Themes: Police Corruption, Vigilantes, Out For Revenge
Main Cast: Burt Reynolds, Jennifer Billingsley, Ned Beatty, Bo Hopkins, Matt Clark, Louise Latham, Diane Ladd
Release Year: 1973
Country: US
Run Time: 100 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Plot
When the police pick up Gator McKlusky (Burt Reynolds) for running moonshine, they agree to let him out of jail if he will help them capture the key figures in his moonshine operation. Since the suspected ring leader is the man who killed Gator's little brother, he agrees to help out the cops to get himself out of prison and get his revenge. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
Conlan Carter - Deputy; R.G. Armstrong - Big Bear; Dabbs Greer - Pa McKlusky; Lincoln Demyan - Supt. Simms; John Steadman - Skeeter; Iris Korn - Ma McKlusky; Stephanie Burchfield - Jenny; Barbara Muller - Louella; Robert Ginnaven - Harvey; Fay Martin - Sister Linda Fay; Richard Allin - Treasury Agent; Bill Bond - Treasury Agent; Glenn Wilder - Junior; Dick Ziker - Highway Patrolman; Buddy Joe Hooker - Highway Patrolman; Sherry Boucher - Sherry Lynn; Kathy Finley - Student; Laura Dern - Maggie's daughter
Credit
Edward Teets - First Assistant Director, Joseph Sargent - Director, George Nicholson - Editor, Charles Bernstein - Composer (Music Score), Edward C. Rosson - Cinematographer, Arthur Gardner - Producer, Jules Levy - Producer, Cliff Wenger - Special Effects, Don Johnson - Sound/Sound Designer
Gator McKlusky (Burt Reynolds) is serving time in an Arkansas prison for running moonshine when he learns his younger brother was murdered and that Sheriff J.C Conners (Ned Beatty) was the one behind it. Gator knows the sheriff is taking money from local moonshiners, so he agrees to go undercover for the Feds and try to expose the sheriff. He gets a job running moonshine with Roy Boone (Bo Hopkins) and starts having an affair with his girlfriend Lou (Jennifer Billingsley). Eventually the sheriff discovers Gator is working for the Feds and sends his (Armstrong), Gator decides to go after the sheriff in an epic car chase finale that concludes with Gator killing the sheriff and his revenge is finally met. Conlan Carter of ABC's Combat! series, had a secondary role in the film.
Cult status
White Lightning is considered a classic 1970s action film with multiple car chases, shootouts, and fist fights. The film's music was written by Charles Bernstein. Some of this score was also used by Quentin Tarantino in his 2003 film Kill Bill Vol. 1 and his 2009 film Inglourious Basterds.
