Movie 232/1001 ~ Deliverance

Made in 1972, this film is the tale of four men who decide to go on a canoe trip in the Georgia backcountry before they build a dam and destroy the river. The film stars Jon Voight and Burt Reynolds. What begins as a peaceful trip is soon ruined by a memorable scene in which two hillbillies accost and rape one of the members of the group at gunpoint. I can't say that I particularly enjoyed this movie as much as I was disturbed by it. The movie is well acted and is well shot, but it is difficult to declare this movie among my favourites. The main theme of the movie is a song titled Dueling Banjos which won a Grammy and is very recognizable. This film is also notable for none of the actors being insured in order to conserve, despite the numerous stunts the actors performed the movie. Notably, Voight scales a cliff and Reynolds broke his coccyx during a river sequence. Reference to this fact is made early in the film when Reynolds declares that he has never been insured.

***1/2