Macon County Line (1974)

A vengeful Southern sheriff is out for blood after his wife is brutally killed by a pair of drifters.

Director:

Richard Compton

Writers:

Max Baer Jr. (story written by) (as Max Baer), Max Baer Jr. (screenplay) (as Max Baer)

Stars:

Alan Vint, Cheryl Waters, Max Baer Jr.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Alan Vint	...	Chris Dixon
Cheryl Waters	...	Jenny Scott
Geoffrey Lewis	...	Hamp
Joan Blackman	...	Carol Morgan
Jesse Vint	...	Wayne Dixon
Sam Gilman	...	Deputy Bill
Timothy Scott	...	Lon
James Gammon	...	Elisha
Leif Garrett	...	Luke Morgan (as Lief Garrett)
Emile Meyer	...	Gurney
Doodles Weaver	...	Augie
Avil Williams	...	Public Defender
Jay Adler	...	Impound Yard Man
Roger Camras	...	Man in Car
David Orange	...	1st Highway Patrolman

Storyline

A vengeful Southern sheriff is out for blood after his wife is brutally killed by a pair of drifters. Low-budget film set in Georgia in 1953 and based on fact.

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Plot Keywords:

southern u.s. | year 1954 | poliziottesco | north american poliziottesco | hixploitation | 

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Taglines:

It shouldn't have happened. It couldn't have happened. But it did

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Genres:

Action | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

Although it's widely assumed the film is set in Macon County, Georgia, it actually appears to take place in Texas. Chris and Wayne pick up Jenny in Louisiana and agree to drive her home to Dallas. There is no Macon County in Texas but there is (or was) a tiny town called Macon, Texas, about halfway between Dallas and Shreveport, LA. Its population began to decline after World War II; by 1985, only a church, a cemetery, and a few scattered houses remained.

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Goofs

Hamp tells Reed that the car needs a new water pump, while it needs a new fuel pump.

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Quotes

Deputy Reed Morgan: Hurry up on the car there. Don't want to keep these nice folk here any longer than we have to. I'm not going to like it. I wouldn't like that at all.

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Connections

Referenced in Mystery Science Theater 3000: Attack of the Eye Creatures (1992)

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Soundtracks

Keep On Keepin' On
Vocal by Vermettya

User Reviews

Fantastic drive-in classic!

You can always be guaranteed a good time with seventies American exploitation flicks; and Macon County Line is not only no exception to that rule; it stands tall as one of the best films of its type! Macon County Line was apparently a big hit in its day and then promptly forgotten - which is a shame. The film is a winner thanks to some easy to like characters, a constant stream of entertainment, some witty dialogue and a serviceable helping of gritty violence - you really couldn't ask for much more from a film like this! The film takes place in the fifties and the plot focuses on two brothers driving through the Deep South. They cause a bit of trouble and end up picking up a female hitcher along the way before their car dies thanks to a dodgy fuel pump. They manage to get it to a garage but can't afford to get it fixed properly and so go for a bodge instead. While waiting for their car to be fixed, they run into the local sheriff, who takes an instant and unfair dislike to the group...

Unlike many films of its type, this one is not overly sleazy and if anything the tone of the film is light and breezy for most of the duration. The pace of the film is very relaxed for the first hour, although it remains entertaining thanks to the characters. Real life brothers Alan and Jesse Vint provide standout performances that bolster the film. The film does take a bit of a turn for the final third when the real antagonists turn up; we get a rape and murder scene and from there the tone of the film becomes rather darker, although the violence featured is never excessive. The pace of the film heats up too and the climax is fast and furious; and means more since we already like all the main characters by then. This film really does come highly recommended. It might not have a great deal of substance and the production values are not great (though certainly very good considering the obvious low budget) but it's good fun throughout and I'm sure that everyone who goes to the trouble of seeing this film will not be disappointed!

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 September 1975 (UK)

Also Known As:

Macon County Line

Filming Locations:

Sacramento, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$225,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

American International Pictures (AIP), Max Baer Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1