The Reivers (1969)

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 | Southern U.S.

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:

The Winton Flyer was not a real automobile. It was created from scratch for this movie by Kenneth Howard, aka Von Dutch. The car was designed to resemble a typical vehicle from 1904, but built to withstand the rigors of filming. Steve McQueen called the car "the real star of the picture", and took possession of it after filming ended. It remained in his collection until his death in 1980. The actual car can now be seen in the Peterson Automotive Museum In Los Angeles.

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:

Narrator: We didn't fear death, in those days, because we believed that your outside was just what you lived in and slept in, and had no connection to what you were.

Movie Connections:

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

An underappreciated gem

A diverse group goes off on an adventure, each for his own reasons, and each comes back changed and much wiser. Romance, excitement, tough choices, new experiences, and a really great car -- what more can you ask for? In a just world, this would be considered a classic of the coming-of-age genre. It is one of McQueen's most complex and charming performances. Crosse, another actor who died much too young, is brilliant. It has some mature material, but it is a wonderful family movie to talk to kids 13 and up about what growing up really means.