White Lightning (1973) User Reviews

I Got The Sheriff

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 20 March 2009]

White Lightning is the first of two appearances Burt Reynolds made as Gator McKlusky, moonshiner with a mission. He's got a year to go on a rap for running illegal whiskey, but gets word of the death of his kid brother, arrested and later found drowned in a lake in another county. He decides to help the Feds get the corrupt good old boy sheriff who runs that county, Ned Beatty.

Of course that means going against tradition that southern folks have about cooperating with revenuers. One of Beatty's sideline enterprises is a nice partnership with R.G. Armstrong who's a crazy sadistic old shiner from the piney woods.

Beatty and Armstrong play a pair that was rapidly disappearing from the south because of the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts of the Sixties. They don't like the fact their world is changing one little bit. Long haired hippie types like Reynolds's brother apparently was, arouse their murderous ire as surely as Goodman, Schwerner and Chaney did.

White Lightning did a respectable business in the red state area of the USA and certainly was a nice boost to Burt Reynolds career. More than his fans will be pleased with it.

A good old-fashioned southern-fried revenge movie

[Mr-Fusion · 7/10 · 20 February 2015]

I've gotta admit, "White Lightning" wasn't at all what I was expecting. You see the words, "Burt Reynolds", "car" and "South" and it evokes the awesomeness that is "Smokey and the Bandit". Just how it is. But this is more serious. Reynolds still wields the good ol' boy charm, but he also seethes as he seeks to avenge his brother's senseless death at the hands of a corrupt sheriff (Ned Beatty, one of the great fascist lawmen).

There's something about this movie that works. The sweaty southern time and place, the long-ago political climate, the brooding protagonist. There's just enough fun here with the car chases to balance out the bitter injustice.

7/10

A fun vehicle for one of the 1970s' biggest stars.

[Hey_Sweden · 7/10 · 30 November 2014]

Burt Reynolds plays "Gator" McKlusky, a good ol' boy convict who gets word that his younger brother Donny has died. Not only did Donny die, but he was deliberately drowned by a crooked sheriff, J.C. Connors (Ned Beatty). "Gator" decides to cooperate with the Feds in order to get himself out of jail so he can seek revenge. His official mission will be to get the goods on not just Connors, but the moonshiners with whom he does business.

In general, "White Lightning" is no great shakes, but it's certainly a pleasant and watchable enough rural action flick. If it does one thing well, it's that it showcases the charms of its star in fine fashion. Burt is engaging, and the strong supporting cast is a big asset. Beatty actually underplays the role of the antagonist, never turning him into the kind of cartoon character we might otherwise see in movies of this type. Jennifer Billingsley adds substantial sex appeal as Lou, the gal who turns Gators' head. First rate character actors and actresses such as Bo Hopkins, Matt Clark, Louise Latham, Diane Ladd, R.G. Armstrong, Dabbs Greer, John Steadman, and Iris Korn all contribute heavily. Buffs should note that Ladds' daughter Laura Dern appears in a couple of shots; it was her film debut.

The flavourful score by Charles Bernstein is most enjoyable, and the filmmakers get great use out of various Arkansas locations. Joseph Sargent ("Colossus: The Forbin Project", "The Taking of Pelham One Two Three") does a fine job with the first unit direction, but it's really Hal Needhams' deft handling of the action sequences that bring "White Lightning" to life at just the right times. William W. Norton wrote the screenplay, creating a convincing milieu where traditional Southerners mistrust the current young generation of hippies and protesters. There are some poignant interludes with Gator & Lou, and at a home for unwed mothers.

Fine entertainment for devotees of old drive-in movies.

Seven out of 10.

Essential Burt Reynolds of the '70s

[HMan-6 · 7 June 2002]

In direct contrast to the previous review, I find this movie a well thought-out vehicle for Reynolds. Maybe some folks don't understand the 'shine business. Being an informer, turning in people who are just like you (and your family) creates great conflict within the character. Reynolds pulls it off well, even with the romantic distraction of Jennifer Billingsley, with Bo Hopkins doing his good ol' boy thing, then there's Ned Beatty.....and aww heck....you know why you watch it! It's a non-stop, pedal-to-the-metal, V8 blasting car movie! Check out those stunts...jumping a '72 Ford SeeDan (as we say here in the South) from a dock to a moving barge...great! Those full-size Mercury and Fords gobbling up the road, either chasing good ol' Gator or with him in one outrunning the cops...I mean, how much better can you get than that???

Ok, ok, I'll get serious again. It's a great action movie, regardless of whether you watch it with your coon hound or some Okie. It's got a very good plot, great action, and a good resolution......

Don't let folks kid you, Burt did good in this one!

Southern Gothic with Burt Reynolds and action

[Wuchakk · 7/10 · 2 September 2019]

A moonshiner on a prison farm in Arkansas, Gator McKlusky (Burt Reynolds), gets released early under the condition that he helps the Feds break a moonshining ring backed by a corrupt Sheriff (Ned Beatty), who also happens to be the murderer of Gator's little brother.

"White Lightning" (1973) is a Deep South crime drama/thriller that mixes "Deliverance" (1972) with Peck's "I Walk the Line" (1970), adding elements of "Bullitt" (1968) and the early Dirty Harry flicks. "Smokey and the Bandit" (1977) took the basic idea and satirized it.

The creators really captured the early 70's Deep South with loads of sweat and believable characters played by Beatty, Bo Hopkins, Jennifer Billingsley, Matt Clark and R.G. Armstrong. "Walking Tall" (1973) is a good comparison.

The film runs 1 hour, 41 minutes, and was shot in Benton, Arkansas, and nearby parts (Keo, Scott, Little Rock, Wrightsville & Alexander).

GRADE: B

If you love car chases, I have a film for you!!

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 23 September 2021]

There's not a lot of depth to "White Lightning". Now this is not to say it's a bad film....there just isn't a ton of plot and much of it consists of car chases....sort of like "Bullit" set in the deep South!

When the story begins, two men are murdered out in the swamps. You soon learn that one of the dead men was Gator McKlusky's brother...and Gator wants revenge. The problem is that Gator's in prison! So, he makes a deal with the Feds....if they let him out early, he'll dig up evidence against the Sheriff who is probably behind the murders.

What follows is Gator getting in good with local moonshiners. After all, none of these folks can do this without the Sheriff's approval...as well as a piece of the action! But this goes awry, and soon Gator's racing for his life. Good thing he has a VERY fast car and he loves to drive!

This is a decent time-passer. You don't watch this one for the acting or plot (not that they are bad) but in order to watch the action...and the film is full of it. Apparently the movie did so well that two years later they made a sequel, "Gator".

Decent 70's Moonshine Flick!

[shepardjessica · 6/10 · 16 September 2004]

Burt Reynolds should have stuck to movies like this! A typical redneck, crooked-cop hillbilly flick, it flows nicely with perfect casting, including the neglected Jennifer Billingsley, Matt Clark, and Bo Hopkins. A 6 out of 10. Best performance = Jennifer Billingsley. There was a sequel (GATOR) a few years later.

Although Burt was good in DELIVERANCE, this was more his fare (distinctly different that SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT) and he excelled at this type of character. Ms. Billingsley was also great in LADY IN A CAGE in the mid-1960's. Ned Beatty and R.G. Armstrong offer decent support in this Bogan County tale.

good ole boys

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 27 October 2018]

Moonshiner Bobby "Gator" McKlusky (Burt Reynolds) is in prison when he's told that Sheriff J.C. Connors (Ned Beatty) is suspected of killing Gator's younger brother Donny. Indeed, Connors had drowned Donny and his friend in the swamps. The Feds recruits him to take down the corrupt sheriff for taking whiskey money.

It's great to see Burt and Ned team up again in another southern movie. It's interesting that they are playing opposite each other although that means that they don't have much time together. It's a credit to Ned that he is so versatile. This is a good ole boys movie of thrilling car chases, moonshine, and sly comedy. Burt is at his smiling charms best. It's Dukes of Hazzard with the sweaty grungy South and dirty low life world. There are black people but they occupy different spaces. This is the car chasing, whiskey running, sweating buckets, corrupts cops, poor white folks south. The knocked up teens home is funny. It's not quite that sharp. It's a bit messy but it is fun for its times.

The South in the 70's from a Hollywood Perspective

[andydufresne · 8/10 · 12 January 2000]

As a 15 year old I watched parts of this movie being made. It was partly filmed in Benton Arkansas (30 miles S of LR). Benton was also the location for Sling Blade. My mom's Volkswagen and my bicycle show up in this movie.

It really is a somewhat accurate view of the South in the 70's from the rejection of hippies by "Good ole boys" to the Corrupt Sheriff, to the home for unwed mothers to the interaction of the races while still staying "respectfully apart". The movie was not intended to be an Oscar contender it was intended to capitalize on Reynolds immense popularity at the time. It did this well. Ned Beaty shaved his head to give himself the proper receding hairline for a Southern sheriff, and many locals were cast. If you like car chases, and "good ole boys" you'll love this. Otherwise you can watch it for it's historical value as a peek at the South through Hollywood colored eyes.

In an interview with Larry King, Ned Beaty said this was the most important role of his career because it kept him from being typecast as a wimp after Deliverance. Diane Ladd and her daughter, Laura Dern are both in this film.

Cheerful chase flick with hidden potential

[Coventry · 6/10 · 26 May 2014]

Last Friday night, I was all relaxed and settled down to watch a straightforward and undemanding 70's hillbilly car-chasing movie! And guess what; - that's also exactly what I got with Joseph Sargent's "White Lightning"! So that means that I should be really satisfied, right? Well, only partially, because for some reason this film continuously raises the impression that it easily could have been a lot more than just a long series of virulent chase sequences and Burt Reynolds showing off his womanizing skills. Usually this kind of cinema simply revolves around a charismatic thug bootlegging illegal booze and outsmarting the dim-witted redneck sheriff of a small Southern community, but there's actually a lot more depth and intelligence hidden in the screenplay of "White Lighting". Particularly the character of Sheriff J.C. Connors (and the terrifically sober and integer performance by Ned Beatty) easily could have uplifted the status of this film to a more respectable level. The Sheriff is a totally corrupt and vicious bully who controls the moonshine ring himself and also doesn't hesitate to cruelly execute long-haired hippie protesters in the forsaken swamps of his Arkansas County. When the Sheriff drowns the younger brother of Gator McKlusky, Gator closes a deal with some federal agents that release him from prison in order to pick up his bootlegging business undercover and bring down Connors. But Gator – rebellious bastard that he is – obviously cares more about extracting his personal revenge. The opening sequences in the swamp are grim and atmospheric, but with the introduction of Reynolds' character everything quickly turns into a light-headed and prototypic Southern car chase. Some of the most potentially fascinating supportive characters, like primarily Sheriff Connors but also the liquor-smuggling locals Big Bear and Roy Boone, sadly remain underdeveloped and on the background. But hey, as I stated at the beginning of this review: "White Lightning" nevertheless stays an utmost fun and exhilarating little flick. The Southern filming locations are splendid, and so are the soundtrack and ensemble cast. Joseph Sargent ("The Taking of Pelham 123", "Nightmares") assures a steady direction, while Hal Needham is credited as his second unit director. Needham would go on making car movies starring Burt Reynolds that are far more legendary (but not necessarily better) than this one, like "Smokey and the Bandit" and "Cannonball Run".

A trip down memory lane

[lastliberal · 5/10 · 3 March 2007]

The Retro channel bills itself as the place where memories are made. Well this film brought back some memories. Not the good ole boy, or the corn likker, or the sweet Arkansas babes - it had all of those - but the memories of the town I lived in from the Sixth grade through High School.

White Lightening, starring Burt Reynolds as Gator McKlusky, was filmed in Benton, Arkansas. It was Saline County, not Bogen as the film states. It brought back memories of the Saline County Courthouse, where a lot of the action took place. Of course, I was off in Vietnam when they were filming, so I didn't get to see ole Burt.

This isn't quality film-making or dramatic acting, although it was rumored to be Steven Spielburg's directorial debut. I wonder what happened there.

Hey, it's OK for a rainy Saturday afternoon and it was a trip back home.

Unforgettable. A great movie.

[clint2442000 · 10/10 · 22 November 2006]

They certainly don't make movies like this anymore. Likable characters, good story, a very charismatic Burt Reynolds. As for the action, I would take well-filmed, exciting car chase and action sequences as seen in White Lightning over CGI special effects in today's films any day! Rural locations in the South are also used to great effect. You can almost feel the cold water of the swamp in a great opening sequence, the ears of corn bouncing off the windshield as Reynolds drives the souped-up Ford through a cornfield, and the dust coming off the tires. As also observed by movie critic Roger Ebert, today's special effects- laden movies have forgotten how to make the location of the story, the land, a character in itself. After seeing this film at a drive-in theater around 1975, White Lighting was a "bad influence" on a kid as I was in rural Wisconsin who had just gotten his driving license. I would discreetly take the parent's car and my friends out on dusty, dirt roads in the countryside to execute "some Burt Reynolds style" driving. In addition, some parts of the movie are even touching. These include when Reynolds meets his parents for the first time after spending time in prison. And when Reynolds prior to the big chase sequence at the end proclaims his confusion to a young woman at the "Home For Young Mothers" as to why his brother who tried to make something of himself was murdered while he "had not done a damn good thing" his entire life. Enough of my ramblings. In summary, a movie with a number of added dimensions to put it far above and beyond a standard action movie. A pure classic.

White Lightning review

[renegadeviking-271-528568 · 7/10 · 2 May 2023]

"I was tryin' to save these two buddies of mine from getting knocked up by a homosexual." - Gator McKlusky

White Lightning is a decent movie but not anything exceptional. Yet it still holds a special place in history because it's popularity would help it to kick off a new type of film genre in the 1970s. Without this, we might not have had all those other car and trucker movies. Hell, who knows what Burt Reynolds would have done had he not carved out his place in history with this sort of role.

This took that '70s whitesploitation shtick and made it mainstream. This was a film put out by a major studio and had some semblance of a budget compared to the similar grindhouse pictures of the time.

Burt Reynolds, himself, referred to the film as "...the beginning of a whole series of films made in the South, about the South and for the South. No one cares if the picture was ever distributed north of the Mason-Dixon Line because you could make back the cost of the negative just in Memphis alone. Anything outside of that was just gravy. It was a well done film. Joe Sargent is an excellent director. He's very, very good with actors. And it had some marvelous people in it whom nobody had seen before. Ned Beatty for example. I had to fight like hell to get Ned in the film."

The film had a pretty good score done by Charles Bernstein, who would make that famous A Nightmare On Elm Street theme a decade later. The score here may sound familiar to fans of Quentin Tarantino, as he reused some of it for his Kill Bill films.

Reynolds was pretty good as Gator McKlusky and he would get to return as a character in the sequel Gator, three years later.

The plot sees Gator initially try to breakout of an Arkansas prison but his attempt is foiled. He then works out a deal to bring down a crooked Sheriff, who is responsible for murdering his brother. Gator wants revenge, the system wants justice and everyone loves moonshine and fast cars.

White Lightning isn't my favorite film in the genre it helped popularize but it is still worth revisiting from time to time due to its cultural significance and because well, Burt Reynolds is cool. Although, I prefer him alongside Jerry Reed.

Immensely boring

[headly66 · 3/10 · 24 August 2017]

After a promising start and a car chase almost nothing happens through a huge portion of the movie, they drive around, Burt talks to people for what seems like meaningless conversations, he uses his real name, everyone seems to know he's working for the feds, he openly writes notes in a small book, there is this real annoying woman he is screwing behind his buddy's back, etc, etc. Some pretty bad acting, amateur actors, bad fighting, bad lighting, bad direction and a horrible script. Another dull car chase and then the end.

One of Burt's worse movies. Not a lot of effort was put into this.

Suh-prise! Suh-prise!

[inspectors71 · 5 April 2010]

Imagine sitting down to watch one of them good ol' boys pitcher shows from the Deep South, with Burt Reynolds a'grinnin' and a'fightin' . . .

And finding out that, despite some quibbling errors, Joe Sargent's White Lightning is a small joy, a movie that has more than enough good performance, bite, and raw anger to raise it above the redneckery that Reynolds descended into as his career morphed into a cartoon.

What makes White Lightning work is that Reynolds isn't cute and Ned Beatty, as his adversary, a thoroughly corrupted county sheriff, isn't a bufoon. Beatty is in no small part what makes the movie work--his rant against those who would take his little empire away from him (Washington bureaucrats, commie college students, colored agitators) doesn't make him likable, just believable.

Plus, the movie looks good. It's grimy and sweaty; you can feel the heat coming off the engine blocks of the Ford Galaxie 500s. All the characters ooze perspiration in White Lightning; clear drops of sweat that seem interchangeable with the liquor being brewed and sold by everybody and his cousin.

Arkansas looks unbearably hot and humid, angry and nasty.

Just like Reynolds and Beatty.

A Good Ole Story About A Good Ole Boy

[brileyvandyke · 7/10 · 21 July 2023]

White Lightning is a very enjoyable, Southern gothic, gritty film. Set and filmed in Arkansas, Burt Reynolds plays Gator, an ex con turned "stool pigeon " in order to implicate and bust corrupt Bogan County sheriff JC Connors played by Ned Beatty.

There is a host of strong Southern actors who play supporting roles and lend credibility to the story. Burt Reynolds is very likable and dynamic and I really enjoy when he plays a serious and dramatic role. Bo Hopkins and RG Armstrong give strong support, but for me beyond Reynolds, Ned Beatty as the corrupt sheriff Connors, is outstanding. I am from a small Southern town and there is a "good ole boy" persona to law enforcement in such places, and right off Beatty captures this essence perfectly. I am not suggesting all cops are corrupt, but commenting on the feel of the office in such small towns.

Without giving away too much there is a great car chase and a poetic conclusion to the movie. I happened to see Gator before seeing White Lightning and I much prefer White Lightning. There's a serious tone to the movie and it's also a great revenge flick. Definitely suggest watching if you haven't already.

Good action flick, better than expected

[bgar-80932 · 7/10 · 28 September 2018]

I went into this movie with low expectations which I think helped my enjoyment for it. It was a standard revenge flick of Burt Reynolds (Gator) going after the corrupt sheriff for killing his brother. It did some things pretty well though and I have to say I was completely interested the entire way through. The south seemed very authentic and that added something to it. Also, I get that a lot of you guys didn't like Gator or find him charismatic but for whatever reason I found myself rooting for him throughout. He just got out of prison so obviously sex was a little on his mind as well but that didn't take his focus away from getting the sheriff though. My favorite line was when he just got in town where his parents live and the two girls went up to his car and they're chatting and he's like, "I know you too darling what's your name? Last time I saw you you were flat chested." That's close but probably not exact. She wasn't offended at all and it seemed to fit with the times but now a days I feel that would be seen as a wee bit rude. I liked a ton of the chase scenes as well. They were a good time. The fighting scenes were a little wonky but they all were during the 70s so I don't hold that against the film too hard.

Anyways I got side tracked. I liked Gator and wanted him to get the corrupt sheriff. Throughout the movie I actually gained some kind of respect for the sheriff as well though. Yeah he was corrupt and yeah he had some different ideas than probably most of us these days but he stood by them. He wasn't a coward. It was clear at the end Gator was baiting him on getting him alone and he didn't back down from the challenge like a lot of corrupt villains tend to do. I was glad Gator got him but I kind of wish it wound up in a physical confrontation rather than him just drowning in his car. The way he went probably fit the movie more though as so much focus was on the car chases and such.

Reynolds does it as well as anyone.

[JoanWaterfield · 6/10 · 14 May 2020]

Burt Reynolds, pin-up boy of the year past, is here this week in White Lightning, a fast paced melodrama that should provide good entertainment for the action fans. Reynolds, often embarrassingly coy in his television appearances, is locked in his movie career, into the characterization of the tough rough-hewn type, a Bogart/Gable combination with a touch of Astaire. Which is fine for he probably does it better than anyone else. In White Lightning he is very well cast in the pattern of Gator McKlusky, on the 'inside' for running bootleg whiskey and 'sprung' to help Treasury agents trap the bootleggers. So far, so good. Then the plot deviates into Gator's pursuit of a sadistic sheriff, probable murderer of his brother. Fortunately, Reynolds is forceful enough to carry the plot tangle and enough comedy is injected to balance the inevetable ultra-violence. The supporting roles are in the main well-handled. Jennifer Billingsley is just too much-mouthed as the floozie, and Ned Beatty is the stereotype sheriff, but the characters that pepper the story, Louise Latham, the secretary, Bo Hopkins, a fellow driver, Matt Clark, a nervously working undercover and R.G. Armstrong as the gang leader, are well-served by William Norton's dialouge and the Joeseph Sargent direction. More hits than misses with White Lightning, with the hits the easy style of Reynolds, some super auto sequences and the all-round professionalism of the production.

Great cast in a fine movie

[lukecon-63436 · 7/10 · 21 July 2021]

I don't love this movie, I gotta say. The ending I found to be somewhat clunky and rushed, but otherwise I thought this was a really entertaining movie. Aside from the clunky conclusion and some unnecessary moments, this film had some great performances by its lead actors.

Burt Reynolds does a very good job at portraying the main character, but I think the best performance that really shines here is Ned Beatty's. He does an absolutely fantastic job at nailing the Southern accent down, and nailing his character down perfectly.

Overall, this movie had some great chase scenes, and a really entertaining cast.

This good ol' boy is taking care of business.

[lost-in-limbo · 8/10 · 4 September 2007]

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.

White Lightnight really moves

[ArtVandelayImporterExporter · 7/10 · 7 March 2020]

Yet another unheralded gem from what I call Hollywood's true Golden Era - from the Hays-busting Bonny & Clyde to summer blockbuster Jaws (or Star Wars, if you prefer) - where American filmmakers shot subversive films on location with what looked like barely more than guerilla movie-making budgets. Sure, the Burt Reynolds film trappings are here - the fast cars, genial sidekick, loose women and frustrated poh-leece in hot pursuit. But there's more to this movie. It's a fairly mature cops n moonshiners tale where the line between good guy and bad guy is blurry. The sheriff, played brillianty by Ned Beatty, is one of those Southern Democrats who had a veneer of respectability who kept the county fed, so to speak, while making sure the blacks, hippies and commies were kept in place. Beatty's performance elevates this movie, but everyone turns in fine performances well above what I would have expected from a shine-running movie. Of course, it must have been wildly popular because they made Gator three years later, then at some point Reynolds seemed to begin coasting through his career driving fast cars, winking at his girl, kibbitzing with his genial sidekick, and evading stereotypical fat-zzz cops who had any hint of racism sheered right off. The formula was further dumb3d down for TV consumption in the form of The Dukes of Hazzard.

Establishing The Early Burt Reynolds Formula

[atlasmb · 5/10 · 7 March 2020]

In the wake of the critically and popularly acclaimed "Deliverance", Burt Reynolds trades on his reputation as a rebellious Southern boy and stars in "White Lightning", an action story of revenge. Reynolds is Gator McKlusky, a fast-driving daredevil who is in prison, where he seems rather comfortable, until he learns of his brother's death.

Gator pulls out all stops to escape the prison walls and he seeks out his brother's murderer. Along the way, he reacquaints with numerous denizens of the white lightning trade, homing in on the dirty lawman that presumably killed his brother for unknown reasons. A strong supporting cast---including Ned Beatty, Dabs Greer, and Matt Clark---gives the film an authentic tone.

Highlighting Reynolds'swarthy good looks and his trademark laugh, the film becomes a series of car chases through the dusty back roads and cornfields of the redneck South. This character type and this formula would appear again and again in Reynolds' later films, with slight variations. Hal Needham had a (recognizable) hand in the car stunts that populate this film.

Though this is not one of Reynolds' best films, it helped him create a fan base that followed him through his successful Smokey and the Bandit films and beyond.

"I was born ready!"

[bensonmum2 · 8/10 · 11 March 2008]

White Lightning is a terrific action/drama that tells the story of a hard-driving moonshiner named Gator McKlusky (Burt Reynolds) who is released from prison early in exchange for any help he can give the government with its case against his fellow moonshiners. Gator, however, has his own agenda and it has nothing to do with his altruistic nature. It seems that Sheriff J.C. Connors (Ned Beatty) of Bogen County is not only one of the biggest moonshiners in Arkansas, he's also responsible for killing Gator's brother. And Gator wants revenge.

One of the coolest things about White Lightning is that it presents Burt Reynolds as an actor at the top of his game. This was a Burt Reynolds who seemed to actually care about the final product and not just yucking it up with his buddies on screen. White Lightning was made before Burt became a clown, mugging for the camera. That's not to say there isn't any humor in White Lightning – it's just used judiciously. Burt is joined by phenomenal cast. In addition to Ned Beatty (who's perfect as the Sheriff), R.G. Armstrong, Bo Hopkins, Diane Lane, and Dabbs Greer give solid, memorable performances. In fact, I can't think of a single actor that bothered me. The movie was helped tremendously by the decision to film in rural Arkansas. I grew-up in the South and everything from the locations to the sweat dripping off Burt's chin had a feeling of authenticity. I've been to places like the old Kroger I spotted in the background and I sweat just like Burt in the oppressively hot Southern summers. It all felt real to me. Finally, the plot is just terrific, mixing in just the right amount of high speed car chases, brutal looking fight scenes, and dramatic conversations. It drew me in right from the start and held my attention throughout. Overall, it's a well-made, entertaining movie.

The south rises

[BandSAboutMovies · 7/10 · 29 July 2019]

Burt Reynolds said that White Lightning was "the beginning of a whole series of films made in the South, about the South and for the South. No one cares if the picture was ever distributed north of the Mason-Dixon line because you could make back the cost of the negative just in Memphis alone. Anything outside of that was just gravy."

It was originally going to be directed by Steven Spielberg after his films Duel, Something Evil and Savage. The famous director said, "I spent two-and-a-half months on the film, met Burt once, found most of the locations and began to cast the movie, until I realized it wasn't something that I wanted to do for a first film. I didn't want to start my career as a hard-hat, journeyman director. I wanted to do something that was a little more personal." He left the film to direct Sugarland Express instead.

Bobby "Gator" McKlusky (Reynolds) is serving time in an Arkansas prison for running moonshine when he discovers that his brother Donny was murdered by Sheriff J.C. Connors (Ned Beatty). He agrees to go undercover to get the dirt on the sheriff.

He's teamed with Dude Watson, a local stock car racer and moonshine runner on probation. Gator gets his own job doing the same thing alongside Roy Boone (Bo Hopkins). Of course, once he gets one look at Boone's woman Lou and running afoul of Connors' henchman, Big Bear (R.G. Armstrong, Pruneface from Dick Tracy). Diane Ladd shows up as Maggie and an uncredited Laura Dern plays her daughter.

White Lightning was directed by Joseph Sargent, who was also responsible for Nightmare and Jaws The Revenge. It'd be followed by Gator, with only Reynolds returning. If it wasn't for these two movies, we wouldn't have so many of the films we've covered this week.

Reynolds fits like a glove in a tale of the sweaty South...

[moonspinner55 · 3/10 · 10 February 2008]

Burt Reynolds plays Gator McKlusky, a likable ex-convict just released from prison who helps the feds nab a corrupt small town sheriff. Laid-back Reynolds was often accused by critics of merely phoning these 'good ol' boy' performances in; true, he's on auto-pilot throughout. But in his day, Reynolds knew just how to make a low-key effort work well for himself. Ingratiating and handsome, Reynolds comes as close to winking at the audience as he can without breaking up; he seems to know these backwoods as well as any movie star, while director Joesph Sargent provides an easy pace and a sweaty ambiance which brings the South alive. Unfortunately, the story isn't much, and supporting actors Ned Beatty and Bo Hopkins overact (as usual). Diane Ladd is fine in a small part, and real-life daughter Laura Dern can be glimpsed in the background. Reynolds returned to this character for 1976's "Gator". *1/2 from ****