Movielogr

Rating: 3.5 stars

All movies seen on 11/16/2011

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High-Ballin' (1978)

Directed by Peter Carter

Drama

Overview

When a rash of targeted hijackings threatens to derail the independent trucking business, rig driver “Iron” Duke and his visiting friend Rane put the brakes on the bad guys by taking the law into their own hands. But their vigilante plan involves going toe-to-toe with powerful trucker boss King Carroll and his henchmen, who’ve been driving everyone out of the game.

Rated PG | Length 97 minutes

Actors

Peter Fonda | Jerry Reed | Helen Shaver | Harvey Atkin | Chris Wiggins | David Ferry | Leslie Carlson | George Buza | Len Doncheff | Mike Hogan | Michael Ironside | Chris Langevin | Myrna Lorrie | Mary Pirie | Wendy Thatcher | Cec Linder | Sherri Ross | Kay Hawtrey | Steve Weston

Viewing History (seen 1 time)

Viewing Notes

I can wholly understand society’s obsession with CB-slang in the 1970s, because who doesn’t want to say, “Break One niner” instead of “Excuse me?” But, I can’t understand the obession with trucking. Every other movie in the decade is set in the world of 18 wheels, trying to make the drivers look like modern day cowboys who lead interesting lives as men and broads of action…when they really don’t and aren’t.

HIGH-BALLIN’ does the best it can at such a monumental task, but most of it can be chalked up to Jerry Reed, who brings a smile to my windshield when he’s on screen. Unfortunately he’s weighed down by Peter Fonda and his fiveandahalfhead; I’m pretty sure he was high the entire film. He’s a lifeless lump in the movie and it’s unfortunate that the film was more focused on him than Reed, though it was a bonus to hear a put-down callback to EASY RIDER.

Despite Fonda, HIGH-BALLIN’ actually does credit to truxsploitation films and serves as a dramatic prequel to SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT. It doesn’t break any new ground, but it rolls well on the ground it claims.

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