Ultra-Low-Budget "Vanity" Project for Robert Mitchum, who Recorded the Infectious Radio Hit that Unfortunately is Not Used in the Movie. Just Alternate Versions. It was an Unexpected Drive-In Hit where it was Dumped by the Releasing Studio that had No Faith in this Odd Little Movie.The Acting is Inconsistent and Amateurish at times, although some say that is part of its "Bastardized" Charm. The Story is a Good One and at the Time very New. The Film has a Quirky Charm from the Beginning and it looks like Nothing Out of Hollywood, resembling a Highly Independent Production made by just a Few Determined Folks. The Energy also Wavers on and off with the Mitchum Love Interest mostly to Blame, it features the "Lounge" Singer Keely Smith, who could Sing a lot Better than She could Act. James Mitchum (Bob's Son), is given a Shot and Plays the "Virginal" Brother and is Passable. The rest of the Cast gets by OK, but it is the Odd Nature and Bare Bones Production that makes this a Must See. Some Good Car Crashes although the Chases are Lackluster. This is a Movie that has a Strong Reputation and 1950's Greasers and Gear-Heads Loved It.

THUNDER ROAD is about the efforts of moonshiner Robert Mitchum to run carloads of illegal liquor past federal authorities AND avoid being killed by a mob that is attempting to corner the industry. Time and again, Mitchum risks his life and nearly gets himself killed...though we really never understand his motivation or his actions late in the film. That's because he and the rest of the cast just seem like caricatures--not real people.I am sure that many Southerners (particularly those in Tennessee, Kentucky and North Carolina) see this film and cringe. While I know this could not have been the intention, those who watch THUNDER ROAD are likely to assume that 1950s Southerners are all a bunch of hillbilly moonshiners! Much of this because these are the ONLY sort of folks you see in the film other than the Federal agents (who seemed to have more Northern or neutral accents). As for me, I wasn't the least bit offended...I just thought it all was pretty funny--which is a problem, as the film was not meant to be a comedy. That's because the plot never seems particularly real and the film just came off as perhaps well-intentioned but silly.Interestingly, the film actually is about the roots of NASCAR. Little known to many today, the race car champs of the early days of stock car racing were originally runners for moonshiners. In order to avoid being caught, they learned tricks for enhancing their cars and became amazing drivers--and explains why most of the early champs had roots in this underground business. Showing this connection and evolution would make for an interesting film. Instead, the film just never seemed particularly good and was almost like an episode of "The Beverly Hillbillies" instead of a serious drama. The only item of minor interest was seeing Robert Mitchum's oldest son, James--especially since he looked like the spitting image of his old man. Otherwise, a dull film with little to offer in the way of real entertainment.

Move over, 'plan nine from outer space', we have a contender here. Robert Mitchum, a capable actor in a normal movie seems lost in this one. He has a perfectly valid lawsuit against the rest of the cast for non-support. The sad part of all of this is, with a name like, 'Thunder Road', along with the subject matter and all that this conjures up, there is huge potential for a very good movie here. Whether the problem was lack of money or simply lack of interest, I have no clue, but there obviously was a problem. From phony looking car crashes (one type of car loses control on the road and an obviously different car goes careening into the ditch below) to phony looking explosions to acting that would embarrass a third grade Christmas play group, this movie had it all. Mitchum did his son no favor getting him a part in this movie. He would have been better advised to wait until the kid learned how to act and then got him a role in 'The friends of Eddie Coyle.'

Enjoyed this Robert Mitchum film where he plays the role as a Korean War Veteran named Lucas Doolin who returns to his family and continues to carry on the family trade of running moonshine whiskey from the family still. Lucas is a very admired young man who has two different gals that are head over heels in love with him, but he just keeps running up and down the mountain hills of the South and never seems to want to quit and settle down. Gene Barry, (Troy Barrett) plays the role as a Treasury Agent who starts to investigate this moonshine business and is hot on the heels of Lucas Doolin. However, there is another man who wants to take over the whiskey running business and this creates more problems for Lucas as all his family and friends who are in this business and are going to run into big troubles. It was nice seeing Robert Mitchum's oldest son also giving a supporting role in this film.