***Southern Gothic with Burt Reynolds and action*** 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. …
Read full review →
