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==Production==
In October 1968 it was announced film rights to the novel had been purchased by Filmways with MGM to release.<ref>'Marooned' for Janssen
Martin, Betty. Los Angeles Times 28 Oct 1968: f23.</ref> In March 1969 Richard Quine signed to direct.<ref>MOVIE CALL SHEET: Conrad Signs 3-Film Deal
Martin, Betty. Los Angeles Times 22 Mar 1969: b6. </ref> In June, Patrick McGoohan, who had just made ''Ice Station Zebra'' for Filmways and MGM, signed to play the lead.<ref>Jack Palance Set for Good Guy Role
Haber, Joyce. Los Angeles Times 4 June 1969: d15. </ref> "You have to do something from time to time to pay the rent," said the actor.<ref name="pat">McGoohan---TV Spy Who Came Over for the Gold: SECRET AGENT
Thomas, Kevin. Los Angeles Times 14 Nov 1969: h1. </ref>


Filming started August 1969. It was one of eight features greenlit under the new regime at MGM headed by Louis Polk and Herb Solow, the others being ''False Witness'', ''The Magic Garden of Stanley Sweetheart'', ''The Strawberry Statement'', ''She Love Me'', 'The Adventures of Augie March, ''Man's Fate'' and ''the Ballad of Dingus Magee''.<ref>M-G-M LISTS PLANS FOR MOVIES AND TV
New York Times (1923-Current file); New York, N.Y. [New York, N.Y]02 Aug 1969: 13. </ref><ref>Movies: Herbert Solow Strives to Leave His Mark at MGM Herbert Solow and MGM
Warga, Wayne. Los Angeles Times 31 Aug 1969: j20.</ref>

The novel was published in September 1969. The ''New York Tmes'' called it "a near perfect shotgun opera."<ref>The Moonshine War: By Elmore Leonard. 236 pp. New York: Doubleday & Co. $4.95.
By MARTIN LEVIN. New York Times 21 Sep 1969: BR46. </ref>

The film went over budget.<ref>Operating Loss Of $l.9 Million Posted by MGM: Despite 2nd Period Deficit, Firm Earned $4.9 Million During 1st Half of Fiscal '70Filming Costs Charged Off
Wall Street Journal 22 Apr 1970: 5. </ref>
==See also==
==See also==
* [[List of American films of 1970]]
* [[List of American films of 1970]]

Revision as of 11:48, 26 March 2019

The Moonshine War
Theatrical release poster
Directed byRichard Quine
Screenplay byElmore Leonard
Produced byMartin Ransohoff
StarringPatrick McGoohan
Richard Widmark
Alan Alda
Will Geer
CinematographyRichard H. Kline
Edited byAllan Jacobs
Music byFred Karger
Production
company
Distributed byMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date
  • July 1970 (1970-07)
Running time
100 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The Moonshine War is a 1970 American crime comedy-drama film directed by Richard Quine, based on the novel of the same name by Elmore Leonard. It stars Patrick McGoohan, Richard Widmark, Alan Alda, and Will Geer.

Plot

John "Son" Martin owns and operates a profitable still, making moonshine whiskey in Prohibition-era Kentucky. One day, he gets a visit from an old Army acquaintance, Frank Long, who is now an Internal Revenue agent.

When Frank is unable to persuade Son to cut him in on the profits, or even reveal where the moonshine is hidden, in exchange Frank looking the other way, Frank calls in the dangerous Dr. Emmett Taulbee, who uses more violent methods in getting what he wants.

Emmett and his henchmen go too far, killing Sheriff Baylor and even Emmett's girlfriend when she tries to get away. Frank can see that he made a mistake, so he volunteers to help Son fend off the gang. Still outnumbered, Son finally tells Emmett's men where the moonshine is buried in exchange for his life. But when the crooks start digging, they set off Son's buried dynamite instead.

Cast

Production

In October 1968 it was announced film rights to the novel had been purchased by Filmways with MGM to release.[1] In March 1969 Richard Quine signed to direct.[2] In June, Patrick McGoohan, who had just made Ice Station Zebra for Filmways and MGM, signed to play the lead.[3] "You have to do something from time to time to pay the rent," said the actor.[4]

Filming started August 1969. It was one of eight features greenlit under the new regime at MGM headed by Louis Polk and Herb Solow, the others being False Witness, The Magic Garden of Stanley Sweetheart, The Strawberry Statement, She Love Me, 'The Adventures of Augie March, Man's Fate and the Ballad of Dingus Magee.[5][6]

The novel was published in September 1969. The New York Tmes called it "a near perfect shotgun opera."[7]

The film went over budget.[8]

See also

References

  1. ^ 'Marooned' for Janssen Martin, Betty. Los Angeles Times 28 Oct 1968: f23.
  2. ^ MOVIE CALL SHEET: Conrad Signs 3-Film Deal Martin, Betty. Los Angeles Times 22 Mar 1969: b6.
  3. ^ Jack Palance Set for Good Guy Role Haber, Joyce. Los Angeles Times 4 June 1969: d15.
  4. ^ McGoohan---TV Spy Who Came Over for the Gold: SECRET AGENT Thomas, Kevin. Los Angeles Times 14 Nov 1969: h1.
  5. ^ M-G-M LISTS PLANS FOR MOVIES AND TV New York Times (1923-Current file); New York, N.Y. [New York, N.Y]02 Aug 1969: 13.
  6. ^ Movies: Herbert Solow Strives to Leave His Mark at MGM Herbert Solow and MGM Warga, Wayne. Los Angeles Times 31 Aug 1969: j20.
  7. ^ The Moonshine War: By Elmore Leonard. 236 pp. New York: Doubleday & Co. $4.95. By MARTIN LEVIN. New York Times 21 Sep 1969: BR46.
  8. ^ Operating Loss Of $l.9 Million Posted by MGM: Despite 2nd Period Deficit, Firm Earned $4.9 Million During 1st Half of Fiscal '70Filming Costs Charged Off Wall Street Journal 22 Apr 1970: 5.

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