Outlaw Blues (1977)

Susan St. James helps Peter Fonda, an ex-convict who goes after the country music star who stole his song and made it a hit.

Director:

Richard T. Heffron

Writer:

Bill Norton (as B.W.L. Norton)

Stars:

Peter Fonda, Susan Saint James, John Crawford

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Peter Fonda	...	Bobby Ogden
Susan Saint James	...	Tina Waters
John Crawford	...	Buzz Cavenaugh
James T. Callahan	...	Garland Dupree
Michael Lerner	...	Hatch
Steven Fromholz	...	Elroy (as Steve Fromholz)
Richard Lockmiller	...	Associate Warden
Matt Clark	...	Billy Bob
Jan Rita Cobler	...	Cathy Moss
Gene Rader	...	Leon Warback
Curtis Harris	...	Big Guy
Jerry Greene	...	Disc Jockey
Dave Helfert	...	Anchorman
Jeffrey Friedman	...	Newsman
James N. Harrell	...	Cop Chauffeur

Storyline

Upon his imminent parole after serving six years in Huntsville Prison, Bobby Ogden hopes to carve out a career as a country music singer/songwriter. The prison's associate warden believes Bobby has what it takes if he only gets the opportunity. With country music star Garland Dupree performing for the prisoners, the associate warden, as one of those opportunities, has Bobby perform one of his songs, Outlaw Blues, for Garland, even if it's only for the concert's sound check, hoping that Garland will help Bobby out when he's paroled. While Garland seems disinterested in Bobby's performance, he actually was listening carefully as the world eventually not only hears Garland perform Outlaw Blues on the radio, but he has copyrighted the song claiming it as his own work. Once released, Bobby has to decide what to do about Garland stealing his song, knowing largely that it's his word and that of a bunch of other convicts against that of a renowned country music star. What happens between ...

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Plot Keywords:

music industry | musician | boat | prison | outlaw | 

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Taglines:

"I've done more living in the past two weeks than I did in the last six years. I got a hit record. I been on TV. I got chased. I got shot. And I fell madly in love. Hell, I'd do another six years just to live it again."

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Genres:

Action | Comedy | Drama | Music

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

This movie was released one day before the death of Elvis Presley, 15 August 1977.

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Goofs

When Peter Fonda goes on stage in the beginning he wears a right handed guitar but plays it left handed. This is typically done if the guitar is restrung for left handed play, but this one is strung for right handed play; the heavier strings are now on the bottom.

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Connections

Referenced in The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson: Angie Dickinson/Gene Rader (1986)

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Soundtracks

I Dream of Highways
Written by Hoyt Axton and Renée Armand
Sung by Peter Fonda and Susan Saint James

User Reviews

as a Texan, I liked it...

This is definitely a drive-in flick, and I saw it at the drive-in here in Houston in the late 70's.

I've been listening to the soundtrack of "The Harder They Come" and it occurred to me that there are similarities in this drive-flick and the reggae cult classic. The heroes are on the run, and are recording artists (talented in Jimmy Cliff's case, supposedly "talented" in Fonda's case).

Well, I had my say.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

August 1977 (USA)

Also Known As:

Outlaw Blues

Filming Locations:

Austin, Texas, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,900,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Sequoia Productions (II)

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1