The Reivers (film)


The Reivers is a 1969 Technicolor film in Panavision starring Steve McQueen and directed by Mark Rydell based on the 1962 William Faulkner novel The Reivers, a Reminiscence. The supporting cast includes Sharon Farrell, Rupert Crosse, Mitch Vogel, and Burgess Meredith as the narrator.

Plot

Set in 1905, the film follows the exploits of the likable but raffish Boon Hoggenbeck, who takes an interest in a new car, a new 1905 Winton Flyer that is the property of a man named Boss, the patriarch of the McCaslin family, who live in the Mississippi area where Boon lives. When the taking of the car first by Boon and then by Ned leads to a public brawl, the local magistrate lets them off by a bond that Boss pays on the condition both men stay out of trouble and far away from the car while he is away with family to attend a funeral. That is soon changed by Boon, who takes the car again to go up to Memphis to see his woman Corrie and talks his young friend Lucius into going for the ride. Ned stows away as well, but Boon grudgingly allows him to come. Other characters include a horse that loves sardines and races for them, a friendly bordello madam and her amiable employees, and a man with a horse who lives near an impassable sinkhole full of mud for which he charges expensive rates to get both carts and cars through.

Cast

1970 Oscar Nominations:
The Reivers was released to DVD by Paramount Home Video on June 14, 2005 as a Region 1 widescreen DVD.