W.W. AND THE DIXIE DANCEKINGS made its run for fun in 1975 as the second of what would be Burt Reynold’s 1973-84 squad of sillybilly features built around “good ‘ol boys” drivin’ fast cars, makin’ bad jokes and chewin’ enough gum to dam the Mississippi. While now they’re dated period pieces, a couple of ’em remain fitfully amusing lightweight larks (and were giant moneymakers); most are awful exercises in lazy indulgence. This one is actually pretty good, helped (or ‘hepped’) along 91 minutes of countrified nostalgia by a not bad plotline and some choice work from the supporting players. *

1957, down South. ‘W.W. Bright’ (Reynolds, 39) makes his amiable larcenous way thru the region by pulling drive-up robberies of gas stations belonging to a big outfit run by a fellow W.W. just can’t abide. During one escape from the po-lice he comes across struggling country band ‘The Dixie Dancekings’ and right off takes a shine to ‘Dixie’ (Conny Van Dyke), the downright purty lead singer. He talks/hijacks the group into piling into his 1955 Oldsmobile Special Edition Holiday 88 Coupe, done up in two-toned gold. He cons ’em into believing he’s got contacts at the Grand Ole Opry, and if the journey to Nashville and glory means robbin’ a few banks on the way, well, that’s showbiz. But hot on their trail is fire & brimstone, pistol-packin ‘Deacon John Wesley Gore’ (Art Carney), an ex-lawman who is all about bringing devils their due.

John G. Avildsen, who’d drawn notice with Joe and Save The Tiger, directed the script written by Thomas Rickman (Hooper, Coal Miner’s Daughter); filming was done in Tennessee. The $2,805,000 shoot was marked by some conflicts between star and director, but when completed the good-natured goofing drew decent reviews and scored a jackpot $23,600,000, 29th place for the year.

Conny Van Dyke, 1945-2023

When Burt dropped the slick ‘charm’ act, he could deliver winners (Deliverance, The Longest Yard, Starting Over, Breaking In, Boogie Nights); at this point the ‘cute folksy stud’ stuff that he deploys here was a few years away from souring, so he comes off well as the basically decent faker in this comedy.

Better though, and what really sells the package is the excellent supporting cast. After Lynn Anderson and Dolly Parton passed on the role of Dixie, 29-year old singer Van Dyke, who’d done a few acting gigs, won the part: she’s a natural, a total charmer. The band-mates are all likable, as done by guitar-picker Jerry Reed (37, actin’ debut), James Hampton, singer Don Williams and Rick Hurst. Ned Beatty does a solid cameo as ‘Country Bull Jenkins’. But the ace in the deck is Art Carney: fresh from nabbing an Oscar for Harry And Tonto Carney is hilarious as the Bible-basted mortal foe of sinners like good ‘ol W.W.

With Sherman G. Lloyd (very funny as the outraged head of the oil company targeted by W.W.), Mel Tillis, Bill McCutcheon, Polly Holliday (dee-lightful), Hester Tate, Sherri Mathis and Furry Lewis.

* Burt on the flick: “turned out wrong but it made a lot of money. It was supposed to be a special, warm and lovely little film. It was important that we not make fun of the people in Nashville as opposed to Nashville. It wasn’t that kind of movie. It was a bouquet to Nashville. But I got into a lot of fights with the director.” The same year he headlined Lucky Lady, Hustle and At Long Last Love.

Reynolds decade long string of down-home hee-hawin’ traced his rise & fall as a bankable box office star, and his publicly perceived persona that ran from winning to pitiful. W.W. was preceded by 1973’s White Lightning and followed by Gator in ’76, then King of the Roost Smokey And The Bandit in ’77. 1978’s Hooper counts as a stunt cousin. The D-cline starts in 1980 with Smokey And The Bandit II, followed by The Cannonball Run in ’81. 1983 hacked up Stroker Ace and Smokey And The Bandit Part 3, then ’84 dropped Cannonball Run II.  Though they’re Southern-set, we don’t count Deliverance (1972) or The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas (1982).