Deliverance (1972)
12-month trend
12-month trend
Monthly article views
2025-09 to 2026-08
Four city-dwelling businessmen face a harrowing ordeal when they venture into the remote Georgia wilderness for a whitewater canoeing trip.
The story
Four businessmen from Atlanta venture into the remote northern Georgia wilderness to go whitewater canoeing down the Cahulawassee River before it is dammed. Led by an experienced outdoorsman, the group—consisting of a seasoned traveler and two novices—seeks adventure in the wild. However, the journey quickly takes a dark turn as the men encounter the local inhabitants and the harsh realities of nature. The group's lack of respect for the local culture creates tension, and they soon find themselves in significant danger as they navigate the remote landscape, facing both environmental hazards and hostile encounters from those who call the wilderness home.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Four Atlanta businessmen—Lewis, Ed, Bobby, and Drew—travel to the remote northern Georgia wilderness to canoe the Cahulawassee River before it is dammed. During the trip, the men are confronted by local residents, leading to a tense atmosphere. After a musical duel at a gas station, the group enters the river. Ed and Bobby are separated from the others and encounter two mountain men; one of them brutally rapes Bobby. Lewis eventually intervenes, and the group decides to hide the evidence of the encounter. As they continue downriver, the group faces treacherous rapids. Drew falls into the water and is presumed dead, while Lewis suffers a broken leg. The remaining men must navigate the wilderness while dealing with the threat of another mountain man. After a series of dangerous encounters and a desperate struggle for survival, they reach the town of Aintry. They concoct a cover story for the authorities to explain the deaths and injuries of their companions. The film ends with the men vowing to keep their harrowing experiences a secret, while Ed remains haunted by the trauma of the journey.
- First release year
- 1972
- Runtime (minutes)
- 109
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- John Boorman
- Writers
- James Dickey · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Jon Voight · Ed Gentry; Burt Reynolds · Lewis Medlock; Ned Beatty · Bobby Trippe; Ronny Cox · Drew Ballinger
- Genres
- thriller; adventure; drama
- Themes
- Man vs. Nature; Urban vs. Rural conflict; Survival
- Tone and mood
- tense; ominous; threatening
- Setting
- The remote northern Georgia wilderness and the Cahulawassee River.
- Premise and plot tags
- Survival; Adventure; Thriller; Wilderness
- Source material / true-story basis
- 1970 novel by James Dickey
- Reception
- The film was a critical and commercial success, becoming a popular culture landmark and being selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 90% · scale: percentage · review count: 68
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · nomination · nomination; Golden Globe Award · nomination · nomination; Grammy Award · Best Country Instrumental Performance · 1974 · win
- Production trivia
- The film was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry in 2008.; The 'Dueling Banjos' scene became a popular culture landmark.; The film was shot primarily in Rabun County, Georgia.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
Your lists
Loading your lists…