I watched this movie today on a DVD from Amazon. Thunder in Carolina was shot on location in North Carolina and the color looks very good. The script keeps the viewer interested and the story moves right along. It's an entertaining look at the early days of NASCAR.
Big time stock car driver Mitch Cooper (Rory Calhoun) breaks his ankle in a crash and returns to his hometown to recuperate and fix his car at the garage where he used to work. He finds the owner has died and the place is now owned by Les York (Race Gentry) and his pretty blonde wife Rene (Connie Hines in her only movie credit). Les welcomes Mitch and soon Mitch is training him to be a stock car driver, much to Rene's disapproval. Mitch has the hots for Rene but she isn't having any. With Mitch's help, Les soon wins a few races and gets the big head. He leaves Mitch to work for the win-at-all-cost millionaire. Then the big race day arrives. Mitch's ankle has healed and his car is repaired. Now it's Mitch and Les head to head in the final race. What will happen?
Alan Hale Jr (The Skipper on Gilligan's Island) plays a pit crew boss and Mitch's old buddy. There are many amateurs in the cast for whom this is their only movie or TV credit. There is some good stock footage of races. However, some of the filming was done at an actual NASCAR event where Rory Calhoun actually drove a couple of laps during the race with a camera attached to the hood of his car.
Tobacco is a big product in North Carolina and Rory does many of his scenes with a cigarette hanging out out his mouth. Connie Hines also smokes a lot.
Thunder in Carolina is an enjoyable movie and well worth watching.
Big time stock car driver Mitch Cooper (Rory Calhoun) breaks his ankle in a crash and returns to his hometown to recuperate and fix his car at the garage where he used to work. He finds the owner has died and the place is now owned by Les York (Race Gentry) and his pretty blonde wife Rene (Connie Hines in her only movie credit). Les welcomes Mitch and soon Mitch is training him to be a stock car driver, much to Rene's disapproval. Mitch has the hots for Rene but she isn't having any. With Mitch's help, Les soon wins a few races and gets the big head. He leaves Mitch to work for the win-at-all-cost millionaire. Then the big race day arrives. Mitch's ankle has healed and his car is repaired. Now it's Mitch and Les head to head in the final race. What will happen?
Alan Hale Jr (The Skipper on Gilligan's Island) plays a pit crew boss and Mitch's old buddy. There are many amateurs in the cast for whom this is their only movie or TV credit. There is some good stock footage of races. However, some of the filming was done at an actual NASCAR event where Rory Calhoun actually drove a couple of laps during the race with a camera attached to the hood of his car.
Tobacco is a big product in North Carolina and Rory does many of his scenes with a cigarette hanging out out his mouth. Connie Hines also smokes a lot.
Thunder in Carolina is an enjoyable movie and well worth watching.