Gator
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DVD details
Actor: Burt Reynolds, Jerry ReedBrand: Gator
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; Spanish (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono; Spanish (Dubbed), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dubbed, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC, Subtitled
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 115 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2003-07-15
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
DVD Reviews of Gator
DVD Review: Three stars for Reed
Summary: 3 Stars
Someday in the near future, perhaps, some enterprising young scholar will write a lengthy dissertation on Burt Reynolds's storied cinematic career. I know I would like to understand how an actor of such populist appeal in the 1970s could plunge into the depths of ignominy by the 1980s and 1990s. Of course Burt is in the midst of a renaissance since his turn in "Boogie Nights" a few years back, reemerging as a sort of world weary Hollywood elder statesman of the type William Holden used to play a couple of decades ago. My ponderings about the ups and downs of Reynolds's career inspired me to check out a couple of his earliest films recently, and I started with the 1973 backwoods romp "White Lightening." Why not? I've already watched "The Longest Yard" so many times that I could probably reproduce the entire script from memory. And as for "Deliverance," well, that picture is more of an ensemble effort than a vehicle for Reynolds. No, "White Lightening" is a good place to start because it develops in embryonic form the type of character Burt would cultivate to fullest effect in "Smokey and the Bandit," his most successful film and probably the apogee of his career.
After "White Lightening" came its inferior sequel "Gator." And it is inferior in virtually every aspect. Once again Bobby "Gator" McKlusky (Reynolds) will rampage through the South at the behest of federal agents, but this time the action involves bringing down a close personal friend. Let me explain. A southern governor (Mike Douglas) with aspirations for higher office realizes he must clean up a particularly problematic county in his state or else face the wrath of the press. Enter Irving Greenfield (Jack Weston), a fish out of water New Yawk G-man who is going to crack down in this county with the help of Gator McKlusky. Unfortunately, Gator doesn't know Greenfield requires his services. He's staying out in the swamp with his irascible pappy (John Steadman) and his lippy daughter Suzie (Lori Futch) when Greenfield and a bunch of local yokels come sweeping in on boats. After the obligatory chase scene, the G-man presents Gator with an ultimatum: help me bring down Bama McCall (Jerry Reed) or go to jail while we send your daughter to a foster home. It seems I forgot to mention the importance of Bama McCall. He's the crime boss causing the Guv so many problems, but he's also an old friend of Gator's. Bama's a bad dude mixed up in all sorts of seedy rackets, so you just know McKlusky's going to have a tough time bringing him down.
Well, Gator heads down to Bama's stomping grounds and quickly signs on in the man's organization. Lurking in the background is the bumbling Greenfield, who obviously assumes the role of comic relief to offset some of the grotesque behaviors engaged in by McCall and his operatives. Speaking of Bama's goons, two deserve special mention: Smiley (Burton Gilliam) and Bones (William Engesser) form a sort of bizarro Laurel and Hardy duo. Smiley smiles a lot, but Bones stands roughly thirty feet tall and looks like he could tackle a mountain without breaking a sweat. Predictably, McKlusky doesn't get along with these two, and he also expresses displeasure about his buddy Bama's activities. Just when things couldn't get anymore complicated, into this mix enters Aggie Maybank (Lauren Hutton), a feminist reporter who wants to find out more about Bama McCall's operation. And since this is a Burt Reynolds film, she also wants to find out more about Gator. Throw in a car chase or two, some gooey romance between Hutton and Reynolds, and the dour faced Alice Ghostley as a nosy native named Emmeline Cavanaugh and you've got all the fixings for a typical 1970s/1980s Burt Reynolds epic. You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll likely walk away from this one with an upset stomach because "Gator" sinks like a stone.
Not everything is a lost cause, however. Jerry Reed deserves some sort of an award for his nuanced portrayal of a small town hood rapidly moving up into the big time. His Bama McCall will laugh and joke around, really charm the socks off of those around him, even as his eyes never lose that glint of steel. He plays for keeps, and Reed plays the role so well he puts Reynolds to shame. Once you move past good old Jerry, there isn't much to recommend about the film. Reynolds spends too much time hamming it up, Hutton is eye candy and little else, and Weston simply ought to know better. The action scenes, topped off with a pedestrian fistfight between Gator and Bama, are so by the numbers you could practically tick off the particulars of each one on a checklist. It's interesting to note that Reynolds directed "Gator," albeit with some help from James Best, so most of the blame for this hodgepodge, something for everybody film should rest squarely on the star's shoulders. The picture is too unfocused because it tries to do too much. Sadly, Reynolds didn't learn his lesson from this movie and promptly ran his career off the rails a few years down the road.
Extras on the DVD begin and stop with a trailer, something that is rather common with a lot of these MGM releases. The fullscreen picture transfer doesn't look too good, either, with certain scenes looking unfocused and fuzzy in spots. Then again, maybe Reynolds manned the camera and didn't learn how to operate it! Whatever the case, "Gator" is a must have for Reynolds completists but most other people should probably give this one a pass or just stick to "White Lightening." That movie has great atmosphere and solid performances from the whole cast, and is a much better effort than this unsatisfying sequel.
Description of Gator
A convicted moonshiner is blackmailed into becoming an undercover government agent in a hoodlum organization.Genre: Feature Film-Action/Adventure
Rating: PG
Release Date: 13-DEC-2005
Media Type: DVD
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