Goin' South (1978)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Jack Nicholson

Writers:

John Herman Shaner (story) &
Al Ramrus (story) ...

Release Date:

6 October 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Western

Tagline:

Saved from the hangman, for a fate worse than death!

Plot:

Henry Moon is captured for a capital offense by a posse when his horse quits while trying to escape to Mexico...

Plot Keywords:

Sheriff | Horse | Small Town | Black Comedy | Rape

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe.

Cast

Jack Nicholson	...	Henry Lloyd Moon
Mary Steenburgen	...	Julia Tate / Moon
Christopher Lloyd	...	Deputy Towfield
John Belushi	...	Deputy Hector
Richard Bradford	...	Sheriff Andrew Kyle
Veronica Cartwright	...	Hermine, Moon's Old Gang
Jeff Morris	...	Big Abe, Moon's Old Gang
Danny DeVito	...	Hog, Moon's Old Gang
Tracey Walter	...	Coogan, Moon's Old Gang
Gerald H. Reynolds	...	Polty, Rail Road Manager
Luana Anders	...	Lorette Anderson
George W. Smith	...	Mr. Anderson
Lucy Lee Flippin	...	Diane Haber
Ed Begley Jr.	...	Whitey Haber
Maureen Byrnes	...	Mrs. Warren

Runtime:

105 min | USA:109 min (DVD version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Mono)

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Norway:12 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG | Netherlands:AL

Filming Locations:

Durango, Mexico

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

When Henry is riding on horseback to catch the stagecoach carrying Julia, the horse loses its footing and plows into a ditch throwing Henry several feet in the air. The scene was not planned and that was actually director Jack Nicholson flying head first into the ditch. Fortunately, neither the horse nor Nicholson was injured save for some bruises. Later, upon viewing the footage in dailies, Nicholson exclaimed, "That's A Keeper!"

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: After the ladies had their chat in the kitchen, a whistle tells that the water is boiling. The kettle shown in close up is a plain water kettle and has no whistle.

Quotes:

Henry Moon: Anybody hungry?
Big Abe: [deadpan] Hungry! I'm so hungry I could eat a frozen dog.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Back to the Future Part III (1990)

Soundtrack:

Scarf Dance

A Rare Movie That Deserves Seeing Again and Again !

I rarely see the same movie more than once. Although I love movies, repeated viewings tend to be tedious and boring. Not so this wonderful picture which was Jack Nicholson's directing debut. I watch Going' South over and over and find something new each time. I believe that is one mark of a well-made and well-written movie.

From the opening scenes with Moon's horse keeling over as he dances celebrating his "get away" to the tender moments between Moon and Julia after they divide up the gold, I find this movie gives and keeps on giving.

Henry Moon's lines are hilarious and delivered only as Jack can do. Mary Steenburgen delivers a performance as good as any first time to the screen and the other characters are played wonderfully by current and soon-to-be stars of TV and cinema.

I love turning people on to this movie. I never get tired of watching it-I bet you won't either!