PAUL KOSLO IN 'BOOTLEGGERS' CO-STARRING JACLYN SMITH

YEAR: 1974

On the surface is a rural buddy flick involving two hillbillies, Paul Koslo as quiet brooder Othar and Dennis Fimple as fun sidekick, Dewey, running a moonshining outfit with Othar's dad, Slim Pickens...

But there's a lot more, including a violent backstory establishing why the town has their sites on the boozy family biz where Paul Koslo, who usually plays a villain, is great in the anti-hero lead role...

His usual sneering indifference combined with a mysterious, vulnerable reserve makes the audience, and local beauty (future CHARLIE'S ANGELS brunette bombshell) Jaclyn Smith, never sure what he's thinking... or what he'll do next. And with something around every corner, from gun fights to car chases to big explosions, action abounds throughout this underrated gem, all captured within Tak Fujimoto's gorgeous cinematography (under the direction of Charles B. Pierce): turning the Ozark Mountains into our hero's very own backyard.

Paul Koslo Jaclyn Smith Bootleggers Jaclyn Smith Paul Koslo Bootleggers

Jaclyn Smith Bootleggers Jaclyn Smith before Charlie's Angels Bootleggers

Paul Koslo Bootleggers Paul Koslo 1974 Paul Koslo

And why be so simple as to leave out sidekick Dennis Fimple Bootleggers Dennis Fimple Jaclyn Smith

Jaclyn Smith takes aim in Bootleggers YEAR: 1974 Score: ***1/2