La guerre des bootleggers

After reading Mr. MacIntyre's review about "The 1932 Moonshine War" I'd have to conclude that Mr. MacIntyre's review of this movie was 80 percent ignorance and 20 percent assumption.

The movie is based in the last days before the repeal of the 18th Amendment of the U.S. Constitituion which made it a crime to import, buy or drink alcohol. A complete failure in regard to legislation. The principle of the movie revolved around a LARGE stash of 8 year old whiskey owned by Alan Alda's char acer that distributors would of paid twice their weight in gold for. What Mr. MacIntyre's missed was that the time and place were during the Great Depression in the Kentucky, the American South, which was triple-poor compared to the rest of the world. Alan Alda's character was not part of a family, but a member of a community who made whiskey to sell to the rest of the country because the soil of their farms could produce little else to keep them from going hungry. It was choice many people made during those times. The whiskey for Alda's character was a legacy from his father and his ticket out of the poor house along with his lady friend. Part of the dialog was leaving to go live in California, the eternal promise land even by today's standards.

Patrick McGooan's character was CROOKED, as in criminal, Federal officer looking to make himself rich from his old Army buddy "Son Martin's" whiskey. He was anything, but hard working and when confronted by the black man with the shotgun, even less so. Thus, his contact with Richard Widmark and his gang. When the gang found they no longer needed McGooan's character they turned on him. In turn Alda's neighbors turned on him, when the gang, posing as MORE Federal officers started raiding his neighbors stills and homes. They refused him service and credit at the local store among other things. I saw this flick as teenager and the storyline has remained with me for decades. It seemed that much of the story revolved around the old nursery rhyme about Chicky Licky who no one wanted to help make the bread, but they sure wanted to help eat it. The same thing is definitive in this movie, but the ending was beautiful in the destruction of the bad guys and the reconciliation of the neighbors. I'm surprised this movie isn't out on DVD or VHS.

Prohibition enforcement agent Patrick McGoohan shows up and tries to track down Alan Alda's reported stash of moonshine, thousands of gallons he is aging in anticipation of Roosevelt's election and legalization of booze. When Alda says no, McGoohan brings in bootlgeer Richard Widmark, who starts a war with Alda for the liquor.

It's filled with thoroughly unlikable characters, with Widmark returning to his early, sociopathic roles, McGoohan utterly corrupt, and Alda very convincing as an unlikable moonshiner. Quine, who had been riding high in the 1950s, was near the end of his string, and was clearly trying to get some of that Bonnie-and-Clyde vibe, but everything is too clean for the back-end setting of hillbilly country just before the 1932 election. Still, it's a fine opportunity to see some classic supporting actors in brief bits, including Will Geer, Harry Carey Jr., and Max Showalter, and some players becoming well known inbits, including Teri Garr, John Schuck, and Tom Skerritt. Despite these small pleasures, it's a thoroughly and probably deliberately nasty movie. Elmore Leonard scripted from his own novel.

It's a damn shame this cheering slice of deep-friend southernsploitation fun seems to have slipped through the cracks of b-movie cinema for good. Adapted by Elmore Leonard from one of his books, this story, taking place during the end of Prohibition and two months before Roosevelt's election, of a gang of bootleggers led by a middle-aged Richard Widmark trying to get ahold of a large amount of whiskey stashed away by hillbilly Alan Alda, is as unassuming as it is riveting in its own pulpy way. Certain moments of distinctly Leonard-esquire badassitude, such as a scene where Widmark's top dog, played by songwriter Lee Hazlewood of all people, makes a couple strip in a cafe, is right up there with the 'ticket scene' in HOMBRE. Ex-film noir star with a prolific career behind him, Richard Widmark in the role of gang leader Dr. Emmett Taulbee seems to be having the time of his life, Patrick McGoohan is quite good in a role screaming for Warren Oates and Alan Alda is kind of lost in the general excitement. Nothing out of the ordinary here, just a solid, unpretentious, southern-flavoured b-movie, with a crackling script and some good performances, it would probably develop a cult following if it had a DVD release.

I only rented this film because of Patrick McGoohan, but found it to be a particularly nice strange little film indeed. The Moonshine War is a simple story of a bunch of people trying to get their hands on some hidden whiskey during the last months of prohibition. And what a weird bunch they are. Richard Widmark plays a disgusting former dentist-rapist and McGoohan is at his most neurotic as a dirty G-man, with a weird growling accent. Tom Skerritt and Teri Garr can be spotted in small roles. The film is written by Elmore Leonard, from his own book. It is easy to see why Quentin Tarantino digs him. The scene where Dual (singer Lee Hazlewood) develops a liking for "that boy´s nice suit" could be straight from a Tarantino film. Just about every character in this film is greedy, selfish and freaky. Unfortunately Alan Alda is pretty bland as the central character. He is probably supposed to be likeable, but he just seems boring surrounded by the other oddballs. Alda is not the right man for the role. Also Richard Quine is not a very exciting director, and there are a couple of really awful bubblegum tunes on the soundtrack. The script and some great characters, however, make it a pleasure to watch.

I thoroughly enjoyed this offbeat movie. Patrick McGoohan as a Tennessee revenooer? Yep, he pulls it off. Alan Alda as a moonshiner? Alda plays it low key. He's as cool as a cucumber despite facing considerable adversity. With more great performances from Richard Widmark, Will Geer, Bo Hopkins and, as a demented killer, Lee Hazlewood. Widmark played a bad guy but without the sneering, evil tones he was known for. Not sure whether previous reviewers watched the entire movie as the low ratings were a surprise to me. Regardless, I took the plunge and I'm glad that I did. Everyone in town loved Son Martin (Alda) so I found it interesting that the writers refrained from making this a typical rally around your buddy film, instead portraying all of Son's friends as nothing more than interested spectators. I say give this movie a try and you won't be disappointed.