Gerald McRaney and I go way back, not literally, but I remember him for the 1980s TV series "Simon and Simon." Here he is an ex-military by-the-book type of guy, Cal Morris, moving his family of three from Houston to Los Angeles for better work. As he tells his wife and daughter, it will take three days if they drive straight through, only stopping in motels at night and avoiding too much sight-seeing.
He talks about serving in Korea, and is driving a light blue 1953 or 1954 Ford Custom, so the story seems to be set in the mid to late 1950s. There certainly wasn't any interstate highway yet. His wife is Elan Oberon as Jean Morris. (In real life she is the wife of the director and I believe this was her last movie.)
But the real reason I wanted to see this movie is a young Carla Gugino who plays the 16-yr-old daughter, Leann Morris. Best I can figure she was actually 22 during filming but still had a very youthful exuberance about her. And cute as can be, which is no surprise since even now, in her 40s is one of the best-looking actresses working.
Their nemesis turns out to be Jake Busey as "Jake", a totally bad boy on a motorcycle, along with his three bad-boy friends. They are dangerous, they rob and kill, having no respect for anyone. They have left a trail of havoc and the authorities are looking for them.
At a gas stop Jake sees Leann, likes her right away, and decides that he wants her. So the rest of the movie is that theme. Do we really think a highly trained ex-military dad will let them get away with that?
This is a "B" movie all the way. Except for McRaney and Gugino, who are the only real actors here, all the others are parodies. However, I found it to be a great "guilty pleasure" to see the motorcycle gang members get their due.
SPOILERS: Jake at night at the motel cuts a slit into the car's coolant hose, so the next day the car overheats in the middle of nowhere in Arizona. As dad goes to get water, the motorcyclists come and Jake kidnaps Leann, somehow convincing her that he is protecting her from the others. He takes her to Mexico (border crossing seemed to be real easy in the 1950s) and is joined later by the other three. Dad gets on their trail somehow and, deciding the Mexican police will not be much help, tracks them to a secluded barn, frees his daughter, kills the four in various ways, then burns down the building. As they drive on the next day, they all vow to keep their secret between the three of them.
He talks about serving in Korea, and is driving a light blue 1953 or 1954 Ford Custom, so the story seems to be set in the mid to late 1950s. There certainly wasn't any interstate highway yet. His wife is Elan Oberon as Jean Morris. (In real life she is the wife of the director and I believe this was her last movie.)
But the real reason I wanted to see this movie is a young Carla Gugino who plays the 16-yr-old daughter, Leann Morris. Best I can figure she was actually 22 during filming but still had a very youthful exuberance about her. And cute as can be, which is no surprise since even now, in her 40s is one of the best-looking actresses working.
Their nemesis turns out to be Jake Busey as "Jake", a totally bad boy on a motorcycle, along with his three bad-boy friends. They are dangerous, they rob and kill, having no respect for anyone. They have left a trail of havoc and the authorities are looking for them.
At a gas stop Jake sees Leann, likes her right away, and decides that he wants her. So the rest of the movie is that theme. Do we really think a highly trained ex-military dad will let them get away with that?
This is a "B" movie all the way. Except for McRaney and Gugino, who are the only real actors here, all the others are parodies. However, I found it to be a great "guilty pleasure" to see the motorcycle gang members get their due.
SPOILERS: Jake at night at the motel cuts a slit into the car's coolant hose, so the next day the car overheats in the middle of nowhere in Arizona. As dad goes to get water, the motorcyclists come and Jake kidnaps Leann, somehow convincing her that he is protecting her from the others. He takes her to Mexico (border crossing seemed to be real easy in the 1950s) and is joined later by the other three. Dad gets on their trail somehow and, deciding the Mexican police will not be much help, tracks them to a secluded barn, frees his daughter, kills the four in various ways, then burns down the building. As they drive on the next day, they all vow to keep their secret between the three of them.