''They Call Me Renegade'' is a 1987

road movie A road movie is a film genre in which the main characters leave home on a road trip, typically altering the perspective from their everyday lives. Road movies often depict travel in the hinterlands, with the films exploring the theme of alienatio ...

directed by E.B. Clucher and starring

Terence Hill Terence Hill (born Mario Girotti; 29 March 1939) is an Italian actor, film director, screenwriter and producer. He began his career as a child actor and gained international fame for starring roles in action and comedy films, many with longtim ...

and his adoptive son

Ross Ross or ROSS may refer to: People * Clan Ross, a Highland Scottish clan * Ross (name), including a list of people with the surname or given name Ross, as well as the meaning * Earl of Ross, a peerage of Scotland Places * RoSS, the Republic of Sou ...

Plot summary

"Renegade" Luke (Hill), a drifter and petty con artist, lives a free and easy life with no responsibility travelling around the

Southwestern United States The Southwestern United States, also known as the American Southwest or simply the Southwest, is a geographic and cultural region of the United States that generally includes Arizona, New Mexico, and adjacent portions of California, Colorado, Ne ...

in his

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Renegade with a

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named Joe Brown. The events take a sudden twist when his friend Moose (

Norman Bowler Norman Clifford Bowler (born 1 August 1932) is an English actor, best known for his role as Frank Tate in the ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale''. Early life Norman Clifford Bowler was born on 1 August 1932 in London, England. His father, Clifford No ...

), who has won a ranch in Arizona during a poker game, asks Luke to become the legal guardian of Moose's son Matt (Ross Hill) and to keep an eye on him and the property until either his son comes of age at 18, due to he's serving time in jail for a crime he claims he didn't commit. Both Luke and Matt are less than enthusiastic about the idea but eventually they reluctantly make their way to Arizona together. As they progress on their trip they experience an abnormal series of accidents, including crazy truckers in an articulated semi trying to drive them off the road, a biker-gang trying to hassle them on their way. On entering the area where the property is situated, and asking for directions, he comes afoul of the local sheriff and his deputy, warning him to stay out of trouble which when Luke gets directions, calls someone called 'Mr Lawson'. They find the property soon after, a run-down house-on-the-lake, and meet the local Amish people who seem to be happy to welcome them to the neighborhood. Soon after a group of people come to visit trying to get him to sell the properly to a firm called Lawson Enterprises. Once Luke basically refuses, a comedy of the people then try to force the issue, until they leave after Matt messes around with their helicopter. Some time after this, after coming back from town and the Amish homestead, as they near their home, Luke's horse, Joe Brown, refuses to get up which makes Luke very suspicious and as he nears, it dramatically explodes into a million pieces shocking Luke and Matt. Luke is now annoyed and goes to confront this 'Lawson' person at Lawson Enterprises. It turns out that Mr. Henry Lawson (

Robert Vaughn Robert Francis Vaughn (November 22, 1932 – November 11, 2016) was an American actor noted for his stage, film and television work. His television roles include the spy Napoleon Solo in the 1960s series ''The Man from U.N.C.L.E.''; the ...

), who framed Moose, and had him put in prison due to the property he won, is stopping him buying out an area of land and developing it. Also Moose could recognize him as Capt. Lenny Covacks, the Captain of his and Luke's platoon, and prevent them from revealing who he was and what he did in which he killed some of his platoon so he could abscond with 500 phials of morphine, and which he set himself up as a respectable Lawyer. Luke, after recognizing Lawson as his dead platoon captain (which isn't revealed yet) and crashes out the 2nd story window as 2 sets of two goons appear behind and to the side. A car chase ensues with Luke managing to stay ahead of Lawson and his goons. Also during this chase he manages getting Matt off to safety as Lawson's goons chase him in three cars with Lawson himself in a small helicopter. Eventually Lawson catches up and shoots Luke's tires out at one of Lawson's constructions sites effectively boxing him in. Here Lawson reveals the hows and whys of Moose and the property. With the help of Matt and the gang of bikers, that Luke had a run-in before getting to the property, they manage to force the defeat Lawson and become good friends and which it ends with them heading to the state prison to get Matt's father Moose as hes now been exonerated of the crime(s) Lawson framed him for with a last run-in with the truckers that Luke and Matt had run into a few times getting some nasty payback which nearly blew back into Luke's face as he was actually out of fuel.

Production

''They Call Me Renegade'' was filmed in English on location in

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Sedona Sedona is a city that straddles the county line between Coconino and Yavapai counties in the northern Verde Valley region of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2010 census, its population was 10,031. It is within the Coconino National Fo ...

and Flagstaff in

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. Cast and production crew were primarily

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and

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and include local notables such as Phoenix sculpture artist and custom trike builder Al Banks, then head of Arizona ABATE motorcycle activist group.

Soundtrack

"Simple Man" and " Call Me The Breeze" by

Lynyrd Skynyrd Lynyrd Skynyrd ( ) is an American rock music, rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida. The group originally formed as My Backyard in 1964 and comprised Ronnie Van Zant (lead vocalist), Gary Rossington (guitar), Allen Collins (guitar), Larry Ju ...

where chosen as main theme. Mauro Paoluzzi wrote and produced the original soundtrack, whilst

Nicolette Larson Nicolette Larson (July 17, 1952 – December 16, 1997) was an American singer. She is perhaps best known for her work in the late 1970s with Neil Young and her 1978 hit single of Young's "Lotta Love", which hit No. 1 on the Hot Adult Contem ...

also appeared on the release with the song "Let Me Be the One" from her 1988 album ''

Shadows of Love ''Shadows of Love'' is the seventh studio album by the American pop singer Nicolette Larson. It was released in 1988 in Italy only through CGD Records. The album was produced by Carlo Stretti and Ernesto Tabarelli. Background With ''Shadows of L ...

''.

References

External links

* * {{Enzo Barboni 1987 films 1980s action comedy films Amish in films Films set in the United States Italian comedy films 1987 comedy films Films with screenplays by Sergio Donati English-language Italian films 1980s English-language films 1980s Italian films