Ode to Billy Joe **** (1976, Robby Benson, Glynnis O’Connor) – Classic Movie Review 3,707

The good-looking 1976 romantic drama film Ode to Billy Joe explains why young Billy Joe McAllister (Robby Benson) jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge, according the classic 1967 song by Bobbie Gentry. ‘What the song didn’t tell you, the movie will.’

‘What the song didn’t tell you, the movie will.’

Directed by Max Baer Jr in 1976, Ode to Billy Joe is the good-looking countryside romantic drama that explains why young Billy Joe McAllister jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge, according the classic 1967 song by Bobbie Gentry.

Billy Joe confesses his love to the lovely Bobbi Lee to cover his growing fear that he may be gay. Then one night, at a barn dance, he has sex with a man, runs away and confesses everything to Bobbi Lee.

The plotline may be cheesy, but, playing the Tallahatchie Romeo and Juliet, Robby Benson (as Billy Joe McAllister) and Glynnis O’Connor (as Bobbie Lee Hartley) are the cutest young couple imaginable, and give first-rate performances too.

Also in the cast are Joan Hotchkis as Mama Hartley, Sandy McPeak as Papa Hartley, James Best and Terence Goodman.

Ode to Billy Joe is written by Herman Raucher, based on the song by Bobbie Gentry that narrates the story of Billie Joe McAllister committing suicide by jumping off the Tallahatchie Bridge on Choctaw Ridge, Mississippi. Gentry told Raucher she did not know why the real person who inspired the character of Billie Joe had killed himself, so Raucher had a free hand to decide on a reason. Raucher was paid $250,000 by the Dell Publishing Company to write a tie-in paperback novel.

Ode to Billy Joe is directed by Max Baer Jr, runs 106 minutes, is made and released by Warner Bros. is written by Herman Raucher, is shot in Technicolor by Michel Hugo on location in Mississippi, US, and is scored by Michel Legrand.

The film premiered on 2 June 1976 at the Paramount Theatre in Jackson, Mississippi, as a benefit for the Mississippi Film Foundation. It was released across the US on 4 June 1976

Made for $1.1 million, the film grossed $27 million plus over $2.65 million abroad, $4.75 million from TV, and $2.5 million from video.

Scenes at the old sawmill were shot at Cross Lumber Company in Vaiden, Mississippi. The now demolished bridge featured in the film crossed the Yazoo River on County Road 512 near Sidon, Mississippi.

Benson and O’Connor previously appeared together in Jeremy (1973).

The cast are Robby Benson as Billy Joe McAllister, Glynnis O’Connor as Bobbie Lee Hartley, Joan Hotchkis as Anna ‘Mama’ Hartley, Sandy McPeak as Glenn ‘Papa’ Hartley, James Best as Dewey Barksdale, Terence Goodman as James Hartley, Becky Bowen as Becky Thompson, Simpson Hemphill as Brother Taylor, Ed Shelnut as Coleman Stroud, Eddie Talr as Tom Hargitay, William Hallberg as Dan McAllister, Rebecca Jernigan as Mrs Thompson.

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 3,707

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