Robert Mitchum roars across Tennessee and Kentucky in 1958's Thunder Road, totting moonshine. The action in this movie still largely works from the atmosphere conjured by a lot of shadows and Mitchum's ragged demeanour.
Mitchum plays Lucas Doolin, who delivers the whiskey his father makes in an illegal still. Doing so often means having to dodge government agents and gangsters alike, the latter having an interest in taking over the business.
Mostly Lucas is able to keep his cool but he doesn't want his younger brother, Robin (played by Mitchum's son James) following in his footsteps. Lucas seems to take equal shares of pride and shame in his lifestyle and Mitchum's performance helps convey the sense of a man who's made a grim peace with his own ambiguities.
There are two women in love with him, one them a decent jazz singer played by Keely Smith who has a couple of numbers in the film. Robert Mitchum co-wrote a song called "Whipperwill".
Thunder Road is available on Amazon Prime.
No comments:
Post a Comment