W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings
| W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings | |
|---|---|
 Movie Poster | |
| Directed by | John G. Avildsen |
| Produced by |
Stanley C. Canter Steve Shagan |
| Written by | Thomas Rickman |
| Starring |
Burt Reynolds Conny Van Dyke Ned Beatty Jerry Reed Art Carney |
| Music by | Dave Grusin |
| Cinematography | James Crabe |
| Edited by |
Richard Halsey Robbe Roberts |
Production company |
Triangle Productions |
| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
Release date | May 21, 1975 (USA) |
Running time | 91 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $2,805,000[1] |
| Box office | $17 million[2] |
W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings is a 1975 American comedy film directed by John G. Avildsen, starring Burt Reynolds, and written by Thomas Rickman. The 20th Century Fox film features the acting debut of Jerry Reed.
As of 2015, the film has not been released on DVD or any other home video format.
Plot
In 1957, W.W. Bright (Burt Reynolds) is an easygoing crook who robs gas stations. He meets the Dixie Dancekings, a country music band, while fleeing from a policeman. Dixie (Conny Van Dyke), their singer, gives him an alibi. He claims to be in the music business, and ends up promoting the group. Wayne (Jerry Reed), the band's leader, does not trust him, but the others all have faith in him.
W.W. only steals from SOS gas stations, so the company's chairman sends for Bible-thumping ex-lawman Deacon John Wesley Gore (Art Carney) to track him down. Meanwhile, W.W. and the newly outfitted band go to see Country Bull (Ned Beatty), a highly successful singer-songwriter. He is willing to write them a song for $1000.
W.W. talks the Dancekings into a bank robbery (SOS has just opened a bank branch) that does not work out quite as planned. When Gore broadcasts the description of the getaway car on a radio revival show, W.W. burns up his car. He is ready to separate from the Dancekings in order to shield them, but then he hears them rehearsing Wayne's new song. He persuades Country Bull to listen to it; the man is so impressed, he puts them on the Grand Ole Opry. There Gore catches W.W. using an exact replica of his burnt car as bait. Gore makes him drive to the police department, but just as they arrive, Gore realizes it is now Sunday, so rather than violating the Sabbath, he lets him go.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Burt Reynolds | W.W. Bright |
| Conny Van Dyke | Dixie |
| Jerry Reed | Wayne |
| Ned Beatty | Country Bull Jenkins |
| James Hampton | Junior |
| Don Williams | Leroy |
| Rick Hurst | Butterball |
| Mel Tillis | GOB |
| Furry Lewis | Uncle Furry |
| Art Carney | Deacon John Wesley Gore |
Production
Development
Burt Reynolds was originally going to make the film with Dick Richards in late 1972.[3] However he dropped it to do The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing. [4]
He decided to go the film a number of years later. Reynolds signed in January 1974 and filming started February 1974 in Nashville.[5] Reynolds approved John Avildsen on the basis of a recommendation from Jack Lemmon, who had worked with the director on Save the Tiger.[6]
John Avildsen says Sylvester Stallone auditioned for a support role. He did not get the job, but the two worked together on the director's next film, Rocky.[7]
Reynolds wanted Dolly Parton to play the female lead. She declined but the two would later work together on The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.[8]
Filming was marked by tension between Reynolds and Avildsen. The two men did not get along professionally or personally and there was often clashes in approach and temperament.[6]
"Golden Anniversary" Oldsmobile
One of the central props in the movie is the car that W.W. drives. It is known as a special 1955 "Golden Anniversary" Oldsmobile Rocket 88 of which only 50 were made. It is a four-door sedan painted gold with black hood and side accents, with chrome trim.
In reality, there was no such special car, and 1955 was not the 50th anniversary for Oldsmobile. Three were custom-built for the movie.[9]
One was destroyed in the fire scene, one was taken to a museum, and the third was used as the camera car, with the roof removed.
John G. Avildsen left Nashville in the Spring of 1974, and immediately started pre production on Rocky for which he won the Oscar for Best Director in 1976.
Reception
Critical reception
Vincent Canby of The New York Times enjoyed the film:
[Y]ou may find John G. Avildsen's W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings an unexpectedly pleasant surprise... One of the charms of the movie is the casual way it seems to discover its story while it wanders from one minor crisis to the next... The film's supporting roles are very well cast.[10]
Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film two stars out of four.[11]
[D]irector John G. Avildsen seems to be going for some kind of mythic meaning larger than the movie can hold. If only the movie had stayed closer to street level, had engaged itself with the lives of W. W. and the band, it might have been more successful.[11]
Box office
The film earned North American rentals of $8 million.[12][13] It was one of the studio's biggest films of the year.[14]
When the film aired on US TV in January 1977 it was the second highest rated show of the week.[15]
Burt Reynolds
Reynolds said the film "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.[16]
Nonetheless Reynolds liked Jerry Reed's performance so much the actor later used Reed in his first film as director, Gator (1976).[17]
Legacy
Quentin Tarantino credited the novelisation of the film as getting him interested in writing. He bought the novelisation and would read it every few years. Tarantino said in 1995:
I found out later that Thomas Rickman was so disgusted with what they did with his movie that he asked to write the novelization, so that one person out there would know what it was that he intended. I'm 40 now, and I still read W. W. and the Dixie Dancekings every three years. I'm that one person. When I saw the movie, though, a few years after I'd first read the book, I was like, What the hell is this? I mean, I was offended. I was literally offended. The novelization was pure. But this was Hollywood garbage. So that's why I started writing screenplays, because I was so outraged.[18]
See also
References
- ↑ Solomon, Aubrey. Twentieth Century Fox: A Corporate and Financial History (The Scarecrow Filmmakers Series). Lanham, Maryland: Scarecrow Press, 1989. ISBN 978-0-8108-4244-1. p257
- ↑ "W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings, Box Office Information". The Numbers. Retrieved July 7, 2012.
- ↑ S-s-s-s-s . . . It's the Snakes!: It's the Snakes By A. H. WEILER. New York Times 24 Sep 1972: D15.
- ↑ Next for Burt: A C&W Bandleader? Haber, Joyce. Los Angeles Times 21 Jan 1974: e8.
- ↑ Reynolds Signs for 'Dixie Dancekings' Los Angeles Times 31 Jan 1974: d8.
- 1 2 Powell, Larry; Garrett, Tom (2013). The Films of John G. Avildsen: Rocky, The Karate Kid and Other Underdogs. McFarland. p. 58-64.
- ↑ "Interview with John Avildsen". Pop Entertainment.
- ↑ Not Dumb, Not Blonde: Dolly In Conversation. Omnibus Press. 2017.
- ↑ The Way It Was. 1955 Olds Golden Anniversary. Classic & Custom magazine. October 1982. The 3 movie cars were built at Doug's Custom Shop in Nashville Tennessee.
- ↑ Canby, Vincent (July 24, 1975). "W.W.'Is Pleasant Summer Surprise (Original ''New York Times'' review)". New York Times (Movies.nytimes.com). Retrieved 2010-10-04.
- 1 2 Ebert, Roger. W. W. AND THE DIXIE DANCE KINGS. Chicago Sun-Times, January 1, 1975
- ↑ Solomon p 233
- ↑ "All-time Film Rental Champs", Variety, 7 January 1976 p 44
- ↑ Feature Films Help Fox to 261% Gain in Earnings Delugach, Al. Los Angeles Times25 July 1975: d15.
- ↑ 'Chapman,' 'Smile' Push CBS to Top in Ratings Los Angeles Times6 Jan 1977: f17.
- ↑ Workaholic Burt Reynolds sets up his next task: Light comedy Siskel, Gene. Chicago Tribune 28 Nov 1976: e2.
- ↑ Reed plays a heavy, with no strings Hurst, Jack. Chicago Tribune 14 Jan 1976: b3.
- ↑ Hirschbergnov, Lynn (9 November 2003). "Screenwriters Are (Obsessive, Creative, Neurotic) People, Too". New York Times.