Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974)

With the help of an irreverent young sidekick, a bank robber gets his old gang back together to organize a daring new heist.

Director:

Michael Cimino

Writer:

Michael Cimino

Stars:

Clint Eastwood, Jeff Bridges, George Kennedy

Nominated for 1 Oscar.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Clint Eastwood	...	Thunderbolt
Jeff Bridges	...	Lightfoot
George Kennedy	...	Red Leary
Geoffrey Lewis	...	Eddie Goody
Catherine Bach	...	Melody
Gary Busey	...	Curly (as Garey Busey)
Jack Dodson	...	Vault Manager
Eugene Elman	...	Tourist (as Gene Elman)
Burton Gilliam	...	Welder
Roy Jenson	...	Dunlop
Claudia Lennear	...	Secretary
Bill McKinney	...	Crazy Driver
Vic Tayback	...	Mario Pinski
Dub Taylor	...	Station Attendant
Gregory Walcott	...	Used Car Salesman

Storyline

Seven years after a daring bank robbery involving an anti-tank gun used to blow open a vault, the robbery team temporarily puts aside their mutual suspicions to repeat the crime after they are unable to find the loot from the original heist, hidden behind a school chalkboard. The hardened artilleryman and his flippant, irresponsible young sidekick are the two wild cards in the deck of jokers.

---

Plot Keywords:

heist | friendship between men | church | preacher | road movie | 

---

Taglines:

Thunderbolt... the man with the reputation. Lightfoot... the kid who's about to make one!

---

Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama

---

Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 May 1974 (USA)

Also Known As:

Le canardeur

Filming Locations:

Choteau, Montana, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$2,200,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$25,000,000 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Malpaso Company, The

Technical Specs

Runtime:

115 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Because then five year old Kyle Eastwood said one word of dialogue, which was "Hi!", this action classified him, in terms of the actor's guild rules, as being in the dialogue category, and as such, had to be paid scale, which was at the time, US $128.

---

Goofs

Although no dates are explicitly stated or shown regarding the action in the film, the license plate on the new car bought by Thunderbolt does have "1973" on it. Also, the sign outside the schoolhouse said it was only open June through August, so the film's story must happen in either June, July or August of 1973. The calendar on the wall of the Western Union office showed the 30th falling on a Saturday. In 1973, the only month where the 30th fell on a Saturday was June, so the film's story logically must be happening in June 1973. However, in an earlier scene at a diner, a folded newspaper near Thunderbolt shows an article headline that dates from November 1973.

---

Quotes

Eddie Goody: [Looking at the stolen Buick Riviera, parked in front of a truck stop diner] You sure that's their car?
Red Leary: That's their hearse.

---

Connections

Featured in La fille d'un soldat ne pleure jamais (1998)

---

Soundtracks

Where Do I Go from Here
Composed and Sung by Paul Williams

User Reviews

"Stop you FREAK - I love you"

Thunderbolt & Lightfoot might just be the second best film in both Eastwood & Bridge's career. For Eastwood, I can't see anything excelling The Good, the Bad & the Ugly. As for Bridges, I think his pinnacle was in The Big Lebowski. But whatever - today we're discussing Thunderbolt & Lightfoot and it is a great great film.

Doherty (Eastwood), an ex con / bank robber is by fate, recklessly aided by Lightfoot (Bridges) helping Doherty make a sharp exit from his former criminal associates (played by G Kennedy & G Busey). All four characters are forced to overlook their pasts and differences, we see a transformation and are strung a long a brilliant story of classic-buddies-plotting-to-beat-the-impossible-odds. Michael Cimino (Director) immediately throws the story and the characters into quick pace. He litters the film with good looking sets, sweet colour and oddly placed obstacles - for instance, a deranged hick driving by with a boot full of white rabbits.

Maybe it was unintentional, but I think Cimino created one of the first films to really stage what we know as black-humour. 2 hours of tragic events, lined up one after the other underlined by stupidity and smart wit, of course we can not forget George Kennedy & Gary Busey's super assistance in supporting roles.

Jeff Bridges is a remarkable and funny actor in this film, his part reveals a warm and naïve handsome young fella, yet somehow edged with that wise-fool-20-something vision that provides infectious viewing, especially the line to Clint "I don't know want your money man. I want your friendship". Clint Eastwood, is as you expect - laidback, dry and completely handy. Nothing new, but nothing you'd want to take away from that screen presence or enigma he's carefully carved over the years.

Thunderbolt & Lightfoot was overlooked back in the day, United Artists must have been insane not to push, or help sparkle such a strong piece of golden nugget that was laid amongst so many other rough pebbles.

~Paul Browne.