The Reivers (1969)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Mark Rydell

Writers:

William Faulkner (novel) and
Harriet Frank Jr. (writer)

Release Date:

25 December 1969 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Boon is a reiver (that's a cheat, a liar, a brawler and womaniser) and he had just four days to teach young Lucius the facts of life (like cheating, lying, brawling and womanizing).

Plot:

In turn-of-the-century Mississippi, an 11-year-old boy comes of age as two mischievous adult friends talk him into sneaking the family car out for a trip to Memphis and a series of adventures.

Plot Keywords:

Mississippi | Coming Of Age | Horse | Automobile | Hugging

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 3 nominations

Cast

Steve McQueen	...	Boon Hogganbeck
Sharon Farrell	...	Corrie
Ruth White	...	Miss Reba
Michael Constantine	...	Mr. Binford
Clifton James	...	Butch Lovemaiden
Juano Hernandez	...	Uncle Possum
Lonny Chapman	...	Maury McCaslin
Will Geer	...	Boss
Rupert Crosse	...	Ned McCaslin
Mitch Vogel	...	Lucius McCaslin
Diane Shalet	...	Hannah
Pat Randall	...	May Ellen
Diane Ladd	...	Phoebe
Ellen Geer	...	Sally
Dub Taylor	...	Dr. B.F. Peabody

Also Known As:

The Yellow Winton Flyer (UK) (video title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sexual content, brief nudity, language and thematic elements. (2004 re-rating)

Runtime:

Germany:107 min | USA:107 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo

Certification:

Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | UK:AA (original rating) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | UK:PG (video rating) (1987) | Australia:PG | Norway:16 (1970) | Australia:M | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:15 | USA:M (original rating) | USA:PG-13 (2004 re-rating) | UK:12 (re-rating) (2005)

Filming Locations:

Carrolton, Mississippi, USA

Company:

Cinema Center Films

Trivia:

The Winton Flyer was not a real automobile. It was created from scratch for this movie by Kenneth Howard, aka Von Dutch. The car was designed to resemble a typical vehicle from 1904, but built to withstand the rigors of filming. Steve McQueen called the car "the real star of the picture", and took possession of it after filming ended. It remained in his collection until his death in 1980. The actual car can now be seen in the Peterson Automotive Museum In Los Angeles.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Boon, Ned and Lucius begin their trip to Memphis in the Winton the beginning of the scene is filmed in a traveling shot. As the journey proceeds we hear noticeably on the soundtrack the camera truck's motor in addition to the Winton's.

Quotes:

Boss: Don't be rude to Callie, and don't be advised by Boon. He knows no obstacles, counts no costs, fears no dangers.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Steve McQueen: The King of Cool (1998) (TV)

An obscure gem from Steve McQueen

I personally rank this film, based on William Faulkner's last novel, among my favorites. Not that I would rank it as a "great" film, but it's a lot of fun. It's true that McQueen may have been in fact older than his character was supposed to be, but his attitude and style seems to bring it off. Mitch Vogel, as the young boy Lucius, who is lured into stealing his grandfather's (Will Geer) new Winton Flyer automobile for a wild weekend in Memphis by Boone Hoggenbeck (McQueen) is completely believable as a kid who wants the adventure, but has to be drawn into it because he respects his grandfather so much. Rupert Crosse as McQueen's other reiver (thief) in this caper adds an extra comic relief as the one who gets them into a real fix in Memphis. Ordinarily I hate movies with running narration, but the narration in this by Burgess Meredith as the grown old Lucius, remembering his exciting weekend in Memphis, adds a real touch of poignancy to this tale of youth lost. Additionally, Sharon Farrell as McQueen's prostitute girlfriend, Clifton James as a vicious southern sheriff, and Juano Hernandez as a kindly old black farmer add real dimension to the film. Throw in a beautiful score by John Williams (his first film score) and you've got the makings of a warm, charming story, accurately drawn, from the turn of the century. The scene at the film's end, where the grandfather has a heart-to-heart talk with the boy, is wonderful, and very "authentic." The director, Mark Rydell, did a terrific job. I've seen this movie many times, and it never fails to entertain me.