**SPOILERS** Robert Mitchum's most personal movie where he not only stared in but has his 17 year-old son James playing his kid brother as well as having wrote the screenplay and even the films theme song "The Balled of Thunder Road"-as well as the song "Whippoorwill"-that he himself later recored.
Lucas Doolin, Robert Mitchum, is back from the Korean War and back on his beat as a moonshine transporter in and around the Appalachians and beyond. With not only the US Government after him but also Carl Kogan, Jacques Aubuchon, a big time local gangster who wants to take over the states illegal moonshine business Kogan is targeting Lucas as the first one on his list to put out of commission.
With the Doolin's Being involve in processing and shipping moonshine for some four generations Lucas wants to finally put an end to this illegal activity. Lucas seeing that with the Fed's breathing down his back it's only a matter of time when he's busted, or killed. Most of all Lucas wants his car mechanic kid bother Robin, James Mitchum, to never get into this line of work and would go as far as kill anyone who would try to make Robin turn into a moonshine transporter like himself.
Kogan raises the stakes when after murdering moonshine transporter Niles Penland ,Jerry Hardin, he then has Lucas' friend and fellow Moonshine runner Jed, Mitch Ryan, together with Treasury Agent Mike Williams, Dale Van Sickel, killed in a car explosion that was really meant for Lucas. Determined to get in just one last run Lucas' car gets damaged running a police roadblock. While waiting for his car to be repaired Lucas finds out that young and inexperienced Robin had been recruited by one of Kogan's goons Stacey Googe, Peter Beck, to do his moonshine run. This was the last straw for Lucas and after preventing Robin from going on the dangerous run he telephones Kogan and tell's him that he's coming and coming hard to not only deliver the goods, a tank-full of moonshine, but to put him away and away for good.
Super cool Robert Mitchum is at his anti-hero best as Lucas Doolin the best moonshine transporter this side of the Mississippi. Lucas is also a big favorite with the ladies in the film who just get's get enough of him and whatever goodies of his that he has to offer them. Lucas plays musical chairs with young and pretty Roxanne Ledbetter, Sandra Kinght, whom despite her being absolutely crazy about him Lucas treats her like she's his kid sister. There's also night-club singer Francie Wymore, Keely Smith, Lucas' long suffering girlfriend. It's Francie whom Lucas has been driving to drink and who's at the same time is trying to keep the big lug from going out on the road and end up killing himself.
Roxanna and Robin going over to the other side in talking to US Government Agent Troy Barrett, Gene Barry, to have them make a deal with Lucas to let him off the hook if he helps him get the goods on Kogan which Barrett agrees to. But the mule-headed Lucas doesn't want any part of it, being the free and independent soul that he is, and decides to make the long and dangerous moonshine run to Mamphis Tenn; which sadly turns out to be his vary last.
Lucas Doolin, Robert Mitchum, is back from the Korean War and back on his beat as a moonshine transporter in and around the Appalachians and beyond. With not only the US Government after him but also Carl Kogan, Jacques Aubuchon, a big time local gangster who wants to take over the states illegal moonshine business Kogan is targeting Lucas as the first one on his list to put out of commission.
With the Doolin's Being involve in processing and shipping moonshine for some four generations Lucas wants to finally put an end to this illegal activity. Lucas seeing that with the Fed's breathing down his back it's only a matter of time when he's busted, or killed. Most of all Lucas wants his car mechanic kid bother Robin, James Mitchum, to never get into this line of work and would go as far as kill anyone who would try to make Robin turn into a moonshine transporter like himself.
Kogan raises the stakes when after murdering moonshine transporter Niles Penland ,Jerry Hardin, he then has Lucas' friend and fellow Moonshine runner Jed, Mitch Ryan, together with Treasury Agent Mike Williams, Dale Van Sickel, killed in a car explosion that was really meant for Lucas. Determined to get in just one last run Lucas' car gets damaged running a police roadblock. While waiting for his car to be repaired Lucas finds out that young and inexperienced Robin had been recruited by one of Kogan's goons Stacey Googe, Peter Beck, to do his moonshine run. This was the last straw for Lucas and after preventing Robin from going on the dangerous run he telephones Kogan and tell's him that he's coming and coming hard to not only deliver the goods, a tank-full of moonshine, but to put him away and away for good.
Super cool Robert Mitchum is at his anti-hero best as Lucas Doolin the best moonshine transporter this side of the Mississippi. Lucas is also a big favorite with the ladies in the film who just get's get enough of him and whatever goodies of his that he has to offer them. Lucas plays musical chairs with young and pretty Roxanne Ledbetter, Sandra Kinght, whom despite her being absolutely crazy about him Lucas treats her like she's his kid sister. There's also night-club singer Francie Wymore, Keely Smith, Lucas' long suffering girlfriend. It's Francie whom Lucas has been driving to drink and who's at the same time is trying to keep the big lug from going out on the road and end up killing himself.
Roxanna and Robin going over to the other side in talking to US Government Agent Troy Barrett, Gene Barry, to have them make a deal with Lucas to let him off the hook if he helps him get the goods on Kogan which Barrett agrees to. But the mule-headed Lucas doesn't want any part of it, being the free and independent soul that he is, and decides to make the long and dangerous moonshine run to Mamphis Tenn; which sadly turns out to be his vary last.