Drama,Crime,Action
United States of America
Gator is a 1976 action-thriller film directed by Burt Reynolds, who also stars as the lead character, Gator McKlusky. The film is a sequel to the 1973 film White Lightning, also starring Reynolds as McKlusky, and is followed by a third and final film in the McKlusky trilogy, 1983's Sharky's Machine.
In Gator, McKlusky is freshly released from prison and looking to start his life anew by producing and selling moonshine in the swamps of Georgia. He quickly discovers that his plans are derailed when a federal agent named Irving Greenfield (played by Jack Weston) shows up on his doorstep and threatens to take away custody of McKlusky's young daughter if he doesn't cooperate with a government investigation.
The investigation centers around local crime lord Bama McCall (played by Jerry Reed), who is rumored to be building a crime empire that stretches from Florida to Georgia. With no choice but to comply with Greenfield's demands, McKlusky enlists the help of a group of local eccentrics, including a swamp boat captain and a group of independent-minded women, to gather evidence against McCall and take down his operation.
Along the way, McKlusky reconnects with an old flame, Aggie Maybank (played by Lauren Hutton), who is now a reporter investigating McCall's criminal activities. Together, McKlusky and Maybank uncover McCall's schemes, narrowly avoiding danger at every turn as they close in on their target.
Gator is notable for its intense action scenes, thrilling chases through the swamps and rivers of Georgia, and for Reynolds' typically charismatic performance as the lovable and roguish McKlusky. The film was a box office success and helped cement Reynolds' status as one of Hollywood's top leading men in the 1970s.
