The version I watched of DIXIE DYNAMITE was heavily edited--trimmed by about ten minutes--so maybe the film in its complete version is better. However, there really isn't much going on in this film. Two Georgia girls, Dixie (Jane Anne Johnstone) and Patsy Eldridge (Kathy McHaley) adopt a Bluegrass Robin Hood aura after their moonshiner pa is killed by the local corrupt police force. The police are in the hip pocket of booze baron Mr. McCutchen (Stan Adams) who uses the fuzz to help him drive out the rural moonshiners so that he can have a monopoly on distributing shine. The Eldridge girls decide to toss the proverbial monkeywrench, in the form of dynamite, in McCutchen's plans and thus give power back to the small time moonrunners. The premise sounds appealing, but the finished product is lacking in entertainment value.
STORY $: The script offers nothing. There's a noticeable absence of exposition, for the viewer is suddenly thrust into one of the girls' schemes without any buildup or frame of reference. Perhaps the unedited version isn't as sporadic and aimless, but the version I viewed, continuity is altogether absent. Also, one would expect a little more emotion from the girls, whose father was murdered, but their explosive antics come off more as some form of leisure pursuit rather than getting even for the untimely death of their pa.
ACTING $$: There are some familiar faces, like Warren Oates as the girls' racer pal Mack, who give quality support, but like one viewer mentioned, you could remove Mack from the script and the story really wouldn't lose anything. Christopher George is fine as the local sheriff and R. G. Armstrong gives his typically strong performance, playing the compromised bank manager. The real weakness of this film are the two leads, Johnstone and McHaley, who, not surprisingly, haven't any other acting credits on their resume. Both are attractive, but their performances come off as listless. McHaley is altogether lifeless in her climatic scene where she's alone with trigger-happy deputy Frank (Wes Bishop), while Johnstone, the better of the two actresses, is laughably unconvincing during their big bank holdup.
SEX/NUDITY: None.
If you're looking for an enjoyable film with roughly the same premise, I'd encourage you to seek out MOONSHINE COUNTY EXPRESS, starring Susan Howard and Maureen McCormick.
STORY $: The script offers nothing. There's a noticeable absence of exposition, for the viewer is suddenly thrust into one of the girls' schemes without any buildup or frame of reference. Perhaps the unedited version isn't as sporadic and aimless, but the version I viewed, continuity is altogether absent. Also, one would expect a little more emotion from the girls, whose father was murdered, but their explosive antics come off more as some form of leisure pursuit rather than getting even for the untimely death of their pa.
ACTING $$: There are some familiar faces, like Warren Oates as the girls' racer pal Mack, who give quality support, but like one viewer mentioned, you could remove Mack from the script and the story really wouldn't lose anything. Christopher George is fine as the local sheriff and R. G. Armstrong gives his typically strong performance, playing the compromised bank manager. The real weakness of this film are the two leads, Johnstone and McHaley, who, not surprisingly, haven't any other acting credits on their resume. Both are attractive, but their performances come off as listless. McHaley is altogether lifeless in her climatic scene where she's alone with trigger-happy deputy Frank (Wes Bishop), while Johnstone, the better of the two actresses, is laughably unconvincing during their big bank holdup.
SEX/NUDITY: None.
If you're looking for an enjoyable film with roughly the same premise, I'd encourage you to seek out MOONSHINE COUNTY EXPRESS, starring Susan Howard and Maureen McCormick.