Tour performers, Delta Farce stands as a notable example of early 2000s red-state-oriented fare that failed to resonate broadly, cementing its reputation as a critical and box-office misfire.[1]Production
Development
Delta Farce originated as a project capitalizing on the popularity of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour, which featured stand-up performers including Larry the Cable Guy (Daniel Whitney) and Bill Engvall. In May 2006, Lionsgate Films and Parallel Entertainment announced they would fully finance the low-budget comedy, positioning it as a vehicle for the tour's blue-collar humor in a slapstick military parody format.[4] The screenplay was penned by Bear Aderhold and Thomas F.X. Sullivan, focusing on bumbling reservists in a mistaken deployment scenario.[5] C.B. Harding, who had directed prior Blue Collar Comedy Tour specials such as Blue Collar Comedy Tour: The Movie (2003), was selected to helm the feature, marking his transition to narrative filmmaking.[6] Pre-production emphasized cost efficiency, with Lionsgate pursuing quick-turnaround comedies amid the mid-2000s demand for accessible, irreverent humor from working-class comedians. The project was produced by Shaler Entertainment and Samwilla Productions, aligning with Lionsgate's model of modest investments in genre films for domestic theatrical and home video returns.[7] Principal photography commenced in 2006, utilizing California locations including Yuma, Arizona, and various sites in Los Angeles County to depict the film's Mexico-Iraq confusion without international shoots.[8]Casting
The lead roles of the three bumbling Army reservists were filled by Larry the Cable Guy (Daniel Lawrence Whitney) as Larry McCoy, Bill Engvall as Bill Little, and D.J. Qualls as Everett Shackleford.[9] Larry the Cable Guy and Engvall, both prominent members of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour that popularized rural, working-class stand-up routines from 2000 onward, were central to the production, marking their first joint starring vehicle following the tour's concert films.[10] Their casting emphasized familiar, exaggerated everyman archetypes—rooted in catchphrases like "Git-R-Done" and "Here's your sign"—to anchor the film's lowbrow, slapstick tone centered on incompetence and bravado.[2] Supporting roles included Keith David as the stern Master Sergeant Jordan Kilgore and Danny Trejo as the menacing drug lord Carlos Santana, selections that paired authoritative and villainous screen presences with the leads' comedic ineptitude without relying on A-list talent, aligning with the project's modest $15 million budget.[9] [11] Qualls, known for eccentric supporting turns in films like The Core (2003), rounded out the trio to provide a contrasting nerdy foil, enhancing the group's dynamic of mismatched buddies.[12] The overall ensemble avoided high-profile dramatic actors, prioritizing performers whose established personas could deliver broad, improvisational-leaning humor suited to the script's farce without demanding nuanced range.[5]Filming
Principal photography for Delta Farce began on June 12, 2006, primarily in Southern California and Arizona to capture desert and rural environments evoking the film's mistaken Mexican setting.[8] Key locations included Veluzat Motion Picture Ranch in Saugus, California, which supplied village structures and backlots simulating a besieged Mexican town, alongside El Mirage Dry Lake in California for arid, open-terrain sequences and Yuma, Arizona, for additional desert exteriors.[13] These sites were selected for their cost-effective access to expansive, rugged landscapes suitable for the comedy's slapstick action without on-location shoots in Mexico itself.[13] The production emphasized practical effects over digital enhancements, particularly in chase scenes, fistfights, and bumbling mishaps central to the protagonists' antics, aligning with the low-budget constraints of an independent comedy aiming for tangible, physical humor.[14] Stunt coordination was handled by David Rowden, who managed the timing of improvised-feeling collisions and falls to underscore the reservists' incompetence without relying on high-cost pyrotechnics or wire work.[7] This approach facilitated rapid setup and execution, enabling the shoot to prioritize gag precision amid limited resources, though specific logistical hurdles like weather in desert areas or prop synchronization for military vehicles were not publicly detailed in production accounts.[8]Content
Plot
Three civilian friends—Larry, Bill, and Everett—embark on a weekend of target practice and revelry but are erroneously identified as Army reservists by a sergeant and transported via military aircraft intended for deployment to Fallujah, Iraq.[2] [15] A mid-flight malfunction causes the plane to divert, depositing the trio in a remote Mexican village, which they misidentify as their Iraqi destination amid the ensuing disorientation.[16] [1] Mistaking local inhabitants for Iraqis and bandits for insurgents, the group initiates misguided efforts to secure the area, forging unexpected bonds with villagers while clashing with armed assailants revealed to be involved in drug smuggling operations.[7] [15] Their bumbling interventions escalate into broader confrontations, prompting personal growth through the absurdity of their predicament as they navigate alliances, betrayals, and self-realization en route to eventual repatriation.[16]Cast and characters
Larry the Cable Guy portrays Private Larry McCoy, a hapless everyman Army reservist whose characterization draws on the comedian's signature redneck humor and "git-r-done" catchphrase from his stand-up specials and Blue Collar Comedy Tour performances.[9][12] Bill Engvall plays Private Bill Little, the level-headed straight man among the trio, reflecting Engvall's role as the voice of reason in his collaborations with Larry the Cable Guy on the Blue Collar Comedy Tour.[9][12] DJ Qualls stars as Private Everett Shackleford, the awkward and nerdy counterpart to his comrades, aligning with Qualls' frequent casting in eccentric, underdog roles seen in films like Road Trip.[9][12][17] In supporting roles, Keith David appears as Master Sergeant Kilgore, the disciplinarian sergeant who activates the protagonists, leveraging David's authoritative presence from military-themed parts in Armageddon and Platoon.[9][12] Danny Trejo embodies Carlos Santana, the ruthless insurgent leader, consistent with Trejo's typecasting as menacing antagonists in action comedies.[9][17] Glenn Morshower plays the unnamed General, a stern military authority figure akin to his recurring portrayals of officers in films like Transformers.[9][18]Release
Theatrical release
Delta Farce was released theatrically in the United States on May 11, 2007, distributed by Lionsgate Films.[1] The film opened on 1,931 screens nationwide.[19]Promotional efforts centered on trailers that highlighted the slapstick humor, bumbling protagonists, and the involvement of comedians from the Blue Collar Comedy franchise, such as Larry the Cable Guy and Bill Engvall.[20] These materials emphasized physical comedy and farce over any political commentary, targeting audiences familiar with lowbrow, reservist-themed hijinks.[7]
The release occurred amid a wave of comedies loosely inspired by post-9/11 military experiences, but Delta Farce was marketed as an apolitical romp, avoiding explicit satire of the Iraq War in favor of absurd mistaken-identity gags.[21] Distribution focused primarily on the domestic market, with limited international rollout confined mostly to English-speaking territories.[22]