Moonshine is an interesting creature. I love it, personally, and that's one of the interesting things about it: that professional “moonshine” is actually commercially available. The stuff has something of a legendary quality about it, having been made and sold under the nose of the Law, causing rivalries between competing moonshiners. Many movies have been made on the subject, most recently John Hillcoat's Lawless
. Nowadays you can buy White Dog by Maker's Mark, or Jacob's Ghost by Jim Beam, to name a couple. Head over to Hillbilly Tea and they actually have moonshine flights – tastings of un-aged corn whiskey (which would be bourbon after some time in charred oak barrels). Still, people make it on their own; I have a friend who recently presented some which had been made by his boss, a professional chef, and this stuff was beautiful: somewhat harsh, yes, but smooth and delicious, tasting of buttered pears.
This week's installment of the Car Cine-Club presented by the Louisville Film Society is about – guess what – moonshiners. The film is
, directed by Arthur Ripley and starring Robert Mitchum. Mitchum is Lucas Doolin, a Korean War veteran who returns home to take over the family moonshine business. It's a sticky business, though; while trying to evade both the cops and some city gangsters who want the business for themselves, he tries to keep his younger brother from joining the business, hoping for a better life for him.
Louisville Film Society Cine-Clubs are free but only open to LFS members (who are allowed to bring a guest). Memberships will be sold at the door. The film will screen tonight, Tuesday, at the Dreamland Film Center, located at 810 E. Market Street. It will be shown at 7:00. Complete information about the Louisville Film Society can be found at the website.
Image: Internet Movie Database
