7/10
southern comfort
12 November 2017
Willie Starr (Mary Badham) is walking the train tracks next to her home in Dodson, Mississippi. It's her family's boarding house since condemned. She is befriended by Tom and she recounts the former glory days of the lively house. The beauty of her sister Alva (Natalie Wood) entrances newly arrived railway man Owen Legate (Robert Redford). Everybody wants her including mama's boyfriend J.J. Nichols (Charles Bronson). It's later revealed Owen's true purpose in town.

This was adapted from a Tennessee Williams one act play. Writers include Francis Ford Coppola and the director is Sydney Pollack. With such great beautiful stars, this really can't lose. Natalie Wood is vamping for all her worth but Redford is holding back in a cool demeanor. Mary Badham played Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird. It's too bad that she couldn't succeed beyond a child star. She's loads of energy and has a very compelling screen presence. This may not be a classic but it does hold some nice stuff that movie lovers should check out. The length is a bit over-extended. When they leave the town, the movie loses a bit of intensity. It would be better to resolve the story and ride out into the sunset.
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