White Lightning
Meet the Bayou's baddest good ol' boy.
1973 | 101m | English
Popularity: 1 (history)
| Director: | Joseph Sargent |
|---|---|
| Writer: | William W. Norton |
| Staring: |
| An ex-con teams up with federal agents to help them with breaking up a moonshine ring. | |
| Release Date: | Aug 06, 1973 |
|---|---|
| Director: | Joseph Sargent |
| Writer: | William W. Norton |
| Genres: | Action, Drama, Crime |
| Keywords | corruption, moonshine, repayment, smuggling (contraband) |
| Production Companies | Levy-Gardner-Laven |
| Box Office |
Revenue: $0
Budget: $0 |
| Updates |
Updated: Feb 01, 2025 (Update) Entered: Apr 13, 2024 |
![White Lightning (1973) ORIGINAL TRAILER [HD]](/extra_thumbs/KUBlY7Und8k.jpg)
| Name | Character |
|---|---|
| Burt Reynolds | Bobby "Gator" McKlusky |
| Jennifer Billingsley | Lou |
| Ned Beatty | Sheriff J.C. Connors |
| Bo Hopkins | Ray Boone |
| Matt Clark | Dude Watson |
| Louise Latham | Martha Culpepper |
| Diane Ladd | Maggie |
| R.G. Armstrong | Big Bear |
| Conlan Carter | Deputy |
| Dabbs Greer | Pa McKlusky |
| Lincoln Demyan | Warden |
| John Steadman | Skeeter |
| Iris Korn | Ma McKlusky |
| Stephanie Burchfield | Jenny |
| Barbara Müller | Louella |
| Robert Ginnaven | Harvey |
| Fay Martin | Sister Linda Fay |
| Richard Allin | Treasury Agent |
| Bill Bond | Treasury Agent |
| Sherry Boucher | Sherry Lynne |
| Glenn R. Wilder | Junior |
| Dick Ziker | Highway Patrol |
| Buddy Joe Hooker | Highway Patrol |
| Cathy Finley | Student |
| Laura Dern | Sharon Anne (uncredited) |
| Bob Meriwether | Treasury Agent (uncredited) |
| Name | Job |
|---|---|
| Dick Ziker | Stunts |
| Hal Needham | Stunt Double, Stunt Coordinator, Stunts, Second Unit Director |
| Buddy Joe Hooker | Stunts |
| Joseph Sargent | Director |
| Charles Bernstein | Original Music Composer |
| Glenn R. Wilder | Stunts |
| Edward Rosson | Director of Photography |
| Ross Brown | Casting |
| Eric Gorder | Set Decoration |
| Marlene Kolstad | Hairdresser |
| Craig Binkley | Assistant Property Master |
| Hal Watkins | Sound Re-Recording Mixer |
| Jack L. Richards | Second Unit Cinematographer |
| Ken Mazawa | First Assistant Camera |
| Phil Segura | Still Photographer |
| Gary Van Auken | Key Grip |
| Julian Wilson | First Assistant Camera |
| John Caper Jr. | Music Editor |
| Paul Casella Jr. | Transportation Coordinator |
| Hank Nesel | Driver |
| George Jay Nicholson | Editor |
| William W. Norton | Writer |
| Michael Butler | Costume Design, Wardrobe Master |
| Elliot Schick | Production Manager |
| Edward Teets | Assistant Director |
| Donald F. Johnson | Sound |
| Kenneth Schwarz | Boom Operator |
| John Isaacs | Gaffer |
| Walter Nichols | Rigging Gaffer |
| Lonnie Stewart | Grip |
| Joseph Viveros | Grip |
| Richard Nash | Musician |
| Jerry F. Johnson | Driver |
| James Womack | Driver |
| John Lipow | Sound Effects Editor |
| Tom Ellingwood | Makeup Artist |
| Mel Efros | Second Assistant Director |
| Tom Fairbanks | Property Master |
| Marvin Kerner | Sound Effects Editor |
| Cliff Wenger | Special Effects |
| Edmond L. Koons | Camera Operator |
| Ed Nielsen | First Assistant Camera |
| Frank Tureen | First Assistant Camera |
| Paul Vombrack | Camera Operator |
| Jean Gingerich | Location Manager |
| Natalie Drache | Script Supervisor |
| Howard A. Small | Driver |
| Teresa Stokovic | Production Secretary |
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| Arthur Gardner | Producer |
| Arnold Laven | Producer |
| Jules V. Levy | Producer |
| Organization | Category | Person |
|---|
Popularity History
| Year | Month | Avg | Max | Min |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 4 | 18 | 32 | 11 |
| 2024 | 5 | 20 | 30 | 13 |
| 2024 | 6 | 18 | 39 | 7 |
| 2024 | 7 | 21 | 49 | 10 |
| 2024 | 8 | 20 | 49 | 12 |
| 2024 | 9 | 13 | 23 | 6 |
| 2024 | 10 | 11 | 19 | 6 |
| 2024 | 11 | 11 | 25 | 6 |
| 2024 | 12 | 11 | 17 | 7 |
| 2025 | 1 | 13 | 21 | 8 |
| 2025 | 2 | 8 | 15 | 3 |
| 2025 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 1 |
| 2025 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| 2025 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| 2025 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| 2025 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
Trending Position
| Year | Month | High | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | 849 | 855 |
***Southern Gothic with Burt Reynolds and action*** A moonshiner on a prison farm in Arkansas, Gator McKlusky (Burt Reynolds), gets released early under the condition that he helps the Feds break a moonshining ring backed by a corrupt Sheriff (Ned Beatty), who also happens to be the murderer of G ... ator’s little brother. “White Lightning” (1973) is a Deep South crime drama/thriller that mixes “Deliverance” (1972) with Peck’s “I Walk the Line” (1970), adding elements of “Bullitt” (1968) and the early Dirty Harry flicks. “Smokey and the Bandit” (1977) took the basic idea and satirized it. The creators really captured the early 70’s Deep South with loads of sweat and believable characters played by Beatty, Bo Hopkins, Jennifer Billingsley, Matt Clark and R.G. Armstrong. “Walking Tall” (1973) is a good comparison. The film runs 1 hour, 41 minutes, and was shot in Benton, Arkansas, and nearby parts (Keo, Scott, Little Rock, Wrightsville & Alexander). GRADE: B
Has some okay car chases/stunt work and Burt Reynolds is charming as usual, but the story never really clicked for me and I found my mind lingering. Personally I prefer spending that time watching Smokey and the Bandit again. Next I'll be checking out the sequel, Gator. **3.0/5** ...