W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings (1975)

User Rating:

5.6/10   

Director:

John G. Avildsen

Writer:

Thomas Rickman (writer)

Release Date:

10 March 1976 (Denmark)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Back in 1957, sweet-talking W.W. lived in a '55 Olds, loved bubble gum, Errol Flynn, country music, fried chicken, robbing filling stations, and a girl named Dixie. Not necessarily in that order.

Plot:

W.W. is a happy-go-lucky crook who makes his living robbing gas stations through the drive-up windows...

Plot Keywords:

Band | Manager | 1950s | Country Western Music | Grand Ole Opry

Cast

Burt Reynolds	...	W.W. Bright
Conny Van Dyke	...	Dixie
Jerry Reed	...	Wayne
Ned Beatty	...	Country Bull
James Hampton	...	Junior
Don Williams	...	Leroy
Rick Hurst	...	Butterball (as Richard Hurst)
Mel Tillis	...	Good Ole Boy #2
Furry Lewis	...	Uncle Furry
Sherman G. Lloyd	...	Elton Bird
Mort Marshall	...	Hester Tate
Bill McCutcheon	...	Good Ole Boy #1
Peg Murray	...	Della
Sherry Mathis	...	June Ann
Roni Stoneman Hemrick	...	Ticket Lady

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Finland:K-12 | Iceland:L | Sweden:11 | USA:PG | Netherlands:12

Filming Locations:

Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

One of the young actors who unsuccessfully auditioned for this film was Sylvester Stallone. A year later, Stallone worked with John G. Avildsen, the director of this film, on Rocky (1976).

Quotes:

Gas station attendant: [as W.W. pulls in to fill up at a gas station] What do you take?
W.W. Bright: I'll take Ethel if she's working!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Jay Leno Show: (#1.23)" (2009)

Soundtrack:

A FRIEND

Easygoing down-home film comes really alive in second half

In some ways, this is two different movies. Burt and Jerry getting back to their roots with Connie and the girls putting together the act and doing a bucolic type of road movie. The first part of the movie works well because of their chemistry with each other & with Conny Van Dyke.

Then Art Carney takes over the film, the pace quickens, wry humor and conflict push the down-home charm to the back burner. That's okay because Carney is on his game and delivers a terrific performance as a self-righteous and determined lawman. And, Burt seems to turn his energy up two notches when Carney shares the screen with him.

And, without giving anything up, they saved the best for last. The ending of this one is an all-time classic.