White Lightning *** (1973, Burt Reynolds, Jennifer Billingsley, Ned Beatty, Matt Clark, Bo Hopkins, Louise Latham, Diane Ladd) – Classic Movie Review 7570

Director Joseph Sargent’s 1973 movie White Lightning is a good vehicle for Burt Reynolds, who plays convict Gator McKlusky, who is released from jail to help the Feds to chase sadistic lawman Sheriff J C Connors (Ned Beatty), who has murdered Gator’s brother.

This fast-paced and exciting, if routine Seventies action thriller plays like a kind of modern-day pseudo-Western, with car chases, flashes of tough action, a big helping of the usual Reynolds charm, and a good, on-form support cast. It includes Jennifer Billingsley, Matt Clark, Bo Hopkins, Louise Latham, Diane Ladd (as Maggie), R G Armstrong, Dabbs Greer and Conlan Carter. Laura Dern (uncredited) plays Sharon Anne, Maggie’s daughter.

White Lightning advertises ‘booze, broads, car chases, corruption and revenge – all the things that make life worthwhile.’ It has a great Seventies B-movie feel to it.

White Lightning is directed by Joseph Sargent, runs 102 minutes, is made by Levy-Gardner-Laven, is released by United Artists, is written by William W Norton, is shot by Edward Rosson, is produced by Jules V Levy, Arthur Gardner and Arnold Laven, and scored by Charles Bernstein. Hal Needham is second unit director, stunt coordinator and Burt Reynolds’s stunt double.

It was a hit, and popular enough for a follow-up: 1976’s Gator.

RIP Burt Reynolds, who died of cardiac arrest on 6 September 2018, in Jupiter, Florida, aged 82. He was one of the last true movie stars, relishing his stardom.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7570

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