IMDb > White Lightning (1973)
White Lightning
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White Lightning (1973) More at IMDbPro »

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White Lightning (1973) -- In one of his most memorable roles, Burt Reynolds portrays a moonshine whiskey runner who turns state's witness to avenge the murder of a boy no one understood.

Overview

User Rating:
6.0/10   980 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 213% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writer:
William W. Norton (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for White Lightning on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
22 October 1973 (Sweden) more
Genre:
Tagline:
If You Haven't Seen "White Lightning" You Haven't Seen Burt Reynolds more
Plot:
An ex con teams up with federal agents to help them with breaking up a moonshine ring. | add synopsis
NewsDesk:
(4 articles)
[TV] Heartland: Season 1, Part 2
 (From JustPressPlay. 20 November 2009, 4:00 AM, PST)

Fresh Release: Mr. Majestyk
 (From Daily Film Music Blog. 19 August 2009, 1:57 AM, PDT)

User Comments:
This good ol' boy is taking care of business. more (33 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Burt Reynolds ... Gator McKlusky
Jennifer Billingsley ... Lou

Ned Beatty ... Sheriff J.C. Connors
Bo Hopkins ... Roy Boone
Matt Clark ... Dude Watson
Louise Latham ... Martha Culpepper

Diane Ladd ... Maggie (as Diane Lad)
R.G. Armstrong ... Big Bear
Conlan Carter ... Deputy
Dabbs Greer ... Pa McKlusky
Lincoln Demyan ... Warden
John Steadman ... Skeeter
Iris Korn ... Ma McKlusky
Stephanie Burchfield ... Jenny
Barbara Muller ... Louella
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
McKlusky
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Runtime:
101 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.33 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Filming Locations:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Selected by Quentin Tarantino for the First Quentin Tarantino Film Fest in Austin, Texas, 1996. more
Goofs:
Continuity: When Gator is trying out the 1971 Ford Galaxy he was given by the Federal agents, you see him working a manual gear shift in the floor. Throughout the scene Gator upshifts and downshifts. However, when he arrives at his parents home, you see him place the car in park on the steering wheel, which is obviously an automatic transmission. more
Quotes:
[last line]
Gator McKlusky: The good, they die young!
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
8 out of 9 people found the following comment useful.
This good ol' boy is taking care of business., 4 September 2007
8/10
Author: lost-in-limbo from the Mad Hatter's tea party.

Gator McKlusky who's serving time in an Arkansas prison, finds out his younger brother is murdered by the corrupt town Sheriff J.C Connors. Wanting revenge, he agrees with the terms of going undercover as a moonshine runner for the feds and informing them of any important information to put away Connors. However it's Gator's personal quest of his brother's death, which pushes him to test the boundaries and power that Connors owns.

Quite likable, and truly a thick southern slice of crudely good ol' fun and rousing mishaps. Burt Reynolds' charismatic appeal was specially made for the part, and along side him is a terrifically well-served cast including the despicable Ned Betty, glorious Jennifer Billingsley, amusing Bo Hopkins, twitchy Matt Clark, live wire Diane Ladd and a rigid R.G Armstrong. Splendid line-up, but Reynolds was the real scene-stealer. The story might be a simple revenge tale with some currents involving racism and narrow-mindlessness, but it's a exhilarating pot boiler that's neatly drawn up with plenty of flesh hanging off it, and its zips onto one scene after another with burning conviction. Look out for an enjoyable reference to Don Siegel/Clint Eastwood's southern thriller "The Beguiled (1971)". The authenticity of the sweaty southern setting is beautifully captured with Edward Rosson's sharp photography doing the trick. Be it during the quiet moments, or the well-engineered, gut-busting brawls and blistering car chases. Even Charles Bernstein's wonderfully flavoured and titillating music arrangement dominates and goes a long way to cementing the film's potent personality. Director Joseph Sargent rapidly, rough n' tumble style, goes down well the tautly wry script and delivers the action with the right intensity. Amongst the tough suspense and sweet fooling, there are some genuinely moving scenes.

Always compelling, and one of Reynolds best performances.

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