#897. In Hot Pursuit (1977)

Directed By: Jim West

Starring: Don Watson, Bobby Watson and Paul Benefield





Tag line: "Life In The Fast Lane"

Trivia: This fim was also released as POLK COUNTY POT PLANE






Also known as Polk County Pot Plane, In Hot Pursuit chronicles the adventures of Oosh (Don Watson) and Doosh (Bobby Watson), a pair of good ‘ole boys from Georgia who run drugs for a living, specializing in imported marijuana. Eventually, the authorities catch up to our heroes and lock them away, but with the prospect of long prison sentences hanging over their heads, the two stage a daring jail break. Unfortunately, they hop right from the frying pan into the fire when their bosses, angry because they lost an entire shipment when the cops picked them up, expect Oosh and Doosh to reimburse them, demanding the duo cough up $150,000 within the next few days! Their backs against the wall, the boys know the only way to come up with that kind of money is to steal it… and fast!

Despite its rather straightforward story, In Hot Pursuit is a film with multiple personalities, alternating between comedy, drama, action and romance, and often switching from one to the other within the same scene. Its chaotic tone is set in the movie’s opening sequence, as a trio of police cars barrel down the road, their sirens blaring, while carnival-like music fills the soundtrack. This frivolous ambiance quickly changes to one of high drama the moment a huge plane lands in a barren field, and a drug exchange goes down. When the exchange is finished, the cops, who were watching from a distance, rush in, resulting in an extended chase with a notably comedic flair. Along with this constant back and forth, In Hot Pursuit also features shootouts, car crashes, an action-packed (albeit improbable) jail break, and more than a few surprises. Once or twice, the picture even ventures into darker territory (like when a minor character is shot through the head), but overall, it’s just good fun.

All the actors appearing in the movie were amateurs (which is obvious from the get-go), and there are plot holes as big as the house that Oosh and Doosh destroy when they drive a truck through it (a pretty cool scene, actually). Yet, despite its limitations, In Hot Pursuit is a ‘70s drive-in flick that ranks high on the entertainment scale.