MACON COUNTY LINE was a smash at drive-ins across the country, and influenced a whole genre of backwoods exploitation films like GATOR BAIT, RETURN TO BADHAM COUNTY, and unrelated sequels such as MACON COUNTY WAR. Although not really an exploitation film in the truest sense, it does have some exploitation staples such as nudity, rape, shootings, a bleak ending, and that timeless Southern stereotype, the bad-ass redneck sheriff. The film is also unique to it’s own genre because it is set in 1962. Hence, we see a lot of vintage automobiles, hear a lot of rockabilly music, and just plain enjoy the early sixties sensibilities (and keep an eye out for continuity gaps since this was filmed in 1973). Anchor Bay releases this drive-in classic on DVD and gives it some decent treatment.

For those of you unaware of the film’s background, MACON COUNTRY LINE was the brainchild of one Max Baer Jr, better known to sixties couch potatoes everywhere as Jethro Bodine of Beverly Hillbilly’s fame. In the documentary included on this DVD, Max reveals that after that hit show went off the air, he found it very difficult to get work, and he felt typecast. So he decided to write, produce, and star in a low budget film of his own. He convinced co-producer Roger Camras to put up some money, and Baer hired Roger Corman alumni Richard (ANGELS DIE HARD) Compton to direct.

Baer and Compton recruited some youngsters and genre actors to fill out the cast. Real life brothers Alan (UNHOLY ROLLERS) Vint and Jesse (FORBIDDEN WORLD) Vint play brothers Chris and Wayne, two young men who have enlisted in the military and want to travel and party in the two weeks before they attend boot camp. Cheryl (MESSENGER OF DEATH) Waters is Jenny Scott, a hitchhiker that the two boys pick up. The man who needs no introduction, Geoffery Lewis plays Hamp, the garage attendant who can’t fix the boys car. Max Baer himself is gun-totin' police officer Reed Morgan, who buys his son a rifle for the kid’s tenth birthday. His son is played by child actor Leif (DEVIL TIMES FIVE) Garrett, who later went on to become a teen rock star and actor.

Brother’s Chris and Wayne have avoided going to jail for a stick-up, by enrolling in the military. They are on their way to Louisiana to party their asses off before they hit boot camp. They don’t have too much money; they’ve spent it all on alcohol and prostitutes, all they have is their antique Chrystler. It seems like every town they stop in, they are chased out by the police, or some other "friends" they’ve made. One fine day, they pick up Jenny (Waters), who is hitchhiking her way down to Texas for her own private reasons.

The audience also meets police officer Reed Morgan (Baer), a family man with a penchant for discipline. Reed picks up his son Luke (Garrett) at military school, and asks the lad to blow off his ball-playing friends and go hunting with his father. Meanwhile, Jenny has taken a liking to Chris, and Wayne feels a little dejected. That problem will have to wait however, because their Chrystler’s water pump has failed. Luckily, they are near a gas station in the middle of nowhere. The attendant Hamp (Lewis) demands too much money to replace the pump, of which the boys don’t have the cash. So instead Hamp offers to temporarily rig the water pump, so that the car will be able to make it the 50 miles it takes to get to the mechanic’s garage (where they take credit cards).

Although MACON COUNTY LINE can be considered an action film, it also can be considered a character study. From the opening moments, the movie follows the exploits of the two brothers, even though the events have little to do with the plot. The same can be said for Max Baer’s character, Reed Morgan. The narrative explores the boys relationship and Reed’s character by following them around for a bit. This way we learn about the characters and their motivations, and we know at some point in the film, their paths will intersect. It is unfortunate that the boys and Jenny are in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The first half of the movie is relatively calm and playful and focuses on the characters. The script plants some hints that things could go out of control later in the film. Sure enough, when the shit hits the fan, violence occurs. The violence is not glorified or what we have come to expect from an exploitation film. Its much more tragic, like the unfortunate deaths in "real-life" films like AMERICAN HISTORY X. Also, after reading the synopsis of the film, you might think that the cops are the bad guys. Though Reed Morgan is no doubt a little misguided, he is not evil. Nor is any of his fellow police officers. You might want to say the characters here are shades of gray, and definitely not typical flat Hollywood characters.

The violence occurs only during the last 30 minutes, but it hits hard and leaves a bad aftertaste when the film is done. The fleeing crooks shoot a cop in the face. A young man and woman are blown away (in slo-mo) by a multiple shotgun blast. To coerce a murder suspect into signing a murder confession, A police interrogator shoots a crook in his hand (offscreen). Reed’s wife is raped and killed by thugs. A fleeing girl is hit with shotgun shrapnel and falls into the water. It’s not the acts of brutality that are shocking; it is the person who is pulling the trigger that will surprise you. To say anymore would really ruin the film for a potential first-timer.

- Neil Messenger

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