White Lightning (1973)

I watched this film after watching its sequel "Gator" not knowing that it had a previous film, but once I found out I had to track it down and watch it.

It has some decent action with car chases and such kind of a Dukes of Hazzard feel to it.

Ned Beaty plays a rather despicable Sheriff, and plays it well, causing the audience to have no love for his character.  A far cry from the incompetent sidekick oaf he played in Superman.

I had no idea there was a push to make Burt Reyonds an action star in the 70s, but apparently he was, as he made a large number of action films I had never heard of.

Gator (1976)

I was going on a kick watching Burt Reyonds films.  I knew that he made a few comedies, which I recalled seeing advertisements for when I was a kid, but did not know of the existence of this film.

I was surprised to find that Jerry Reed was in this film, but unlike Smokey & the Bandit, Jerry Reed's character is Burt Reyonds' adversary.  Jerry Reed did an EXCELLENT job in his role, a role he fit into almost too well, as it makes you wonder how much of himself he put into the character.

This film is okay on the atmosphere.  It tries hard to be an action film, with some good sequences, but tends to be dragged down with extended unnecessary dialog at times.

The theme song was written and performed by Jerry Reed (as was also the case with Smokey & the Bandit)  While this song has a good sound to it, it is not as catchy as "East Bound and  Down".