Gator

• Directed by Burt Reynolds (Directorial Debut)
• May 8, 1976 (Savannah, Georgia) / July 28, 1976 (US)

An ex-convict is blackmailed into working for a federal agent to take down a local crime boss who was once the ex-convict’s pal.

If a sequel comes along to a movie I enjoyed I’m usually game for it. I don’t think every movie needs a sequel, but if one comes along I am interested in seeing further adventures of characters I liked. There is always that curiosity to see what comes next. Such as Gator which is the sequel to White Lightning.

I must admit though while I wanted more I could not fathom what more there could be. In the first film Gator (Burt Reynolds) got a total story. He got his revenge over his brother. And presumably he got his freedom and maybe even to some extent made up for being a bad son to his family. Where else you go from there I don’t know but they found a way-sort of.

This movie came out in the day and age before you could do a rewatch of anything and then head off to see the sequel. As such they ignore or change several elements established in the first film for the purposes of the story being done here. Gator’s father got recast which is acceptable but the family homestead moved deep into the swamp where his father was a fellow criminal moonshiner now and Gator got a daughter. I don’t recall him mentioning a daughter before. Regardless both elements/changes provide ammunition to tell the story here even if they do not fit well with the first movie.

While this is a Department of Revenue investigation like the last time, the concern of the investigation goes beyond Uncle Sam getting his monetary cut. Jerry Reed is the villain of our show as good ol’ boy criminal “Bama” McCall who has an iron grip on a particular county in Georgia with his massive criminal organization of three henchmen and a smattering of cops. Older films always seemed to neglect the need for staff. There is the distinct aim of the investigation to end the control.

Maybe it’s the accent. Maybe he just did a baddie quite well, but Reed was great here. He was charming in a Southern gentleman sort of way, but also once you dig a little deeper he really is kind of creepy and an all-around sick dude. He runs prostitutes and prefers them young and drugged. There is a threatening undertone in just about everything he says or does hidden behind a smile.

Gator is joined in his quest against Bama by government agent Irving Greenfield (Jack Weston), local reporter Aggie Maybank (Lauren Hutton), and crazy cat lady Emmeline Cavanaugh (Alice Ghostley). And this random little combo all together at various moments makes Gator much more of a comedy with action moments than an action film with comedic moments as the last one was.

Aggie is immediately attracted to Gator for…reasons. I’m not talking beyond thinking he is cute. She looks at him like a Weight Watchers participant would at a fresh piece of cake. And she’s willing to risk a lot to help him out to get the story? He’s cute? It is certainly not a love that will carry beyond the credits since she ultimately leaves him to pursue a possible network job in NYC. And that is not the only confusing bit of character motivation here. Gator is moved to take out Bama not only because of his love of child prostitution but as much if not more so over his attack on Irving Greenfield (Jack Weston). Gator certainly liked Greenfield but given the character his pursuit of revenge rather than getting him to safety seems a bit much.

Gator is just an unnecessary successor to another movie. And it’s an unnecessary successor that slightly tweaks or forgets elements of the last movie which irritates me. I enjoyed it. Don’t get me wrong but I think I would’ve enjoyed it more if it was its own thing. A similar movie to White Lightning but not a sequel to White Lightning. This was an unwanted film like Independence Day: Resurgence. It’s a sequel to a good movie that nobody asked for. Nor did the first movie require one. All questions were answered and everything was wrapped up. Our hero could get on with his life and things seemed to be moving in a positive direction for him at the end. 

Comedic moments are quite funny, and the dramatic moments are very serious. And the action is good. Reynolds could certainly turn on the charm and generate chemistry with any leading lady when the script called for it. This time with Lauren Bacall is no different.

Is Gator great? No but it is good and it’s Burt Reynolds in his prime. It’s all a little more comedy than it is action or drama. Worth a watch though.