Released in 1973, White Lightning starred Burt Reynolds as Gator McKlusky, a fast-talking, moonshine-running outlaw from the Florida backwoods. After cutting a deal with the feds to take down a corrupt sheriff, Gator goes back to doing what he does best—outrunning the law in high-speed car chases across dirt roads and small towns. The movie mixed action, humor, and Southern grit, helping define the outlaw-car film era of the 1970s. White Lightning also set the stage for Reynolds’ iconic Southern