Thunder Road (1958)

Director:

Arthur Ripley

Writers:

Robert Mitchum (story)
James Atlee Phillips (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

10 May 1958 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Raw And Rough As Today's Billion-Dollar Whiskey War!

Plot:

A veteran comes home from the Korean War to the mountains and takes over the family moonshining business...

Plot Keywords:

Nightclub Singer | Brother Brother Relationship | Small City | War Veteran | Treasury Agent

Cast

Robert Mitchum	...	Lucas Doolin
Gene Barry	...	Troy Barrett, Treasury Agent
Jacques Aubuchon	...	Carl Kogan
Keely Smith	...	Francie Wymore
Trevor Bardette	...	Vernon Doolin
Sandra Knight	...	Roxanna Ledbetter
James Mitchum	...	Robin Doolin

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Norway:16 | USA:PG (re-rating) (1975) | USA:Approved (PCA #18919) (original rating) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Asheville, North Carolina, USA

Company:

D.R.M. Productions

Trivia:

The 1950 Ford that Robert Mitchum drives in the beginning is actually a 1951 Ford with a 1950 grille, and the chrome windsplits removed. The give-away: the V-8 emblems, the "Ford Custom" emblems on the front fenders, the dashboard, and steering wheel.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the sequence leading up to and including the explosion that kills Jed Moultrie and the Treasury agent, a dark-colored Mercury is seen parked at the gas pumps. It disappears briefly, only to reappear when Moultrie's car explodes.

Quotes:

Vernon Doolin: [referring to Niles Penlands being ambushed] So it begins. Saw a corpse bird the other day, hadn't seen one in years, shoulda known it was an ill omen.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Death Proof (2007)

Soundtrack:

Ballad of Thunder Road

Loved Those Cars And Chase Scenes

Someone one here labeled this film "hillybilly film noir." I think that's a great description of this movie. This is about the good 'ole boys racing their souped- up '50s Fords around country roads, running moonshine and trying to evade both cops and gangsters. In fact, I wish they had more of those chase scenes because, even with primitive special-effects, they were fun to watch. The ending chase would have been longer, if I had my way.

Mitchum is fun to watch in here, too. He just looked like a rugged guy, a "man's man," as they say. His kid brother Jim made his film debut in here and wasn't bad for a beginner. He and another beginner, singer Keely Smith, are a bit wooden but passable as actors. Keely also had an interesting face.

I think this is one of those films that gets better with each viewing. Highly recommended.