Movie Review: In Hot Pursuit

In Hot Pursuit a.k.a. Polk County Pot Plane 

Starring: Don Watson, Bobby Watson, Paul Benefield, Randy Mewbourn, James Crews, Paul Weiner, Sandy St. Armour, Don Pierce, T.C. Jones, Jack Hathaway, Willard Burnam, Jerry Burnam, Wilona Mills, Ralph Hamilton, Corabell Hamilton, Betty Morris, David Gadd, I.L. Davis, Jack Davis, Jack Roach, Rison Corley, G.E. Ham, Howard Smith, Bob Deyton, C.R. Armstrong, Jim Whozitt (= Jim West as Big Jim), Debbie Washington 

Director: Jim West 

Westco Productions, USA, 1977. 

This movie can be found in Fuel Injected Films 20 Movie Collection by Mill Creek Entertainment.

Rednecks Oosh (Don Watson), Doosh (Bobby Watson) and their friends Bubble Eye (James Crews) and fourth guy (Mike Skinner?) are not smuggling moonshine. They are getting an air delivery of marijuana. Pilot Big Jim ('Big Jim Whozitt' a.k.a. Jim West) lands his plane on a field and throws the sacks to the boys. The police try to bust them, but the plane gets away knocking over a police car. Oosh & Doosh try to escape with their camper. The boys get finally arrested. 

Oosh

Doosh

Bubble Eye

Local mob boss Mr. King (Paul Weiner) helps the boys to escape. The mobsters question his competence and retire Mr. King. Sandy (Sandy St. Armour) becomes the new boss. Sandy wants the boys to deliver an eighteen wheeler full of drugs. The police get a tip again but this time the boys are lucky. Sandy gives them seven days to pay back the money that was lost with the first shipment of pot.

Camper chase

Mob boss Mr. King

No stunt men were used

The Watsons plan to rob armored truck. The robbery turns messy and Bubble Eye and the other guy get killed. After a chase with lots of crashed cars the Watson's pay their debt. Big Jim has still one job for them. Apparently the police forget the Watsons as soon as they get out of their sights.

Another unhappy cop

Grand Theft Auto Southern style

Big Jim

Based on the opening sequence I expected "Cheech & Chong" style stoner comedy mixed with "Smokey and the Bandit" style car chases. Only half was right as although there are some comical moments, the movie tries to be a more serious crime film. Although most of the crew were amateurs, sound mixer David Terry, film editor Angelo Ross (known for "Smokey and the Bandit") and also camera crew were professionals. The actors pulled their own stunts making some crazy looking car stunts and also some with helicopter. One of the crazy scenes was driving a truck through a house. No stunt men were used in this film!

Another wrecked car

Denise

The music ranges from hillbilly banjo music to 70s thriller funk. Not much good about acting can be said, no effort is made in characterizing any of the characters. Oh, Doosh has a girlfriend Denise (Wilona Mills). The dialogue is terrible but fun to listen because of the thick Southern accent. The car action is entertaining. "Grand Theft Auto" games owe a lot to these kind of films. The movie is loosely based on true drug smuggling attempt in Polk County in 1975. The plane used by the smugglers was bought by politician, inventor & director James (Jim) Ira West, Jr (1930-2014) and used in the movie. Jim West himself piloted the plane in the film. This is in no way a good film in artistic sense, but a powerful example of indie grindhouse film-making. 

Rating: Good