Macon County Line (1974)

[Scott]

Flix showed MACON COUNTY LINE (1974) last night. It starts out good with some good camera work set in 1950's Louisiana. The film is know for its violence, but it was tame by todays standards. The characters were well done.

[The Burgomaster]

I have this on DVD. It is one of my favorite drive-in movies of all time. Any movie involving Jethro from the Beverly Hillbillies is definitely worth watching!

The sequel, RETURN TO MACON COUNTY, is an early Nick Nolte movie. It really doesn't have much in common with the original, and isn't nearly as good.

[Scott]

I've been wanting to see a film that I never see all of when I was younger. It was called DIRTY LARRY AND CRAZY MARY. (or something like that)

Though its not related I would aslo like to see THE CRAZIES again. Haven't seen this one anywhere in 25 years.

[Scott]

What struck me as strange was the police officer (Max Baer) asked for their I.D. and asked if they had any cash. Because if they had less than $10 bucks they were considered vagrants. Could you image if that happened today. They weren't doing anything wrong. He simply found out they were from out of town and staying only long enough to get their car fixed at the garage and a police officer gives them a rough time. I wonder how common that was back in 1950's Louisiana?

[JohnL]

>They weren't doing anything wrong.

Movies from that time period used the flimsiest excuses to throw women in prison, or the county work farm. In Nightmare in Badham County, the sheriff sends two girls to the work farm simply for rejecting him when he comes on to them.

[raj]

Depended upon whether you were white or black, and if they needed more workers for a public project, like road building.

History/Discovery/TLC had a program on Angola prison, which mentioned this practice.  It'll probably be repeated within the year (they usually are).