Thunderbolt and Lightfoot 4K 1974

Before becoming the director of The Deer Hunter, Michael Cimino was known in film circles as the director of a very appealing crime drama with a slightly strange, bombastic title, The Hulk and the Jumping Jack (although “Thunderbolt and Lightfoot” would have been more accurate), which refers either to superhero comics or to Westerns about Native Americans. In fact, the film is neither of those things. It is more of a classic, adventurous road movie that celebrates traditional genre clichés. However, the Western atmosphere is still present here, because it couldn't be otherwise. Remembering that the lead role is played by none other than Clint Eastwood himself, Cimino simply couldn't deny himself the pleasure of filming this textured actor against the backdrop of rocks and plains.

The film begins quite dashingly, in the spirit of Kill Bill 2: Eastwood, dressed as a priest, is preaching in some godforsaken church when suddenly, out of nowhere, a menacing-looking guy bursts in and starts shooting like crazy at the stately pastor. Fortunately, there is a back door in the building, and a few meters away, a young man with the face of Jeff Bridges is driving by in a cool car he has just stolen. But why would anyone want to kill a priest, you ask? The thing is, he wasn't a priest at all, but a professional safe cracker who used the House of God as a cover from his former accomplices, with whom he had a falling out over the spoils. Naturally, his partners in crime won't let Dirty Harry get away so easily, and when they catch up with him, they'll demand everything back, because according to the laws of the criminal world, it's not good to betray your partners.

But the film is not only about greed and a game of cat and mouse — there is something much more valuable in it. For example, the demonstration of strong male friendship—it's a pleasure to watch the duo of young Eastwood and Bridges, who are constantly teasing each other but are essentially guides for each other, like in the biblical parable where the blind lead the blind. There is also room for irony, and very bitter irony at that. That is, in order to find what you have lost, you have to step into the same river twice, but once you find what you are looking for, you risk losing something even more valuable.