Ode to Billy Joe (1976)

Directors

Max Baer Jr.

Cast

Robby Benson, Glynnis O'Connor, Joan Hotchkis, Sandy McPeak

The story

Set in 1953, the film explores the budding relationship between teenagers Billy Joe McAllister (Benson) and Bobbie Lee Hartley (O'Connor) (who corresponds to the unnamed narrator of the original song), despite resistance from Hartley's family, who contend she is too young to date. One night at a jamboree, McAllister gets drunk and seems nauseated and confused when entering a makeshift brothel behind the gathering. It turns out that in his inebriated state, he had sex with another man, later revealed to be his sawmill boss, Dewey Barksdale (James Best).

Genres

Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.

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