A fairly typical, widescreen 1960's Western (not that there is anything wrong with that) made memorable by Raquel Welch's stunning beauty and a young Burt Reynolds bursting with untapped superstardom.
Director John Boorman's backwoods, gothic thriller is every bit as effective today as it was 40-plus years ago. One of the screen's all-time great turning points is when the capable, confident, man-of-action Lewis (Reynolds) is incapacitated by a horrific injury. At that point, you're sure everyone is doomed.
There is no question "Deliverance" is Jon Voight's picture, but there is also no question a star was born.
Director Joseph Sargent delivers one of the great underrated movies of the 1970's. This is the debut of Reynolds as Bobby "Gator" McKlusky, an imprisoned moonshiner who goes undercover to catch the corrupt sheriff (Ned Beatty, again proving what an amazing character actor he is) who murdered his hippie brother.
The teaming of Reynolds and the great Bo Hopkins is about as good as it gets. Everything in this drive-in masterpiece works: the look, the feel, and most of all Gator thumbing his nose at any and all government authority, even though he's been forced to work for the Feds.
Reynolds called this film “The beginning of a whole series of films made in the South, about the South and for the South.â€
Gator would return in Reynolds' 1976 directing debut "Gator," which has its charms, but not many.
After "White Lightning,' Reynolds jumped directly into one of the all-time great screen comedies. Tracy Keenan Wynn's masterpiece of a screenplay mixes "MASH" and "The Dirty Dozen" into a gritty and absolutely hilarious story that ends with hardcore prisoners taking on hardcore prison guards in a football game.
As disgraced former-NFL quarterback Paul "Wrecking" Crewe, Reynolds proved he could carry a movie without breaking a sweat.
Never have I laughed so hard or had a better time in a movie theatre.
And it hasn't aged a day.
A dirty, hilarious, insightful sports comedy.
Reynolds is so good, he held his own with Robert Preston.
Writer/director Hal Needham reheated his sure-fire "Smokey and the Bandit" formula but switched out moonshiners for stuntmen.
Another monster hit for both, and deservedly so.
Reynolds shaves the mustache, moves to Boston, and convincingly portrays a somewhat nebbish teacher still reeling from a heartbreaking divorce.
Anyone who questions Reynolds range as an actor is in for an awakening and a treat.
Reynolds stars in and directs what is one of the best urban action films of the 80's. For the life of me, I cannot understand why this didn’t become a franchise for Reynolds. He would go back to this well a number of times in lesser films like "Heat," "Stick," and "Physical Evidence."
Nothing came close to "Sharky," though, when it could have been his "Dirty Harry" franchise.
What a loss.
By writing a great role for a 60 year-old former superstar still in his prime, writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson pulled a Quentin Tarantino for Reynolds, who reportedly hated the sleaziness of the film. Nevertheless, Reynolds shines.
My favorite scene is an extended take of Jack Horner walking through his big house in the Valley just being, well, Burt Reynolds. We only see Reynolds from the back, and even from that angle the man throws off more charisma than anyone has a right to.
A guy who went to FSU, should never be allowed to play a guy named “Gator.”
In Starting Over, my favorite scene is when they go back to Jill Clayburg’s (?) Apartment (or his, can’t remember).
They start necking and she starts moaning. Bert stops, grabs her, looks her in the eye and says, I’m not really that good (or words to that effect).
Really cracked me up for some reason. Now off to YouTube to see if my memory is intact.
He was good as Eli Zeal in “Waterproof”.
M4L
Great synopsis on all. Thanks!
At that time worked with a girl who was ga ga for Burt. After work we’d sometimes go to a movie and if Burt was playing anywhere nearby - That would be her choice. Until Roger Moore as James Bond appeared on his films. Anyone remember his LP? :-)) he actually made a record and this was before he ever had singing lessons!! He has frankly admitted that fact.
HT:
And as to the BD comment — yes, the keyboard did tilt a bit on the reply, but you got the drift, I’m certain.