THUNDER ROAD - 1958
RATED - PG for some non-graphic violence. One car is blown up & two others crash and burn.
RATINGS - 41 Amazon (4.5/5), 824 IMBD (6.7/10), 11,476 Netflix (3.4/5)
STARRING - Robert Mitchum, Gene Barry
THEMES - Justice, family, crime.
STORY - Lucas Doolin (Mitchum) returns from the Korean War to take over the family moonshine business. He hauls the stuff while his dad makes it and his little brother keeps the car running. Success in the business depends on a car that can outrun the Feds. Not only are the cars equipped with racing engines, you can turn the switch and drop some oil on the road behind you for anyone chasing to lose control. Lucas is the premier 'runner' in his territory, an area that not only are the Feds (led by Gene Barry) trying to clean up but an organized crime competitor is trying to take over. Lucas is definitely the cool dude and, apparently, this was a popular drive-in movie in the South for many years. Mother Doolin keeps the family in line and while they may make a living of crime, she makes sure they are in church on Sundays. In an early scene she & the two sons sit down to eat and they forget to pray so she asks Robin (Mitchum's son in real life) to pray. He prays, 'Thanks for the food, thanks for the meat, it's getting late, let's eat'. Furious with his irreverent attitude, she gives him a back hand slap to the head and knocks him off his chair. If you're a Robert Mitchum fan or just looking for some 'cool' entertainment, this is a classic. Lu G. for Lu's Reviews. 12/1/2007.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment