Bobbie Jo and the Outlaw (1976)

**_Lynda Carter and Marjoe Gortner as the 70s’ version of “Bonnie and Clyde”_**

Released in March, 1976, this has fun elements reminiscent of “Smokey and the Bandit,” which came out the next year, but it’s more in the vein of “Dirty Mary Crazy Larry” from two years prior. “Bonnie and Clyde” and “Dirty Mary Crazy Larry” are the best of these types of movies, followed by maybe “Joyride” from the following year.

This is the hardest R-rated one of ’em all. It’s about as violent as “Bonnie and Clyde,” but also throws in quite a bit of nudity, mostly female top nudity, and a couple of steamy sex scenes (all relatively tame). The flick was made after Lynda shot the pilot movie for Wonder Woman, but it wasn’t picked up yet and she was struggling financially, so she cast her bread upon the waters with this film. The Wonder Woman pilot debuted two months after this was shot and was a success, leading to the TV series debuting in April, 1976. Naturally, Carter disowned the movie for its crime, violence and nudity.

Marjoe Gortner is known as a former child preacher on the revival circuit, and he has the mojo to carry the film, which is surprising since he usually plays second or third fiddle. A good example is the excellent “Pray for the Wildcats” wherein he places after Andy Griffith and William Shatner. Also on hand is Jesse Vint as Lyle’s partner in crime, who’s reminiscent of Patrick Duffy.

Meanwhile statuesque Carter shines on the female front, along with blonde Merrie Lynn Ross, who’s pretty much just as stunning in her own way. Belinda Balaski is also featured as a hippie-like sidekick. She went on to greater success in movies like “Piranha” and “The Howling.”

While Marjoe is likable as protagonist Lyle, he has no qualms about stealing a souped-up Mustang right out of the gate. He increasingly turns toward crime while dragging the others with him, which naturally makes it hard to root for them. What’s interesting (or amusing) is you’ll see Lyle engaging in serious moralizing on a couple of occasions later in the story.

That issue and the over-the-top bank robbery sequence lower my grade. Bobbie Jo brandishes a machine gun in the latter scene and what she does struck me as unconvincing. Then again, Patty Hearst did something similar in real life around the same time, so it’s not out of the realm of possibility.

It runs 1h 28m and was shot in late summer 1975 in the heart of New Mexico in Albuquerque and points north (Placitas), south (Isleta Pueblo, Mountainair) and east of there (Vaughn, Santa Rosa).

GRADE: C+/B-