50 years later, ‘Thunder Road’ still resonates

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Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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I’m surprised that nobody in Asheville has realized yet that this year is the 50th anniversary of Thunder Road, a true American classic filmed in and around Asheville in 1958. It starred Robert Mitchum.

The movie captured the anti-government sentiment of moonshiners in the mountains – a very real sentiment seen even today in the recent bust of Haywood County moonshiner Popcorn Sutton.

I love movies like this. I need to watch it again. Anybody know of any Asheville showings of this classic? Maybe we can get Cinebarre to show it. What follows are a few tidbits. If you know of any good sources for more Thunder Road trivia related to Asheville, let me know.

The Knoxville News knows about the anniversary:

“The Ballad of Thunder Road,” a 45 rpm single sung by “Thunder Road” star Robert Mitchum, the sleepy-eyed bad boy of 1940s-50s film noir, tells the story “about the mountain boy who ran illegal alcohol.” … Filmed near Asheville, N.C., the 1958 release stars Mitchum (who also wrote the original story and, according to some sources, directed most of the film) as Lucas Doolin, a recent Korean War veteran who returns home to run the family moonshine business. He’s chased by revenuers (led by federal agent Gene Barry), but the real threat comes from a murderous racketeer who is trying to horn in on the local moonshine trade. Robin Mitchum, the star’s son, plays Doolin’s younger brother, who starts running shine against his brother’s orders (the part was written for Elvis Presley).

Cinematical has a nice description of the flick:

Directed by Frank Capra protege Arthur Ripley and scripted by star Robert Mitchum, the film would be a rough fit for almost any film festival, since it seems to occupy a genre all its own. Set in the foothills of North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains in the 1950s, it paints a picture of a joyously unreconstructed South where all higher authority is corrupt and any kind of loyalty other than blood loyalty is dubious. Elder statesmen of the local moonshine trade hold Godfather-like summits in tin-roof shacks, where they discuss how to deal with rival moonshine syndicates trying to poach their customers. This is a film where the biggest applause moment comes when an ATF agent is blown up in a car that was rigged with explosives and meant to wipe out Robert Mitchum’s anti-hero character, Doolin. The coda before the film’s end credits, in which the U.S. government is thanked for its cooperation in the making of the film, is perhaps stretching the tongue-in-cheekiness too far, but you get the idea: Screw you, yankees!

Some more good information here:

The movie was released May 10, 1958 with a tag line saying, “Raw and Rough As Today’s Billion-Dollar Whiskey War.” The main plot was a veteran comes home from the Korean War to the mountains and takes over the family moonshining business. The role of Robert Mitchum’s character’s younger brother was originally written for Elvis Presley, per Mitchum’s request. The script was submitted to Elvis in Los Angeles by Mitchum personally. Elvis was eager to play the role, but his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, stepped in and demanded that Elvis be paid an enormous sum of money. His request was more than the entire budget for the movie. And so that was the end of that negotiation.

There’s probably a lot of Asheville-related Thunder Road trivia to be found, if I only had the time to dig it up. I saw that someone on a message board said Hoyle’s Office Supply in downtown Asheville was the set for some filming. Owner Red Hoyle used to talk about it. Here’s a tidbit, from imdb’s entry on Thunder Road:

All of the “moonrunner” cars in the film had actually been used by moonshiners in the Asheville, North Carolina, area, where the film was shot. The moonshiners sold the cars to the film company in order to buy newer and faster cars.

Click here to watch a cool trailer for the movie:

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

  • 1

17 Comments

  1. Chuck Giezentanner May 3, 2016

    There was a scene shot in front of Giezentanne’s Market on Merrimon and my Grandfather, Charles Sr, was in the scene.

    Reply
  2. rob June 1, 2015

    In thunder road james gets $ 280.00 pr wk.After the movie he bought the 50 ford movie car.He brought it back to California where he used it for high school.He would show the kids how the back drop bumper worked.Around 1961 the second owner found mitchums work permit under the seat.

    Reply
  3. "Al J" March 8, 2015

    Where was the overpass where Mitchum’s character gets caught and arrested ? supposedly it has been closed off or fenced in- believe it to be somewhere near the downtown area…also wanting to know where the log cabin motel is where Mitchum was holed up – believe it is the Log Cabin Court located in Weavervlle

    Reply
    1. T. D. Pen land March 24, 2015

      That day I watched that scene being filmed since at the time I was working atthefarmers federation bldg which in the stills across the street from the ok tire store. The location was at the bottom of the hill on Patton Ave leading to the bridge crossing the French Broad River. The street , Patton Ave. , was blocked off so Mitchum in the white ford could come down the adjacent street and make his u turn before being blocked by the police and Feds. I was watching from a high bank at the tunnel. They did at least ten takes of that arrest scene an they all looked the same to me. Mitchum actually looked taller in person than in the movie. The scene where this was filmed was called the Johnson St. Parking lot. At the time you may notice the silver dollar cafe and gas selling for 26 cents a gallon in the scenes background stills.

      Reply
    2. robert pineault May 20, 2015

      The bridge where he did the bootleg 180 turn is still there on park rd north.The street under the bridge is closed where he got pulled over.It was merrimon st.One part of it is owned by a truck driver who parks his trucks there and the other side has a bldg. on it.

      Reply
  4. robert pinault February 2, 2015

    some locations still around. when he jumps out window the building to the south is still there where he parks 50 ford. it is 29 market st north at walnut in ashvill nc

    Reply
  5. robert pineault January 22, 2015

    Robert mitchums son brought 50 ford from movie to California . he would bring it to high school.another student than bought it from him.

    Reply
  6. rick sawyer January 16, 2011

    last post mentions Rheems sic Reems Creek…A number of scenes were filmed up Ox Creek..off Reems Creek Rd…it's a beautiful drive and leads to the Parkway

    Reply
  7. Bruce C. June 1, 2008

    I grew up here and still live here. When I was 6 years old I watched the filming of Thunder Road on Merrimon Avenue at my dads Drug Store, Merrimon Ave Pharmacy.

    In the movie the Feds went into Giezentanner’s Grocery to buy cigarettes. These business’s were just south of Claxton School on the 229 block of Merrimon Avenue.

    My Dads Drug Store was first directly across from Asheville Cleaners and Dyers and then we moved to where City Auto Supply is now. We were the middle store on the street level.

    They also showed a shot of the filling station right beside the Drug store which they blew up in the movie.
    But the station that blew up was replica on Riverside Drive and made of cardboard.

    And here’s a Merrimon Avenue trivia question for you. Between Beaver Lake and I-240 on Merrimon Avenue. What was the largest number of gas stations.
    I can remember 10. I think there may have been more at some point. This is mid 60’s to early 70’s. Oh have Asheville has changed. And for the worse I might add.

    Reply
    1. robert pineault January 22, 2015

      when did merrimon close .its not a street anymore

      Reply
      1. robert pineaul January 27, 2015

        merrimon closed about july 1973

        Reply
  8. ashkat June 1, 2008

    Thunder Road was my favorite 45 when I was 16 and Mitchum was my hero. Now I live near the site of the police car chase through the River Arts District but I’ m a grandmother and I complain about the speeding!

    Reply
  9. ncain May 19, 2008

    Last summer I actually got as far as going to Pack library and digging through old newspaper articles about the filming of Thunder Road in preparation for writing a freelance article on the 50th anniversary on spec. Then I landed a gig in Atlanta and had to move in a hurry. There’s some pretty interesting stuff in those old newspaper clippings. Mitchum stayed downtown at the Haywood Park hotel while he was in town and he talked to the local press some. There’s still time for Mountain Xpress to do an appreciation. Someone put a bug in Mr. Hanke’s ear.

    Reply
  10. gochapgo May 19, 2008

    I know at least one scene was filmed in Transylvania County: Toxaway Falls was where the revenuer’s car (I think, it’s been so long since I’ve seen it) tumbles over and explodes.

    There may have been another T’vania-shot scene: near the end as Mitchum rides toward his death. One of the sets of cars waiting to ambush him is waiting near where Reid Siding road runs into US64 in the Quebec section of the County.

    Mitchum supposedly used my grandfather’s pasture (just a few hundred yards from the above mentioned intersection) for a golf driving range until he was asked to leave for commenting on the condition of the field.

    Reply
  11. Thanks for the info. I taped it off Turner Classic Movies a couple of years ago. I’ll have to dig it out and watch it again. Any old Robert Mitchum movie is a classic. It’s great seeing the various shots of Asheville, some of which still look the same today like the police car chase through the River Arts District!

    Reply
  12. Melissa May 19, 2008

    I smell a Citizen-Times story coming…

    Reply
  13. Dad May 19, 2008

    I remember going to a showing of the film at Mars Hill College in the late 70’s. Some people were introduced at that showing that were connected to the film and were employed by Mitchum as extras. Some filming was supposed to have been done around Rheems Creek.

    The film is supposed to be an early experiment in filming on location with a small budget and using a lot of locals as extras. Mitchum supposedly spent time in some local haunts hanging out and drinking with the local folks.

    Reply

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