Two Georgia girls get fed up with it all after their moonshiner father is killed by a local deputy. This is the most light hearted revenge film I think I've ever seen. Warren Oates keeps the movie from sinking, but one has to wonder why he's even in the movie. His character could be left out and it wouldn't really change the story at all. One of the major flaws of this film is that appears to be filmed in California, while it is set in rural Georgia. Anyone who enjoys southern literature knows that the South itself is a character, and it is hard to duplicate that "character" in California. During the car chases, we see sand flying around, as opposed to red mud, and the "small town" looks more like urban LA. I often forgot I was watching a movie set in the deep south. Lee Frost is a great B-movie director. He realizes he's not making epics and is able to keep his movies moving at a reasonable pace, while avoiding such b-movie cliches such as excessive exposition. It's just too bad he couldn't shoot the movie on location in the south. The funniest part of the movie are the "No Help Wanted" signs hanging in all of the shops of the small town. I don't think I've ever seen a "No Help Wanted" sign, but I thought they were a great idea in this movie. If you want to see a better Lee Frost movie, then watch "The Thing with Two Heads." If you want to see a great Warren Oates film, watch "Cockfighter," also set in Georgia, and filmed in Georgia. "Dixie Dynamite" is a good example of a women's revenge movie, but a poor example of a Southern women's revenge movie.
11 Reviews
Standard Revenge Film
abbazabakyleman-9883418 February 2021
Another typical southern-fried revenge film starring a tired-looking, overacting Warren Oates, who helps two sisters get revenge on the people responsible for their father's murder. The local police are of little to no help, since they are on the payroll roster for a local crime boss. There is a decent opening car chase (with some footage lifted from Policewomen, an earlier Frost-Bishop collaboration) and plenty of explosions (including a memorable toilet scene). In fact, an uncredited Steve McQueen did some stunt motorcycle riding in the movie for a meager paycheck.
Two Young Women Fighting Corruption in Georgia
Uriah436 December 2021
This film begins with a man by the name of "Tom Eldridge" (Mark Miller) who owns a small farm and makes moonshine on the side. Although everybody in the county has known for years that he makes illegal whiskey, he is surprised when the police arrive on his property to arrest him because they had always looked the other way before. Not at all happy of the prospect of going to jail, he immediately tries to escape in his car but is killed when a trigger-happy deputy named "Frank" (Wes Bishop) shoots one of Tom's tires causing it to careen out-of-control down a huge embankment. Needless to say, this angers "Sheriff Phil Marsh" (Christopher George) who subsequently orders Frank to break the tragic news to Tom's adult daughters "Dixie Eldridge" (Jane Anne Johnstone) and "Patsy Eldridge" (Kathy McHaley). It soon becomes revealed that a millionaire by the name of "Dade McCrutchen" (Stanley Adams) had ordered the raid at Tom's place in order to obtain his land and he has similar plans for numerous other people in the county as well. What he doesn't count on, however, is the response by Tom's daughters when they are left homeless because of his greed-and they plan to avenge their father's death. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this was a type of action movie that was quite popular in the 70's but died out after films like "White Lightning" and similar pictures with a southern flavor had run its course. Quite frankly, this particular movie is not really that good but the acting is adequate for the most part and having a couple of pretty actresses like the aforementioned Jane Anne Johnstone and Kathy McHaley certainly didn't hurt either. In any case, those who have a fondness for films produced during this period may enjoy this picture and I have rated it accordingly. Average.
Light the fuse already...
JasparLamarCrabb12 July 2007
Warning: Spoilers
You'd have to be a real Warren Oates fetishist to actually seek DIXIE DYNAMITE out. It's bad...very bad...and not because of the obviously low budget or stilted acting or dismal script. It's strangely boring! There's very little dynamite and frankly very little of Dixie. Jane Anne Johnston and Kathy McHaley (who together possess about as much charisma as a flat tire) play two moonshiner's daughters seeking revenge on the roly-poly land baron who stole their house (and whose goons killed their father). There's NO ACTION to speak of except for the occasional car exploding (in the same exact spot each time!). The presence of Warren Oates does nothing. Nor does the fact that the crooked sheriff is played by the great Christopher George. For some reason, the movie features some really stupid musical montages and a fairly unexciting motorbike race thrown in for good measure.
Well, at least there's Warren Oates
BloodTheTelepathicDog19 May 2023
The version I watched of DIXIE DYNAMITE was heavily edited--trimmed by about ten minutes--so maybe the film in its complete version is better. However, there really isn't much going on in this film. Two Georgia girls, Dixie (Jane Anne Johnstone) and Patsy Eldridge (Kathy McHaley) adopt a Bluegrass Robin Hood aura after their moonshiner pa is killed by the local corrupt police force. The police are in the hip pocket of booze baron Mr. McCutchen (Stan Adams) who uses the fuzz to help him drive out the rural moonshiners so that he can have a monopoly on distributing shine. The Eldridge girls decide to toss the proverbial monkeywrench, in the form of dynamite, in McCutchen's plans and thus give power back to the small time moonrunners. The premise sounds appealing, but the finished product is lacking in entertainment value.
STORY $: The script offers nothing. There's a noticeable absence of exposition, for the viewer is suddenly thrust into one of the girls' schemes without any buildup or frame of reference. Perhaps the unedited version isn't as sporadic and aimless, but the version I viewed, continuity is altogether absent. Also, one would expect a little more emotion from the girls, whose father was murdered, but their explosive antics come off more as some form of leisure pursuit rather than getting even for the untimely death of their pa.
ACTING $$: There are some familiar faces, like Warren Oates as the girls' racer pal Mack, who give quality support, but like one viewer mentioned, you could remove Mack from the script and the story really wouldn't lose anything. Christopher George is fine as the local sheriff and R. G. Armstrong gives his typically strong performance, playing the compromised bank manager. The real weakness of this film are the two leads, Johnstone and McHaley, who, not surprisingly, haven't any other acting credits on their resume. Both are attractive, but their performances come off as listless. McHaley is altogether lifeless in her climatic scene where she's alone with trigger-happy deputy Frank (Wes Bishop), while Johnstone, the better of the two actresses, is laughably unconvincing during their big bank holdup.
SEX/NUDITY: None.
If you're looking for an enjoyable film with roughly the same premise, I'd encourage you to seek out MOONSHINE COUNTY EXPRESS, starring Susan Howard and Maureen McCormick.
STORY $: The script offers nothing. There's a noticeable absence of exposition, for the viewer is suddenly thrust into one of the girls' schemes without any buildup or frame of reference. Perhaps the unedited version isn't as sporadic and aimless, but the version I viewed, continuity is altogether absent. Also, one would expect a little more emotion from the girls, whose father was murdered, but their explosive antics come off more as some form of leisure pursuit rather than getting even for the untimely death of their pa.
ACTING $$: There are some familiar faces, like Warren Oates as the girls' racer pal Mack, who give quality support, but like one viewer mentioned, you could remove Mack from the script and the story really wouldn't lose anything. Christopher George is fine as the local sheriff and R. G. Armstrong gives his typically strong performance, playing the compromised bank manager. The real weakness of this film are the two leads, Johnstone and McHaley, who, not surprisingly, haven't any other acting credits on their resume. Both are attractive, but their performances come off as listless. McHaley is altogether lifeless in her climatic scene where she's alone with trigger-happy deputy Frank (Wes Bishop), while Johnstone, the better of the two actresses, is laughably unconvincing during their big bank holdup.
SEX/NUDITY: None.
If you're looking for an enjoyable film with roughly the same premise, I'd encourage you to seek out MOONSHINE COUNTY EXPRESS, starring Susan Howard and Maureen McCormick.
A trial run for Thelma And Louise
bkoganbing17 September 2013
The only distinction Dixie Dynamite has is that Steve McQueen appears in a dirt bike racing sequence, but with the riders all wearing helmets I doubt you'll spot him. Spotting Steve is the only thing this film has for it.
A pair of curvaceous sisters Jane Anne Johnstone and Kathy McHaley are naturally upset when their father is raided by some fake revenuers aided in the raid by the sheriff Christopher George. Than later the father Mark Miller is killed when evil, but truly stupid deputy Wes Bishop gets trigger happy.
It's a depressed Dixie economy that's allowing bottom feeding entrepreneur Stanley Adams to start foreclosing and throwing people off their property in the best Snidely Whiplash tradition. At one point the girls decide they've had enough and with their friend dirt biker Warren Oates start doing a little payback.
What is being tried here is a trial run for Thelma&Louise. Of course to bring that off two far better actresses were hired. Johnstone and McHaley aren't in the league of Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis and there's a reason that this is their only screen credit.
As for the others I'm sure they were all embarrassed.
A pair of curvaceous sisters Jane Anne Johnstone and Kathy McHaley are naturally upset when their father is raided by some fake revenuers aided in the raid by the sheriff Christopher George. Than later the father Mark Miller is killed when evil, but truly stupid deputy Wes Bishop gets trigger happy.
It's a depressed Dixie economy that's allowing bottom feeding entrepreneur Stanley Adams to start foreclosing and throwing people off their property in the best Snidely Whiplash tradition. At one point the girls decide they've had enough and with their friend dirt biker Warren Oates start doing a little payback.
What is being tried here is a trial run for Thelma&Louise. Of course to bring that off two far better actresses were hired. Johnstone and McHaley aren't in the league of Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis and there's a reason that this is their only screen credit.
As for the others I'm sure they were all embarrassed.
Likable entry into the "hicksploitation"-action genre.
Hey_Sweden1 March 2012
"Dixie Dynamite" may win no prizes for originality, and isn't among the best of its kind, but is not bad, getting a lot of mileage out of the appeal of its cast. Foxy, foxy leading ladies Jane Anne Johnstone and Kathy McHaley play Dixie and Patsy, two good ol' gals who tire of all the garbage that other people throw in their faces. Their moonshiner daddy Tom (Mark Miller) is accidentally killed by the crooked local law enforcement while a greedy rich jerk (played to the hilt by corpulent Stanley Adams) is determined to get his hands on as much land, including Tom's farm, as possible. Well, the bank president (R.G. Armstrong) reneges on his deal to cut the girls some slack, having known it would be hard for them to make ends meet, preferring to keep the jerk, his principal client, happy. The gals go on a crime spree, partly to get revenge, but also to act as a couple of 'modern day Robin Hoods', as the 'Dukes of Hazzard' theme song would put it, stealing from the rich in order to help out local farmers. There's something to be said here for how greed can motivate people, as our "heroines" realize their potential gains, as well as loyal family friend Mack (Warren Oates), a motocross racer, who's initially disgusted by their criminal activities but changes his tune when they quote him his substantial share of their potential take. There is a certain delight in seeing these gals start raising hell, and they show a fair amount of smarts as well as spunk. It would be hard not to feel sympathy for them, especially as one montage shows their inability to land legitimate jobs is just one motivator. While some of the cast admittedly have been better showcased in other vehicles, they're still quite engaging, from the ever likable Oates to Christopher George as the reluctantly corrupt yet not unreasonable sheriff to Wes Bishop (also co-writer and producer) as the cowardly, bumbling, creepy deputy to Miller as the briefly seen Tom Eldridge to the amusing Adams as the bad guy. Director / co-writer Lee Frost has a cameo near the end as a pathologist, and none other than the legendary Steve McQueen does some uncredited work as a motocross racer in the big racing sequence. Now, "Dixie Dynamite" is never as blatantly exploitative as some fans of this genre will like, and in fact is sometimes downright goofy (it IS rated PG). But an undemanding fan, such as myself, can still have a good enough time watching it, as it's fairly well paced and refrains from ever getting really dull. Seven out of 10.
The dynamite was replaced by a bomb.
mark.waltz18 March 2022
Warning: Spoilers
This film is cheesy from the start, and I don't think the writers were going for anything but
However the second half goes from slightly amusing over-the-top action film with comic elements to a complete disaster as the plot is lost and it becomes a series of just unnecessary explosions and chases. It deals with two young girls, sisters whose bootlegger father was killed in a car accident after being chased by the law who had tried to arrest him. They seek revenge, steal motorcycles and guns, and go on a shooting and crime spree that really makes no sense. At first, the two girls, Jane Anne Johnstone and Kathy McHaley, are fairly likable and it's easy to feel sorry for them after their father is killed. However, they quickly become stereotypical bratty rebels without causes, doing these things simply because they're having fun and getting away with them. I've never seen two performances that started off fairly decent descend into pure drivel.
Wasted in the top-billed roles, Warren Oates plays the late father's partner who basically becomes their surrogate pop, and Christopher George is the sheriff who chases the real daddy to his death. That chase sequence is quite stunning to watch, and probably the highlight of the film, but after a few amusing Momence, that all stops and what was acceptable mediocrity before becomes a piece of Southern trash that just fills the film with unpleasant stereotypes. Of course the music score is mostly bluegrass, pleasant to listen to but overplayed after a while, and the other supporting characters are totally cliched archetypes of what Hollywood thinks Southerners all are. The film just gets more ridiculous as it goes on, and the ending is absolutely absurd. This is the type of film that most likely spend most of its time in a drive-in where the audience wasn't really paying attention to detail. They got what they paid for.
Wasted in the top-billed roles, Warren Oates plays the late father's partner who basically becomes their surrogate pop, and Christopher George is the sheriff who chases the real daddy to his death. That chase sequence is quite stunning to watch, and probably the highlight of the film, but after a few amusing Momence, that all stops and what was acceptable mediocrity before becomes a piece of Southern trash that just fills the film with unpleasant stereotypes. Of course the music score is mostly bluegrass, pleasant to listen to but overplayed after a while, and the other supporting characters are totally cliched archetypes of what Hollywood thinks Southerners all are. The film just gets more ridiculous as it goes on, and the ending is absolutely absurd. This is the type of film that most likely spend most of its time in a drive-in where the audience wasn't really paying attention to detail. They got what they paid for.
A Much More Likable Thelma and Louise
Jakemcclake23 June 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Spoilers This movie is in the mold of Thelma and Louise without male bashing. Two women lose their moon shining father to the thoughtlessness of a self centered sheriff's deputy. The two daughters lose everything and head toward poverty. Then the movie has a very distinct turning point, when the daughter, Dixie, played by beautiful Jane Anne Johnstone promises Patsy, the second daughter, that things are gonna turn around. This was my biggest problem with the movie is that it telegraphs the rest of the plot with that line.
What follows is the women begin to exact revenge on all who wronged them and their father. They exact revenge on the Sheriff's Deputy and begin a crime spree and finish by pulling off a big robbery against the bank that set up the killing of their father. They get away with the money and their man friend.
I found Dixie believable and likable. Kathy McHaley was also very believable in her part as the second daughter Patsy. Warren Oates played a good part as Mack, who is their male friend mentioned above. At one point there is a memorable scene when Dixie in her own way, lets Mack know that things have changed a little around these parts, sweetheart!
What follows is the women begin to exact revenge on all who wronged them and their father. They exact revenge on the Sheriff's Deputy and begin a crime spree and finish by pulling off a big robbery against the bank that set up the killing of their father. They get away with the money and their man friend.
I found Dixie believable and likable. Kathy McHaley was also very believable in her part as the second daughter Patsy. Warren Oates played a good part as Mack, who is their male friend mentioned above. At one point there is a memorable scene when Dixie in her own way, lets Mack know that things have changed a little around these parts, sweetheart!
Good silly 70's Southern-fried drive-in movie fun
Woodyanders27 May 2006
Warning: Spoilers
After their moonshiner pappy (Mark Millner) gets bumped off by big, nasty bossman Dade (a splendidly smarmy'n'slippery turn by unsung fat guy thesp Stanley Adams), Millner's two spitfire daughters Patsy and Dixie decide to get revenge by stealing Dade's tremendous amounts of money and redistributing the cash back to the poor country people Dade's been bilking bread from. Directed with customary zippy élan by former 60's soft-core sex picture filmmaker turned 70's drive-in feature auteur Lee Frost (who also co-wrote the cheekily effective script with longtime collaborator Wes Bishop, who also pops up in a sizable co-starring role as the sleazy, trigger happy, dangerously blundering Deputy Frank), this Southern-fried ozoner revenge potboiler offers a pleasingly ramshackle and richly colorful evocation of the South, what with jubilant bluegrass music on the soundtrack, solid themes concerning family ties and loyalty, an odious Yankee villain trying to buy up everyone's land, cops and crooks mingling with each other just like buddies, poverty and unemployment keeping honest folks down, the occasional lively car chase, a token rowdy bar fight, and two sassy good old gal protagonists who use everything they got to get ahead in life. Jane Anne Johnstone and Kathy McHaley are wonderfully breezy and appealing as the sexy, pretty, very spunky and supremely self-sufficient distaff leads, with sturdy supporting performances by the always dependable Warren Oates as Mack, an amiably scraggly motorcross bike champ who the girls confide in (an uncredited Steve McQueen doubles for Oates in the motorcross race sequences); Christopher George as a nice guy sheriff on the take, and R.G. Armstrong as a venal bank president with feet of clay. Spirited and entertaining, "Dixie Dynamite" serves up a considerable heap of punchy'n'rollicking kick up the dirt animated fun.
The Dynamiteic Duo.
morrison-dylan-fan9 September 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Since being disappointed by the Tarantino film Death Proof,I have been looking for a movie that would server as a perfect re-introduction to a film genre called Gridhouse.
Around a week or so ago,a friend of mine began talking about an actor who they had recently become a fan of called Warren Oates.As he started to finish talking about the westerns that Oates had appeared in,he mentioned the he had gotten hold of a "great" Grindhouse film featuring Oates called Dixie Dynamite.By the time he had finished talking about how much fun the film was,I decided that this movie would be my first "official" Grindhouse film viewing.
The plot:
Finishing the making of his latest batch of Moonshine,Tom gets an unexpected visit from the local police force,who tell him the he is going to be arrested for having illegal made Moonshine for the last few years ,even though all of the cops have known (and been perfectly fine) that he's been making it for ages.
Feeling betrayed by his "friends" ,Tom decides to make a run for it.Sadly,his attempt to runaway ends in tragedy,when one of the cops "accidentally" shoots Tom's car,and causes it to blow up.Shortly after Tom's death,one of the cops the was involved in the "accidental" death goes to visit a ruthless land develop called Dean,who pays him off,and tells him the he will receive more cash,if he can arrange for the ownership of Tom's seven- acre land to go to him. Reluctunly,the cop agrees to Dean's demands,and then decides that he should go and pay a visit to Tom's daughters Dixie and Patsy,so they at last have a chance to hear the terrible news.
Almost from the moment that they are told about their fathers death,Dean starts circling around Dixie and Patsy with his plans to get hold of their fathers land by any means necessary.Luckally,the girls have a friend called Mack,who shows them the wild side of life with his extreme motorbike racing.Seeing the determined nature of Mack to succeed in the races,Dixie becomes very inspired by Mack's attitude,and decides that she can not let the men who killed her father succeed with their plans.
This leads to Dixie and Patsy deciding,that instead of letting everyone walk over them,and get hold of their fathers land,they are instead going to get some "special training from Mack,and fight back against the men that killed their father...
View on the film:
For the films pace,director and co-screenwriter (along with Wes Bishop) Lee Frost throws something new into the film every ten minutes,so as to make sure that the film is always on track and never dull.Whilst there are quite a few signs of the films low budget, (such as California standing in for Georgia!) it actually helps to give the film some extra "southern" charm,with the extremely risky looking practical chase/fight scenes always keeping you on the edge of your seat,due to Fost putting the camera right in the centre of the hard-hitting action,which includes an amazingly brutal motorbike rally section,which also features an uncredited Steve McQueen!.
Looking at the very good cast,I was left feeling a bit disappointed that Warren Oates was only given a supporting role (instead of having a bigger role,such as the land developer.)Thankfully,Oates still plays his supporting role in the film (and his singing on the films score!) very well,with the scenes of him trying to help out would-be rebels Dixie and Patsy, (played by the beautiful,sassy actresses Jane Ann Johnston and Kathy McHaley)allowing the cast to show a very natural,entertaining playfulness,which makes each scene that features all of them to be ones that,along with the gripping stunts,a joy to watch.
Final view on the film:
An excellent Grindhouse film,with jaw-dropping stunts,a fun story and a very entertaining cast.
Around a week or so ago,a friend of mine began talking about an actor who they had recently become a fan of called Warren Oates.As he started to finish talking about the westerns that Oates had appeared in,he mentioned the he had gotten hold of a "great" Grindhouse film featuring Oates called Dixie Dynamite.By the time he had finished talking about how much fun the film was,I decided that this movie would be my first "official" Grindhouse film viewing.
The plot:
Finishing the making of his latest batch of Moonshine,Tom gets an unexpected visit from the local police force,who tell him the he is going to be arrested for having illegal made Moonshine for the last few years ,even though all of the cops have known (and been perfectly fine) that he's been making it for ages.
Feeling betrayed by his "friends" ,Tom decides to make a run for it.Sadly,his attempt to runaway ends in tragedy,when one of the cops "accidentally" shoots Tom's car,and causes it to blow up.Shortly after Tom's death,one of the cops the was involved in the "accidental" death goes to visit a ruthless land develop called Dean,who pays him off,and tells him the he will receive more cash,if he can arrange for the ownership of Tom's seven- acre land to go to him. Reluctunly,the cop agrees to Dean's demands,and then decides that he should go and pay a visit to Tom's daughters Dixie and Patsy,so they at last have a chance to hear the terrible news.
Almost from the moment that they are told about their fathers death,Dean starts circling around Dixie and Patsy with his plans to get hold of their fathers land by any means necessary.Luckally,the girls have a friend called Mack,who shows them the wild side of life with his extreme motorbike racing.Seeing the determined nature of Mack to succeed in the races,Dixie becomes very inspired by Mack's attitude,and decides that she can not let the men who killed her father succeed with their plans.
This leads to Dixie and Patsy deciding,that instead of letting everyone walk over them,and get hold of their fathers land,they are instead going to get some "special training from Mack,and fight back against the men that killed their father...
View on the film:
For the films pace,director and co-screenwriter (along with Wes Bishop) Lee Frost throws something new into the film every ten minutes,so as to make sure that the film is always on track and never dull.Whilst there are quite a few signs of the films low budget, (such as California standing in for Georgia!) it actually helps to give the film some extra "southern" charm,with the extremely risky looking practical chase/fight scenes always keeping you on the edge of your seat,due to Fost putting the camera right in the centre of the hard-hitting action,which includes an amazingly brutal motorbike rally section,which also features an uncredited Steve McQueen!.
Looking at the very good cast,I was left feeling a bit disappointed that Warren Oates was only given a supporting role (instead of having a bigger role,such as the land developer.)Thankfully,Oates still plays his supporting role in the film (and his singing on the films score!) very well,with the scenes of him trying to help out would-be rebels Dixie and Patsy, (played by the beautiful,sassy actresses Jane Ann Johnston and Kathy McHaley)allowing the cast to show a very natural,entertaining playfulness,which makes each scene that features all of them to be ones that,along with the gripping stunts,a joy to watch.
Final view on the film:
An excellent Grindhouse film,with jaw-dropping stunts,a fun story and a very entertaining cast.
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