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In the pantheon of exploitation flicks, the fugitive genre is one of the most important ones. "Jackson County Jail" is a key example, with an arrested woman (Yvette Mimieux) fleeing with an inmate (Tommy Lee Jones). There's lots of fun in store. This movie does have one particularly rough scene, but it adds to the story. Mimieux's character is one who you hope will succeed; after seeing what happens to her, how can you not? Jones's character is a loser who tries to do the right thing. It manages the proper balance of action and drama. Worth seeing.

The rest of the cast includes Robert Carradine (Revenge of the Nerds), Severn Darden (a character actor in the '60s and '70s) and Nan Martin.

I thought the film was good with fine acting coming from the stars : Yvette Mimieux and Tommy Lee Jones. Jones is in his first major movie of his career and performed well. The jail house rape of Yvette is very graphic and I doubt if any other movie will show such a powerful scene unless you see "Two Women" again where the Italian Star is similarly abused.Perhaps the scenes showing Jones in a gun battle with the local police was not too realistic as it might have been but overall I believe the story rang fairly true to life and regret that it had to be placed in the area that presented the law as having such men who would take advantage of a good looking blond woman in distress. The truth is that such things do happen and if nothing else the movie reminds us all that while it is good to try to help strangers in need,it is not wise to pick up hitchhikers.

"Jackson County Jail" (1976), directed by Michael Miller, offers a stark and unflinching look at the darker side of America's justice system. The film centers on Dinah Hunter, portrayed by Yvette Mimieux, a woman who finds herself trapped in a nightmarish scenario after being wrongfully arrested in a rural county. The gritty atmosphere and raw performances drive the narrative, creating an intense and often uncomfortable viewing experience.

Mimieux delivers a compelling performance, capturing Dinah's descent from a successful advertising executive into a victim of a corrupt and brutal system. Her portrayal is both vulnerable and resilient, allowing audiences to empathize with her plight. Tommy Lee Jones, as her unexpected ally Coley Blake, provides a rugged counterbalance, adding depth to the story with his brooding presence and complex character development.

The film's direction by Michael Miller is effective in maintaining a relentless pace, ensuring that the tension rarely lets up. However, the screenplay by Donald E. Stewart can sometimes feel heavy-handed, with dialogue that occasionally lapses into melodrama. The narrative's strength lies in its portrayal of systemic failure and the perils of seeking justice in an unjust world.

Visually, "Jackson County Jail" makes good use of its desolate rural settings, reinforcing the protagonist's isolation and desperation. The cinematography by Bruce Logan captures the bleakness of the American countryside, enhancing the film's somber tone. The action sequences, while not overly stylized, are visceral and serve to heighten the sense of urgency and danger.

Despite its strengths, the film is not without its flaws. Some supporting characters are underdeveloped, and certain plot points feel contrived. The climax, although tense, leaves several questions unanswered, which may frustrate viewers seeking closure. Nonetheless, "Jackson County Jail" remains a thought-provoking exploration of survival and resistance.

Overall, "Jackson County Jail" is a solid thriller that engages with its raw portrayal of a woman's fight against an oppressive system. While it may not be a cinematic masterpiece, it offers enough grit and substance.

Fundamentally "Jackson County Jail" has all the makings of a crass exploitation picture but is, in fact, a hard-hitting pro-feminist expose of American mores. It also gives that fine and underrated actress Yvette Mimieux one of her best roles as a young businesswoman whose drive across America turns into a nightmare that begins when her car is hi-jacked and goes all the way downhill from there to rape and murder. Of course, whether the audiences of the day caught the film's underlying message or just enjoyed the blatant sex and violence is a different matter but it has certainly built up something of a cult reputation and is well worth seeing.

Fast, tough, and unsentimental. Sure, a potboiler like this is not going to win any awards, but it's got more sheer pluck and energy than twenty A-productions of the time. Pity poor Dinah Hunter (Mimieux). One minute she's a bigshot ad executive in Hollywood; the next, she's ducking cop bullets somewhere in fly-over country. It's a yuppie nightmare all the way for poor Dinah, a steady downhill once she tries a cross-country car ride. On the way she meets homicidal kids, a chiseling waitress, a righteous cop, and a prison guard from heck. No wonder she's on the run with cool dude Coley (Jones). How else can you deal with a cross section of Roger Corman's rural America. Next time she better take the plane like other bi-coastal types.

Corman really hit pay dirt with hillbilly epics like Boxcar Bertha (1972), Big Bad Mama (1974), Crazy Mama (1975), and this one. One look at these and you'd think rural America is just as bloody and hormonally driven as big city America. But these epics are also in the great tradition of the American B-movie, those cheap productions that show guts, energy, and style. Sure, a flick like JCJ is also what some might call vulgar and exploitative, which it is. Still, there can be a lot of truth even in exaggerated crowd pleasers. Besides, these drive-in specials are generally entertaining as heck, just like this one.