Thunder Road (1958): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1958, Thunder Road is an action, thriller and drama film directed by Arthur Ripley, running about 92 minutes. “More Savage Than The Tommy-Gun Massacre of the Roaring Twenties...TODAY'S BILLION-DOLLAR WHISKEY WAR!” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. Unrepentant Tennessee moonshine runner Luke Doolin (Robert Mitchum) makes dangerous high-speed deliveries for his liquor-producing father, Vernon (Trevor Bardette), but won't let his younger brother Robin (James Mitchum) join the family business. Under pressure from both out-of-town gangster Kogan (Jacques Aubuchon), who wants a piece of the local action, and Treasury agent Barrett (Gene Barry), who wants to destroy the moonshine business, Luke fights for his fast-fading way of life.

Who’s in it. Thunder Road stars Robert Mitchum as Lucas Doolin, Gene Barry as Roy Barrett, Treasury Agent, Jacques Aubuchon as Carl Kogan and Keely Smith as Francie Wymore, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 6.3/10, Thunder Road has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.

Where to watch. In US you can stream it on YouTube TV, ScreenPix Apple TV Channel and ScreenPix Amazon Channel and rent or buy it from Amazon Video. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Thunder Road page.

If you liked it. Fans of Thunder Road tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Inception and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.