Review of Moving Violation

Scruffy, mischievous smartaleck Detroit drifter Eddie (rangily personable beanpole Stephen McHattie) and his sweet, plucky gal pal Cam (a winning performance by the ever pert and appealing Kay Lenz) witness a murder committed by a growly, profane, corrupt, vicious, irritable, just flat-out no-count and reprehensible cracker sheriff (a stand-out scurvy portrayal by Lonny Chapman). The couple go on the lam; Chapman and his hilariously inept deputies give hot pursuit. While the compact script by David R. Osterhout and William Norton offers nothing new and the story never springs any fresh surprises or novel twists, this film nonetheless still sizes up as a really solid and satisfying affair. In other words, the trite narrative gets redeemed by the briskness and vibrancy of the commendably spirited and unpretentious execution. Directed with galvanizing aplomb by Charles S. Dubin, further energized by Donald Peake's exuberant banjo-plucking, pile-driving country swing score and Charles Correll's splendidly agile, mobile, crisply handsome and polished cinematography, jam-packed with more auto-wrecking, metal-smashing, cars smacking into each other and flipping over in glorious slow motion vehicular carnage than you can shake a rusty tire iron at, and topped off with nice acting from the immensely likable leads, plus nifty cameos by Eddie Albert as a friendly, sympathetic lawyer, Will Geer as a crusty, snappish, nasty old oil baron, and the ubiquitous Dick Miller as one of Chapman's pernicious flunkies, "Moving Violation" tears ahead with such speedy breakneck velocity that it ultimately comes through as a giddy slice of dynamically enthusiastic Southern-fried demolition derby cinema.