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It's a noirish crime story with more than just a few late period swiping stabs at the style.
Boy must ya hate 1958 and this movie which opens with the banjo pickin moan of authority that complains millions of dollars are lost to the treasury through taxation each year by means of the power of illicit whiskey, boo hoo. Who cares!
The ficking Treasury, that is a joke. The courage shown by the filmmakers in bowing to the legal way to travel and to traffic big whiskey in the dark, and using cigarettes as flick weapons in deadly car races.
Thunder Road (1958) marks a significant milestone in Robert Mitchum's career, being the first production from his company, DRM Productions. The screenplay, crafted by James Atlee Phillips and Walter Wise, is based on a story by Mitchum, who also contributed to the music and lyrics, showcasing his deep personal investment in the project.
Mitchum's son, James, plays Robin Doolin, while Mitchum himself takes on the role of older brother Lucas Doolin, making this film particularly close to his heart.
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| Thunder Road (1958) |
The popularity of Thunder Road lies in simple elements, such as the rebel nature of Mitchum and his no no nonsense approach, his lack of fear when facing down the mob boss kingpin whom he punches, and whose hat he squashes, and he's the same with the law.
The simplicity of the roaring motor car versus the law, played out with nascent rockabilly twanging at high speed, a kind of rock n roll fervour brought to a small time tale, which repeats up and down the mountain roads, and then there is the unusually straight talk of Mitchum as the hero.
He is just the sort of guy to phone up a boss and says he is coming to kill him, and then just do it, what power in the hillbilly noir canon.
The narrative follows Lucas Doolin, a moonshiner who constantly battles against both gangsters attempting to seize his operation and law enforcement trying to shut it down. A Korean War veteran, Doolin's life is a whirlwind of danger as he fends off various adversaries, leaving little time for his moonshining activities.
Despite his efforts to dissuade his younger brother, Robin, from joining the illicit trade, the excitement proves too alluring.
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| Old timers hang out in Thunder Road (1958) |
The stakes escalate when gang boss Carl Kogan orders the murder of one of Doolin's assistants. After a confrontation with Kogan, Doolin is captured but later freed by his brother. Federal agents, led by Troy Barrett, arrest Kogan and pursue Doolin, culminating in a high-speed chase that ends with Doolin crashing into an electricity transformer.
In the 1970s, the moonshiner genre gained popularity, notably through films starring Burt Reynolds. Thunder Road, however, set a high standard that many of its imitators failed to surpass. The film's depiction of the backwoods lifestyle adds authenticity, portraying a world seemingly removed from modern America.
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Choosing Arthur Ripley as director seemed unusual given his sporadic and varied career, but critics like Richard Thompson suggest this allowed Mitchum greater control over the film while avoiding the responsibility of directing. Alternatively, George Eells posits that Ripley's ability to work quickly and cheaply appealed to Mitchum.
Ripley's focus on storytelling and his disdain for formulaic movies likely resonated with Mitchum.
In a Rolling Stone interview, Mitchum acknowledged the enduring audience for Thunder Road, noting its reception as genuine. He explained that he didn't write the screenplay due to the technical aspects of screenwriting, which he found boring.
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Despite its initial mixed reviews, Thunder Road stands out as a highly competent thriller, far surpassing the typical B-movie standards. Over time, it has garnered acclaim and is now considered a cult classic, much to the wry amusement of its creator. The film's combination of compelling storytelling, strong performances, and authentic portrayal of moonshiner culture ensure its lasting legacy in cinema history.
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And this Robert-rodding moonshining exploitation cinema leafletted into the stalls via the poster and lobby cards bearing the most tantalising tag lines which filled that darkest valley of boredom with the potential for thrills, as follows:
YOU'LL NEED SHOCK ABSORBERS!
More Savage Than The Tommy-Gun Massacre of the Roaring Twenties...TODAY'S BILLION-DOLLAR WHISKEY WAR!
Robert Mitchum Blasts the Screen! (rerelease)
ROBERT MITCHUM roars down the hottest highway on earth!
Roaring into ACTION on America's most crooked highway!
Raw And Rough As Today's Billion-Dollar Whiskey War!
Thunder Road (1958) is a cult classic crime/Noir film directed by Arthur Ripley. War veteran Robert Mitchum stars as Lucas Doolin, who returns home to lead the family moonshine business. This stubborn bootlegger battles both federal agents and mobsters while navigating the backroads in his whiskey-laden hot rods.
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The film exudes a raw vitality that overshadows its sometimes indifferent direction and uneven performances. Mitchum’s involvement in the film was extensive; he wrote the story, starred as the lead, and co-wrote and sang the hit song that emerged from the movie.
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Set against the backdrop of the Eisenhower era, Thunder Road presents Lucas Doolin and his kin as figures oppressed by both the government and organized crime, both indifferent to the traditional values of the Harlan County moonshiners.
Despite discussions of changing with the times, the film suggests that the independent spirit of these people is incompatible with the modern world. The depiction of 1950s jalopies roaring down Tennessee’s dirt roads evokes a sense of nostalgia and excitement.
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Thunder Road is a Robert Mitchum project from beginning to end, with Mitchum not only starring but also contributing the original story, producing, casting his eldest son, James, as his brother, and even releasing a single of the film’s title song.
Here, Mitchum steps into the role of Lucas Doolin, a defiant moonshine runner who uses modified Fords with hidden tanks to transport whiskey across county lines. The film establishes a symbolic rivalry between the runners, with their souped-up Fords, and the law enforcement agents, who drive Chevies.
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This visual detail underscores the outlaws' rebellion against the establishment, embodied by the federal agents pursuing them.
Mitchum’s character belongs to a long line of whiskey distillers, a lineage traced back to Ireland and purportedly reaching Harlan County’s earliest days of settlement. The Doolin family views moonshine as a legacy and an emblem of independence, making their work a symbol of resistance as much as it is a means of survival.
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The central antagonist is Carl Kogan (Jacques Aubuchon), a mafia-type figure intent on consolidating the region’s moonshine operations. Kogan’s attempts to monopolize whiskey distribution are challenged not only by Mitchum’s character but also by Gene Barry’s IRS agent from the Alcohol and Tobacco Division.
As Kogan attempts to assert control, Mitchum’s Lucas Doolin stands firm as the last bastion of his family’s heritage, creating a dynamic battle that culminates in one of the film’s most memorable scenes.
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During a high-speed chase, one of Kogan’s thugs tries to run Lucas off the road, only for Mitchum’s character to retaliate by flicking a lit cigarette into his pursuer’s face, sending him careening off the highway in flames. This scene encapsulates the film’s rugged charm and the indomitable spirit of its protagonist.
The movie offers an intriguing slice of Americana, capturing a moment in time that has since passed. It portrays a rebel, Lucas Doolin, who feels his freedoms are being eroded. While the film attempts to comment on personal freedoms and the rural Tennessee way of life, it sometimes falls short.
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Nonetheless, scenes like the caravan of car headlights on a winding mountain road, bringing home the mountain’s dead sons, are touching and memorable, though some characters and situations can feel like caricatures.
Mitchum’s character, despite his good qualities, is too self-centered to garner full support, yet audiences can’t help but root for him. The trappings of outlaw culture—fast cars, jukeboxes, and drive-in theaters—ironically became part of the conformity that transformed regional lifestyles into today’s homogenous pop culture.
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In a poignant moment, Doolin reflects that the ghosts of the old backwoods are now out on the highways.
This production, emblematic of the low-budget drive-in genre, demonstrates an intriguing juxtaposition between thematic intent and technical execution.
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| C2C (car-to-car) cigarette flick attack mid-race in Thunder Road (1958) |
Despite its narrative focus on the visceral thrill of unrestrained country-road escapades, the film paradoxically relies on an overabundance of rear-projection sequences—moments that, regrettably, detract from its dynamism and verge on the painfully inauthentic.
Conversely, the film redeems itself somewhat through its more adeptly handled exterior cinematography, which manages to evoke the rugged, expansive Americana that underpins its thematic core.
The characterizations within this work oscillate between archetypal and underdeveloped, with Luke’s Ma and Pa emerging as stock representations of rural simplicity, blending seamlessly with an ensemble cast that lacks depth.
The supporting performances span a spectrum of adequacy: Gene Barry, Jacques Aubuchon, and Sandra Knight deliver portrayals that suffice for the film's limited demands, while Keely Smith and James Mitchum, regrettably, seem constrained by an apparent rigidity that undermines the authenticity of their roles.
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The supporting cast includes Gene Barry, Sandra Knight, and Jacques Aubuchon. Mitchum not only produced the film but also took partial writing credit and wrote songs for this evocative portrayal of southern culture. He also oversaw the film debut of his younger brother, James.
Thunder Road has achieved cult status, admired for its depiction of the moonshine trade and southern life. It is said that Elvis Presley enjoyed the movie so much that he memorized Mitchum’s lines. Despite its initial mixed reception, Thunder Road is now regarded as a highly competent thriller, far surpassing typical B-movie standards.
The film’s lasting legacy lies in its authentic portrayal of a bygone era and its exploration of themes of freedom and rebellion.
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Thunder Road (1958)
Directed by Arthur Ripley
Genres - Action-Adventure, Crime, Drama, Thriller | Sub-Genres - Chase | Release Date - May 10, 1958 | Run Time - 92 min. | Thunder Road (1958) Wikipedia
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