Ernest attempts (and fails) to escape prison by fashioning a gun made out of soap and covered with black shoe polish much like Woody's character, Virgil does in the opening scenes of 'Take the Money and Run.'
The entire chain gang sequence is a straightout spoof, including particular, precise scenes and aspects, like the African American prisoner (in both films he's the same race) helping to break the main character's shackles, and the guard whipping the prisoner and only the prisoner's shadow is visible.
