Un couple en fuite

This is definitely a drive-in flick, and I saw it at the drive-in here in Houston in the late 70's.

I've been listening to the soundtrack of "The Harder They Come" and it occurred to me that there are similarities in this drive-flick and the reggae cult classic. The heroes are on the run, and are recording artists (talented in Jimmy Cliff's case, supposedly "talented" in Fonda's case).

Well, I had my say.

Unambitious, unassuming gem from the undervalued pile of movies over at Warner Bros. Director Richard T. Heffron and talented screenwriter B.W.L. Norton concoct an easy-going scenario full of rascally characters and lively action in tale of a luckless musician, recently paroled yet back in trouble after assaulting a country-western singer who stole his song. In the lead, Peter Fonda isn't his usual hole-in-the-screen self (Heffron helps him loosen up and be a bit more likable), while Susan Saint James is very fresh and funny as a music business insider who turns the convict into an anti-hero. Scruffy, charming picture was probably the perfect drive-in entry; it should play even better on the tube. *** from ****

Outlaw Blues has always been one of my favorites. I enjoy it every time I watch it. Peter Fonda and Susan St. James made a very believable couple. I just wish they had made more movies together. The fact that Peter Fonda was willing to put his "song" out there for the world to critique makes him more of a man to me. This movie was made during a time in my life when there was much less stress and it never fails to bring me back to those carefree days. And for that I thank them both. They have both been favorites of mine for years and seem to be genuine (real people) and that is very rare in their profession. Thanks for allowing me the opportunity to sing my praises.

This is a little-seen movie, which is too bad. It may not be great, but it's worth showing now and then. CMT should show it. Maybe they do. Outlaw Blues is a good title for this movie. Austin, Texas, is the Texas Nashville, and was a stomping grounds of Waylon and Willie, who were on the 1976 album Wanted!: The Outlaws. I never saw the beginning of the movie, but it seems that Bobby Ogden is released from prison, a country music star (Garland Dupree, I guess) steals a song that Bobby wrote and makes it a hit without compensation, and Tina Waters becomes Bobby's manager. Ogden and Waters seek vengeance. It seems they were being chased, and they rode a motorcycle through a wedding reception. And a truck carrying watermelons swerves and dumps watermelons on the street. Bobby is a wanted man. He is to record an album, so he and Waters record it in a Purina Feeds store. But someone tells the cops, and they have to break away in a feed truck. Then they're in a Glastron boat (Glastron boats were made in Austin, Texas) on a lake heading for a dam. Will Bobby get killed here? Will he and Waters sneak off to Mexico? Will Bobby go back to prison? Will his album be a success?

A cool convict country singer Bobby Ogden (Peter Fonda) wrote a gorgeous song at Huntsville prison, when the kitschy country star Garland Dupree (James T. Callahan), reaches for a concert for the convicts, Bobby asking to Warden an opportunity to display his song at sound check stage whereof played marvelous the song titled Outlaw Blues, about to get a parole after serving six years Bobby is warned by the inmates that Garland Dupree stolen his song and it's broadcasting on radio, baffled over it Bobby finally release and headed to Austin to solve this matter, finding him at studio recording, Bobby requires a fair explanation over Garland stolen his song, prompt denied by the haughty and bad tempered singer, they start a fight where the wimp Garland draw your gun hitting his own foot, all this have been recorded live and then broadcasting on TV, Bobby gets out of there with the policemen at your neck.

He enters randomly in Tina's car (Susan Saint James) stashes in the trunk he gets rid of the police, hidden later at Tina's house without her notice, meanwhile she seeing on TV all about the matter at studio recording, then Tina envisages a chance to manage Bobby due she was on Huntsville when he played his song, he looking the owner of record label Hatch (Michael Lerner), sadly no deal back on the house Tina is surprised by Bobby living there, soon they sealed a deal and both starting a campaign on the local radios and record stores as well, gathering a massive public support, thus the show-off Sheriff Buzz Cavenaugh (John Crawford) a closest friend of Garland and running for mayor on Austin he puts all police force on the heels of Bobby wherever he stays chasing him by cars, motorcycles or even by speedboats.

Intense chase actions and strongly humor oriented the movie is a fine entertainment for all ages, also greatest country songs spreading along the picture, the highlight goes into the two funny characters the unlucky Garland hitting his foot twice and the Sheriff always been overtaken by Booby, said that the plot is a slight contrived and disjointed.

Thanks for reading.

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First watch: 1983 / How many: 2 / Source: TV-Youtube / Rating: 6.5.