High-Ballin' (1978)

User Rating:

4.7/10   

Director:

Peter Carter

Writers:

Paul F. Edwards (screenplay)
Richard Robinson (writer)

Release Date:

26 May 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama

Tagline:

Truckin' is one thing, High-Ballin' is another, and the way they do it is something else!

Plot:

Two truck drivers fight off thugs who have been hired to drive them out of business. |

Plot Keywords:

Truck Driver | Truck | Hitchhiker | Trucker | Citizens Band Radio

Cast

Peter Fonda	...	Rane
Jerry Reed	...	Duke
Helen Shaver	...	Pickup
Chris Wiggins	...	King Carroll
Chris Langevin	...	Tanker (as Christopher Langevin)
David Ferry	...	Harvey
Harvey Atkin	...	Buzz
Leslie Carlson	...	Bud (as Les Carlson)
Myrna Lorrie	...	Country Singer
Mary Pirie	...	Vonetta
Wendy Thatcher	...	Hijacker
Arnie Achtman	...	Cue
Ardon Bess	...	Policeman
George Buza	...	Warehouseman
Alan Crofoot	...	Bushes

Also Known As:

Death Toll (Australia) (video title)

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

Canada | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Netherlands:12 | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1980) | Australia:M | Sweden:15 | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Milton, Ontario, Canada

Company:

American International Pictures (AIP)

Goofs:

Errors in geography: The film is set in the U.S., but in the climactic scenes Toronto's C.N. Tower appears in the middle distance; much too close for any U.S. location, even in New York state.

Movie Connections:

Edited into 42nd Street Forever, Volume 3: Exploitation Explosion (2008) (V)

HIGH-BALLIN' a bit slow, a bit strange.

If you think you might be getting into a jovial SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT type film thanks to HIGH-BALLIN's ad art, think again. What the film delivers is a dark, moody piece set in snowy Canada that doesn't seem to know what direction it exactly wants to go in. Reed plays Duke, an independent trucker who just happens to be next on the list of a bunch of local truck hijackers. Fonda is Rane, an old trucking buddy come to visit for a spell and ends up helping Duke take on the hijackers. Is it supposed to be a comedy? Well, there are some funny moments. Hard ass action flick? Well, there are some cool stunts. Romantic drama? Well, yeah, there are some tender moments. For some reason though, there is that aforementioned dark tone that somehow squeezes out any ounce of humanity and replaces it with an ominous aura that lays itself out on the characters and the landscape. Maybe it's 1970's Canada, as I got the same feeling watching Cronenberg's FAST COMPANY. It may sound as if I don't like this film but I do. It's different and odd, especially for it's genre. Definitely worth a look.