Post by mikef6 on Jul 31, 2018 0:50:12 GMT
Thunder Road / Arthur Ripley (1958). Luke Doolin (Robert Mitchum) is a Korean War veteran who, by his own admission, came home a changed man. Sure, he is still devoted to his family and ladylove, nightclub singer Francie (Keely Smith), he has taken up the family business of running illegal alcohol into the cities of Tennessee and Kentucky. His new stubbornness and willingness to fight makes him resistant to either the buy-out offers of gangster Carl Kogan (Jacques Aubuchon) as well as offers of amnesty from ATF agent Troy Barrett (Gene Barry) for help in bringing down Kogan. This drive-in theater cult classic features some of the best car chase action before “Bullitt” ten years later. Luke even has a rear bumper device to lay down an oil slick on the road behind him, anticipating James Bond by five or six years. Mitchum demonstrates his ‘50s Cool credentials in the famous scene where a pursuer draws even to Luke’s vehicle and Luke calmly flicks his lit cigarette across car windows into the other man’s lap. Robert Mitchum dominates the movie. He was not only the star, but producer and co-writer of the script and title song. It is even rumored that he directed much of the film. The major drawbacks to “Thunder Road” becoming a full-fledged classic are the low budget black and white photography and the rough editing with some major continuity errors. At one point, Agent Barrett stops to talk to Luke’s younger brother, Robin (James Mitchum, Robert’s son and near clone) outside the boy’s school. About half-way through the brief conversation, the outdoor setting abruptly and obviously shifts to rear projection. After another few seconds, it jumps back to the outdoor location. Also in the cast is Sandra Dee-ish actress Sandre Knight who had a brief film career in minor roles in mostly minor films. In 1963 she married the equally unknown actor Jack Nicholson. FUN FACT: Mitchum at first wanted Elvis Presley to play Robin but Colonel Parker wanted a fee that was more than the movie’s total budget. So the less expensive James Mitchum got the call.
Robert and James Mitchum
The title song was sung by Randy Sparks over the titles, but Robert Mitchum recorded his own cover which had some radio play (over my radio) but never reached the Billboard Top 40.
Robert and James Mitchum
The title song was sung by Randy Sparks over the titles, but Robert Mitchum recorded his own cover which had some radio play (over my radio) but never reached the Billboard Top 40.