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Thunder Road

Play trailer Poster for Thunder Road PG,  1958,  1h 32m,  Adventure/ Drama/ Action Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist 75% 12 Reviews Tomatometer 64% 1,000+ Ratings Popcornmeter
75% Tomatometer 12 Reviews 64% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
Unrepentant Tennessee moonshine runner Luke Doolin (Robert Mitchum) makes dangerous high-speed deliveries for his liquor-producing father, Vernon (Trevor Bardette), but won't let his younger brother Robin (James Mitchum) join the family business. Under pressure from both out-of-town gangster Kogan (Jacques Aubuchon), who wants a piece of the local action, and Treasury agent Barrett (Gene Barry), who wants to destroy the moonshine business, Luke fights for his fast-fading way of life.

Critics Reviews

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Nick Schager Slant Magazine May 1, 2006
Southern drive-in staple Thunder Road is basically The Robert Mitchum Show. Go to Full Review
Sean Burns Crooked Marquee Feb 23, 2024
A fun example of how cool and influential a film can be without being particularly good. Go to Full Review
Christopher Lloyd The Film Yap May 29, 2023
4/5
Robert Mitchum starred in, produced and wrote the story for this cult hit about a stampeding moonshine driver, and even got a hit song out of it. Go to Full Review
John Beifuss Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN) May 15, 2015
3/4
Bruce Springsteen borrowed its title and Burt Reynolds appropriated its anti-'revenooer' appeal, but just shy of its 60th anniversary, 'Thunder Road' remains very much the property of its actor-as-auteur leading man, Robert Mitchum. Go to Full Review
Fernando F. Croce CinePassion Sep 25, 2009
The world of moonshine transporters is keyed to Mitchum's fatalist-hobo wryness Go to Full Review
Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews Jun 20, 2006
A
The ultimate road movie. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Theodore S Sep 17, 2017 Robert Mitchell in his moonshine movie. Springsteen got his song title from this song.
Albus W Aug 8, 2017 Good movie. Great cars. I would have been on the side of the whiskey runners. Sad end... why did Mitchum write it that way?
Poe R Jan 13, 2015 Honestly it felt like a slog. Though this movie wasn't for me at all so that's part of it. I was unimpressed with every actor in this - including Mitchum who I typically like otherwise. The idea of his real life son as his brother is straight up laughable. Perhaps if he had played the character with more charm or empathy I would have given a damn but as it is it almost feels like a John Wayne movie but with whiskey runs instead of horses. See more
Draco S Apr 4, 2013 Although not Robert Mitchum's best film (that would be the brilliant "Night of the Hunter" or "Out of the Past"), but it's one of my favorites of his films. Mitchum plays a moonshine runner (think a young Boss Hogg and Uncle Jesse) caught in the middle of moonshine war with the mob and some hard-nosed feds. The film was co-written and produced by Mitchum, and is rumored to have also directed much of the film. He also sang the film's theme song! The film had a chance to be even cooler with the part of Mitchum's kid brother being written for Elivis, who reportedly wanted to appear in the film, but Colonel Tom Parker demanded a huge salary that exceeded the entire budget of the small production. If you have to ding this very likable film, the story is a pretty corny one of Mitchum trying to keep his kid brother (played by his dead ringer real-life son instead of Elvis) while fending off Federal agents, rival moonshiners, and romancing nightclub singer Keely Smith.Still, Bob Mitchum running 'shine is pretty hard to resist, especially when you have some amazing stunt work from legendary stuntman Carey Loftin, the guy behind the car chases in "Bullitt," "Vanishing Point," and "The French Connection." This is easily THE definitive moonshine picture and a must see for fans of this type of picture. See more
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Thunder Road

My Rating

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Movie Info

Synopsis Unrepentant Tennessee moonshine runner Luke Doolin (Robert Mitchum) makes dangerous high-speed deliveries for his liquor-producing father, Vernon (Trevor Bardette), but won't let his younger brother Robin (James Mitchum) join the family business. Under pressure from both out-of-town gangster Kogan (Jacques Aubuchon), who wants a piece of the local action, and Treasury agent Barrett (Gene Barry), who wants to destroy the moonshine business, Luke fights for his fast-fading way of life.
Director
Arthur Ripley
Producer
Robert Mitchum
Screenwriter
Robert Mitchum, James Atlee Phillips, Walter Wise
Distributor
MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc.
Production Co
D.R.M. Productions
Rating
PG
Genre
Adventure, Drama, Action
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
May 10, 1958, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Jul 1, 2018
Box Office (Gross USA)
$146.0K
Runtime
1h 32m
Sound Mix
Mono
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