Help
Add this page to your book
Show book (0 pages)
Suggest pagesWhite Lightning (1973 film)
| White Lightning | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster by Tom Jung |
|
| Directed by | Joseph Sargent |
| Produced by | Arthur Gardner Jules V. Levy |
| Written by | William W. Norton |
| Starring | Burt Reynolds Ned Beatty Bo Hopkins |
| Music by | Charles Bernstein |
| Cinematography | Edward Rosson |
| Editing by | George Nicholson |
| Distributed by | United Artists |
| Release date(s) | August 8, 1973 |
| Running time | 101 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
White Lightning is a 1973 American action film from United Artists starring Burt Reynolds as Gator McKlusky.[1] The film, directed by Joseph Sargent and written by William W. Norton, also starred Jennifer Billingsley, Ned Beatty, Bo Hopkins, R.G. Armstrong, and Diane Ladd. It was also the uncredited film debut of six-year-old Laura Dern.
A sequel, Gator, was released in 1976.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
Bobby "Gator" McKlusky (Burt Reynolds) is serving time in an Arkansas prison for running moonshine when he learns his younger brother Donny was murdered and that Sheriff J.C Conners (Ned Beatty) was the one behind it. Gator knows the sheriff is taking money from local moonshiners, so he agrees to go undercover for the Feds and try to expose the sheriff. He gets a job running moonshine with Roy Boone (Bo Hopkins) and starts having an affair with his girlfriend Lou (Jennifer Billingsley). Eventually, when the sheriff discovers Gator is working for the Feds and sends his enforcer Big Bear (Armstrong), Gator decides to go after the sheriff in an epic car chase finale.
[edit] Cast
- Burt Reynolds as Gator McKlusky
- Jennifer Billingsley as Lou
- Ned Beatty as Sheriff J.C. Connors
- Bo Hopkins as Roy Boone
- Matt Clark as Dude Watson
- Louise Latham as Martha Culpepper
- Diane Ladd as Maggie
- R. G. Armstrong as Big Bear
- Conlan Carter as Deputy
- Dabbs Greer as Pa McKlusky
- Lincoln Demyan as Warden
- John Steadman as Skeeter
- Iris Korn as Ma McKlusky
- Stephanie Burchfield as Jenny
- Barbara Muller as Louella
- Laura Dern (uncredited) as Sharon Anne, Maggie's daughter
[edit] Cult status
White Lightning is considered a classic[by whom?] 1970s action film with multiple car chases, shootouts, and fist fights. The film's music was written by A Nightmare on Elm Street's Charles Bernstein. Some of this score was also used by Quentin Tarantino in his 2003 film Kill Bill Vol. 1 and his 2009 film Inglourious Basterds. Bernstein's score was released by Intrada Records in May 2010.
On the TV series Archer, the movie and its sequel are favorites of the title character, Sterling Archer, though he believes Gator to be the stronger installment.
[edit] Notes
[edit] External links
- White Lightning at the Internet Movie Database
- White Lightning at the TCM Movie Database
- White Lightning at AllRovi
