sonya90028
The Great Texas Dynamite chase, is a classic, 70s drive-in B movie. The beautiful, late Claudia Jennings, stars as prison escapee, Candy Morgan. She blasts her way out of the slammer, using sticks of dynamite. Candy learned her explosives skills through a training program for inmates, while she was incarcerated. Guess the clueless prison administration, never figured that inmates would use their training to break out.Right after escaping, Candy decides to rob a bank. It's the same bank that Ellie Jo, a young attractive woman, works at as a Teller. Ellie Jo's fascist boss, decides to fire her, for repeated tardiness. On the same day that Ellie Jo is fired, Candy bursts into the bank, holding lit sticks of dynamite. Candy threatens to blow-up the bank with the dynamite, unless they hand-over the dough. Ellie Jo, outraged at just being fired, enthusiastically helps Candy fill her bags with the bank's cash.Candy quickly flees in an old 50s Buick, to her father's farm. She meets-up with her family, and gives them the stolen money. Candy's family is deeply impoverished. But now, thanks to Candy's larcenous ways, her father is now able to keep his farm. Reluctantly, Candy quickly leaves her family behind. She knows that she has to, realizing that the law will be hot on her trail.Meanwhile, Ellie Jo feels cast adrift, after losing her Teller job. She feels stifled by living in her small, dull town. Ellie Jo wants out, and so she takes off, hitch-hiking to parts unknown, even to her. As luck would have it, Ellie Jo is given a ride, by none other than Candy. Ellie Jo is overjoyed that it's Candy at the wheel. Candy's brazen robbery at the bank, has Ellie Jo brimming-over with admiration for Candy. Craving adventure, and with nothing better to do with her life, Ellie Jo begs Candy to let her join her, as Candy's bank-robbing partner. Candy quickly agrees.Soon, the two foxy ladies are robbing banks with dynamite, rather than the typical firearms. Ellie Jo talks Candy into the dynamite method, after witnessing how easily Candy did it during the initial bank robbery. Candy and Ellie Jo, make their way across Texas, robbing banks and evading capture. They both become known by the public, as the legendary 'dynamite women', because of their use of dynamite, as their weapons of choice. While robbing a convenience store, Candy and Ellie Jo take a young cowboy hostage. Ellie Jo soon falls for the hunky young stud. He suggests posing as a professional hostage. The women think it's a great idea, to help expedite their bank-robberies. The three get richer and richer, from their thievery. They buy a Rolls Royce, stay in posh hotels, and enjoy a decadent, extravagant lifestyle. But as the law closes-in on the criminal trio, they realize that they need to get serious about hatching a permanent, fool-proof get-a-way plan.In the 70s, Claudia Jennings was the undisputed queen of drive-in B movies. She'd acquired fame, as a former Playboy Playmate of the Year. Claudia wasn't just another gorgeous babe though. She had brains, genuine acting talent, and a graceful athletic ability. Most of all, she had a blazing-hot, on-screen charisma. Claudia's spell-binding charismatic quality, was the engine that kept this film running fast-and-furious. As Candy Morgan, Claudia was a real scene-stealer. Jocelyn Jones as Ellie Jo, did a good job as Candy's partner-in-crime. But Jocelyn's performance was over-shadowed, by Claudia Jennings's commanding presence as Candy.When this film was made, women were just beginning to appear in films as strong, competent characters. With it's two strong female leading characters, this movie was the template for future films in the same vein, such as Thelma and Louise. I was a only a budding teen feminist, when The Great Dynamite Chase was made. This, and other films like it, were what my contemporaries and I looked forward to then . These films, were the essential drive-in B movie experience, in the 70s. Films starring Claudia Jennings, always fed our hunger to see female characters, who take control of their lives. I highly recommend The Great Texas Dynamite Chase, for fans of the late Claudia Jennings. It's a tribute to her talent, and honors her as the queen of 70s B movies.
ferbs54
I suppose that I'm a sucker for films of this "sexy bank robbers on the run" category, but I found, to my great surprise, that I really enjoyed this minor entry to the genre. Viewers will no doubt be reminded of earlier films such as "Gun Crazy," Bonnie and Clyde" and "Butch Cassidy...," and of course the later "Thelma and Louise," as this movie enfolds. All those others are certainly superior films, but "Texas Dynamite Chase" still has a lot going for it. Claudia Jennings and Jocelyn Jones make for one sexy team, and the twangy/jangly honkytonk music, authentic-looking locations and credible script make for a very realistic experience. The only thing I had a hard time believing, actually, is just how far these gals get in their bank-robbing spree. The picture also concludes very surprisingly; I certainly did not see that one coming! Despite Danny Peary's comments to the contrary in his book "Cult Movies 2," I found Jennings' performance to be very good, indeed. What a shame that we lost her to a car accident shortly after this picture was made. Her sad real-life fate only makes the high-speed car chases in this film all the more affecting.
lazarillo
Women have always had it bad in low-budget exploitation films. In the olden days they were relegated to merely looking pretty and screaming a lot as the monster or villain pawed them and the male hero rushed to the rescue. In more modern, "post-feminist" times they get to wield guns and use karate to beat up musclebound guys (who strangely never seem to know karate themselves), but the actresses in these things don't look like they could even fight off the sleazy Hollywood producers that cast them (and they probably didn't try too hard) and it's a wonder they can even wield their over-sized, silicone breasts let alone a submachine gun.70's drive-in queen Claudia Jennings was unique among exploitation actresses. She was a Playboy Playmate who could actually act (and not just in the Pamela Anderson sense of the word). Physically she could have passed for one of Charlie's Angels, but she had a tomboy-ish, trailer-trashy quality that made her completely believable packing a gun (or, in this movie, a stick of dynamite) while still managing to look sexy as hell in her typical outfit of short-shorts and a skimpy halter top. Regrettably, she made only a few films before her tragic death in the late 70's (and many of these performances were marred by her off-screen substance abuse). Along with "Gator Bait" and "Roller Derby" this was one of Jenning's most famous roles.The plot's pretty simple--it's a typical post-"Bonnie and Clyde", Roger Corman school "criminals-on-the-lam" knock-off with The two Great-looking girls (Jennings and Jocelyn Jones) from Texas pulling off a string of bank robberies using Dynamite while the cops Chase them. In between jobs they take time out to roll in the hay with some random guys (strip miners, hotel porters, etc.) or have a naked three-way with their amiable male accomplice (who you just know is going to come to a bad end, but you just can't feel too sorry for him). It ends on a pretty tragic and cynical note like these kind of flicks tended to do. It would pretty much be a total waste of time if not for Claudia Jennings. See it so, if nothing else, you can see what the fuss was about.
