With a script by the author of SUMMER OF '42 and direction by Jethro Clampett and released in a rush after SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT, near BUSTER AND BILLIE but before HOOPER, the 'Deep South' and it's boy-germ emotions get fried like green tomatoes on the hot planks of the Tallahatche bridge.... as the song goes, anyway. Interestingly, we are actually in pre-Brokeback Mountain territory here with Billy Joe's haystack roll becoming his unraveling. Robby Benson was an interesting and sensitive teen actor who made slight roles about nervous and realistic emotions in youths acceptable. This film is one that works well, and is particularly effective and evocative of the time and place and of clearly hothouse emotional conflict. Part of a mid 70s series of 'South' dramas and fights within.....films like those mentioned above and other Jan Michael Vincent tearjerkers (with biff) eg: BABY BLUE MARINE. He seems to have passed his Burt Reynolds years with silent aplomb and entered the world of cartoon voice-overs with greater success. He was widely liked at the time of this film (see ONE ON ONE) and well remembered. Then he met Burt, mentoring followed and disappeared. He would be 50 this year 2006. The Brokeback Mountain theme of this film is a 30 year old preview of all this year's fuss. However, nobody minded in '76.
Review of Ode to Billy Joe
