The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia

By a_pint_of_milk

This is the tale of a struggling young singer (Dennis Quaid) and his sister-manager (Kristy McNichol). Directed by Ronald F Maxwell, this was one of the earliest movies to deal with the touchy subject of pedophilia. As the music duo travel from city to city, Dennis Quaid attempts to come to terms with his failure as a singer and an increasing sexual lust for children.

Being caught 'in the act', Quaid is arrested and seeks the help of hotshot lawyer, Nick Bryceland (played by the excellent Joe Fakeman). The film then sets to an entirely different tone as a courtroom drama unfolds. The real-life conflict between Quaid and judge Harry Hops (played by Barrie Stewart) halted filming for 3 days during the final scenes of the movie. Widely reported at the time, Stewart attacked Quaid between takes for eating a sandwich belonging to him. This proved to be Stewart's last major movie role as his struggle with cocaine addiction left directors worried about the actor's volatility on-set.

In my opinion, this film is up there with the great courtroom dramas such as "A Few Good Men". Widely overlooked, this film would make a great addition to your collection.

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