Car Movies

White Lightning is an action film released in 1973 by United Artists starring Burt Reynolds as Gator McKlusky. The film also starred Jennifer Billingsley, Ned Beatty, Bo Hopkins, R.G. Armstrong, and Diane Ladd. A sequel, Gator, was released in 1976.

Plot summary

Gator 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 (Billingsley). Eventually the sheriff discovers Gator is working for the Feds and sends his associates to abduct and kill him. After escaping during a shootout with head moonshiner Big Bear (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 in the 2003 film Kill Bill Vol. 1.