White Lightning

White Lightning is a 1973 American action film directed by Joseph Sargent, written by William W. Norton, and starring Burt Reynolds, Jennifer Billingsley, Ned Beatty, Bo Hopkins, R. G. Armstrong and Diane Ladd. It marked Laura Dern's film debut. Plot Bobby "Gator" McKlusky is incarcerated in an Arkansas state prison for running moonshine. When he learns that his younger brother, Donny, was killed by Bogan County Sheriff J. C. Connors, he attempts to escape, but is re-captured after a short time. Gator knows the sheriff is taking money from local moonshiners, so he agrees to go undercover for the United States Department of the Treasury to try to expose the sheriff for his illegal financial transactions. But Gator has an ulterior motive for going after the sheriff; wanting revenge for his brother's murder. He has no intention of gathering evidence against any moonshiners. The Feds give him a high performance Ford LTD, and direct him to contact Dude Watson, a local stock car racer and low-level whiskey runner, who has no choice but to cooperate because he is already on probation. To infiltrate the local moonshine industry, Dude introduces Gator to Roy Boone, one of the county's top runners who works for moonshiner Big Bear, who is also Sheriff Connor's enforcer. Gator starts an affair with Boone's girlfriend, Lou, and earns the trust of Roy and Big Bear as he slowly plots his revenge against the sheriff. When the sheriff discovers Gator is working for the federal government, Connors sends Big Bear after him. Barely escaping with his life, Gator hides with Lou at Sister Linda's Home for Unwed Mothers. Gator knows the Feds will want evidence against the sheriff and the moonshiners, but Connor's men find him first. Gator escapes in his LTD, and intentionally goads Connors into pursuing him. After a drawn out car chase, Gator tricks Connors into jumping his patrol car over an embankment and into the river. Connors drowns after his car sinks, as Gator watches.