The Reivers (1969)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Mark Rydell

Writers:

William Faulkner (novel) and
Harriet Frank Jr. (writer)

Release Date:

25 December 1969 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Boon is a reiver (that's a cheat, a liar, a brawler and womaniser) and he had just four days to teach young Lucius the facts of life (like cheating, lying, brawling and womanizing).

Plot:

In turn-of-the-century Mississippi, an 11-year-old boy comes of age as two mischievous adult friends talk him into sneaking the family car out for a trip to Memphis and a series of adventures.

Plot Keywords:

Mississippi | Automobile | Horse | Coming Of Age | Cotton

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 3 nominations

Cast

Steve McQueen	...	Boon Hogganbeck
Sharon Farrell	...	Corrie
Ruth White	...	Miss Reba
Michael Constantine	...	Mr. Binford
Clifton James	...	Butch Lovemaiden
Juano Hernandez	...	Uncle Possum
Lonny Chapman	...	Maury McCaslin
Will Geer	...	Boss
Rupert Crosse	...	Ned McCaslin
Mitch Vogel	...	Lucius McCaslin
Diane Shalet	...	Hannah
Pat Randall	...	May Ellen
Diane Ladd	...	Phoebe
Ellen Geer	...	Sally
Dub Taylor	...	Dr. B.F. Peabody

Also Known As:

The Yellow Winton Flyer (UK) (video title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sexual content, brief nudity, language and thematic elements. (2004 re-rating)

Runtime:

Germany:107 min | USA:107 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo

Certification:

Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | UK:AA (original rating) | Canada:G (Quebec) | UK:PG (video rating) (1987) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Australia:PG | Norway:16 (1970) | Australia:M | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:15 | USA:M (original rating) | USA:PG-13 (2004 re-rating) | UK:12 (re-rating) (2005)

Filming Locations:

Carrolton, Mississippi, USA

Company:

Cinema Center Films

Trivia:

Mitch Vogel broke a shoulder during the shooting.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Boon, Ned and Lucius begin their trip to Memphis in the Winton the beginning of the scene is filmed in a traveling shot. As the journey proceeds we hear noticeably on the soundtrack the camera truck's motor in addition to the Winton's.

Quotes:

Miss Reba: [to Boon] Why don't you take a nice cold bath, cool yourself down, then come back and show us how handsome you are.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Steve McQueen: The King of Cool (1998) (TV)

A charmer of a coming of age movie

A boy falls in with bad and slightly foolish companions when his grandfather leaves his brand new horseless carriage unguarded for the weekend. Based on a Faulkner novel, the story centers on a whirlwind trip to Memphis, with the promise that the car and all in it will be back in Mississippi before the grandfather. A night at a madam's, a knife fight, a dispute with a corrupt and bigoted sheriff, and two of the most exciting and beautiful movie horse races shoot the plan to hell. Not the best McQueen, but Sharon Farell is sweet and heartbreaking, Rupert Crosse (who died young) showed substantial promise and the movie is generally well-played. A charming movie about the sweet smell of corruption, responsibility and the lengths men (and horses) will go to to get what they want.