A Lei da Montanha

If ever there was a film that combined all the drama of hotrod cars, moonshine runners, romance and the family ties and traditions of Appalachia, this one's it. Robert Mitchum virtually owned this entire film. He wrote the story based on an actual incident that occurred just outside Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee state police confirm that in about 1953, a moonshine runner crashed his "moonrunner" car at a place called Reardon, which is now part of the city, and died. How Mitcum found the story, we may never know. Mitchum also helped write the lead song "Thunder Road" and the second song in the movie, "Whipporwill." He also recorded the title song and it was high on the pop charts for months. And, he cast his own son as his brother in the movie. Though technically far from perfect (the cars seem to change styles during the chase scenes), and the acting in places leaves a LOT to be desired, old movie theater operators will tell you they can still fill all their seats with a double bill of "Thunder Road" and "Rebel Without A Cause." I'll certainly be there every chance I get.

Filmed in 1957, and sent to theaters in 1958, it had the 'Rods' of the day. This was a film of youth, and wild rebels. In some ways, you had to be born then to understand it. I saw it for the first time at the Flying Cloud Drive-In. Siting in a 1951 Ford Custom with a full race flat head engine, and my best girl at my side. Three duces, Lakers, and overdrive trans. The car, not her. To this day I can close my eyes and hear the the high pitch voice singing the theme song. "Let me tell the story, I can tell it well, 'bout the whipperwill that drove...", well you know the song if you have seen the movie.

Imagine a drive-in filled with 'Rods'. On the screen you see a 50 Ford, with its lights out, driving down a dark country road. A 57 Chev pulls out from a hiding spot and gives chase. All heck lets loose, not on the screen, but in the drive-in. Fifty 'Rods' rev their 'Mills' with the Lakers open. Flames shoot from the pipes, and the noise pounds in your guts. Outside the drive-in 20 cops are waiting for the movie to end, and play time to start. Have this picture in your mind? That's the way it was back then. The movie showed a 50 Ford front clip on a 51 Ford. The inside view of the car shows a 51 dash. I spotted that when I first viewed the movie. The 57 Ford, that Bob drove later in the movie, had a 312 supercharged engine. I know that engine well. I had to get one after I saw the movie. Oh, and the car to go with it. Bootleging is not a southern exclusive. I grew up in a small town in Minnesota, and we had 'shiners, and 'runners here. Minnesota 13 was the 'shine of the Volstead Days. Sorry, I forgot what this is all about, and no, I will not say if I did any of that. All my friends knew the song by heart, and we would sing it all the time. Bad guys drove Chev (Feds) and the good guys (Runners) drove Fords.

Simple, plain, and all 1950's. Lots of bad acting. Lots of continuity errors. Lots of hot cars. Lots of great action shots. A great title song. Look, if you were not born then, you have to see what Grandpa and Grandma made out to when they were young. No Drive-ins are around today. My 2002 Thunderbird has computers that limit my speed. I still know all the words to the song. I can still close my eyes and hear the roar of the 'mills', and see the flames from the Lakers, today. I still wish it was 'way back then', and 20 cops were waiting to play. "And when his engine roared, they called the highway Thunder Road"

Whatever the film lacks, which is a lot, focus on the imagery -- duelling hotrods, a dangling cigarette, and country two-lanes, along with a precious load of illegal booze, family honor, and a good woman. This is movie myth-making at its near purest, so what else could a ducktailed Elvis- clone of the 50's have wanted. Girls may have swooned over treacle like "A Summer Place", but hot-rodders packed this drive-in classic bumper to bumper. Sure, it's badly produced ($50 budget, tops), badly acted (even Mitchum struggles with the hopeless Keely Smith), and features one of the worst canvas backdrops on record (the water-wheel scene). Still it has the King of Cool gunning down the asphalt (don't let the sleepy eyes fool you), pits rugged individualism against angry collectivism (organized crime and big govn't), and opens with a throbbing title tune (composed and sung by Mitchum) -- topped by a look and feel unlike the usual Hollywood contrivance. And who can forget those forlorn headbeams searching their way through an existential void. The imagery was compelling and caught the edgy mood of a drive-in crowd feeling their own way through a world of teenage angst. Few would grow into the mythic shoes of road-warrior, Luke Doolin, but a lot sure wanted to try. Which is why this primitive slice of small-screen black-and-white continues to resonate, even into the big-screen myth-making of souped-up starships, evil empires, and computerized magic.

Arthur Ripley directs this cult classic crime/Noir. War vet Robert Mitchum returns home to ramrod the family moonshine business. This hard headed bootlegger takes on the Feds and the Mob while burning the roads in his whiskey laden hot rods. If that is not enough, he must keep his young brother(James Mitchum)from moving up from mechanic to driver in the family business and then there is the romancing of a Memphis chanteuse(Keely Smith). Also in the cast are Gene Barry, Sandra Knight and Jacques Aubuchon. Bob Mitchum produces, and takes partial writing credit plus writes songs for this evocative glimpse of southern culture. Mitchum also oversees his younger brother's film debut.

NOTE: It is said that Elvis Presley enjoyed this movie so much he memorized bad Bob's lines of the script.

Thunder road. just the name brings back memories of being young. My dad's favourite movie is thunder road and he used to sing the song when I was young. He had the 45 of the ballad of Thunder road sung by Robert Mitchum. When the film was released on VHS My mom paid a $110. for it. the whole family sat down and was hooked and my dad was transported back to 1958. The film has a honest and touching quality about it. The people in it react as real people would.

The story is simple and that's part of the charm.

Lucas Doolin is home from the Korean War. Filled with a death wish. Luke drives his father's moonshine to the buyers. It's a dangerous job. the Mob is out to shut them down by any means needed. and the Tresury department is out to shut down the mob and the moonshiners. When drivers start getting killed and some drivers are arrested the pressure is on. only one driver is brave enough or reckless enough to keep running and that's Luke. Despite pressure from his mother and his father and his lover to quit. Luke just can't bring himself to quit. The recklessness of it gives him a thrill. Plus he doesn't like to be told what to do. When the mob boss contacts Luke and asks him to work for him Luke declines even though he knows it means a death sentence. When the Boss tells him if he can't get him then he'll get his brother Robin to drive. Luke beats the man and warns him. That No one will ever make a whisky runner out of his brother he'll kill the first man that tries. When one of Luke's cars is tagged as a whisky transport Luke sells it to a friend and buys a new car. When his friend dies in the old car the victim of a bomb meant for Luke he knows his time has run out. Trapped between the Mob and the G-Men Luke makes his last run and his last stand on Thunder Road. The Movie's influence is pretty far reaching Bruce Springsteen named one of his songs after it even tho he never saw the film. Steve Earle rewrote it as Copperhead Road his biggest hit song to date. And Burt Reynolds made a career out of his whisky runners in the 70's. And to this date it's been well remembered as the king of the drive in pictures. Tough gritty with some romance and a lot of action. The acting is decent. And Robert Mitchum can forever lay claim to the title of the king of cool after making this movie. This is the Movie that Steve Mcqueen could only dream of making !