Goin’ South (1978)

Jack Nicholson is Henry Lloyd Moon, a small-time outlaw who has a date with the gallows and is surprised when women he doesn’t know keep showing up to gawk at him.

Deputy Towfield doesn’t like Moon, so he hasn’t told him about a new post-Civil War ordinance in Texas.

With the war robbing so many women of husbands, they’re allowed to chose a condemned man to marry, any man whose crime falls short of murder, that is.

An elderly woman choses Moon. He skips off the gallows in delight and embraces her. She dies of a heart attack.

So Julia Tate (Mary Steeburgen) agrees to hitch up with the outlaw. He quickly learns she won’t be so easily impressed.

In fact, he’s disappointed to learn that she wants him primarily as a worker in the mine she’s sure will yield gold, eventually.

What’s more, she isn’t the least bit interested in clearing up her eyes, a condition Moon claims afflicts women who defy nature by remaining virgins.

Should they strike it rich, Moon dreams of lazy days spent south of the border in Mexico. Julia wants to flee the West for the streets of Philadelphia.

There’s is an uneasy alliance, until they unit against common enemies.

Those would include the banker who wants Julia’s land for the railroad. And Moon’s old friends, who suspect he’s found gold and want their share.

Jack Nicholson as Henry Lloyd Moon in a grumpy mood as he’s guided to the gallows by Deputy Hector (John Belushi) and Sheriff Kyle (Richard Bradford) in Goin’ South (1978)

Mary Steeburgen as Julia Tate, expressing her intent to save Henry Lloyd Moon from the gallows in Goin’ South (1978)

Review:

Nicholson’s character is likely to remind viewers of the rustler he plays in Missouri Breaks (1974), co-starring Marlon Brando.

But while this movie would best be described as off-beat, just like that film, it’s also a straight-up comedy.

An early indication of that comes when Moon gleefully crosses what he thinks is the Rio Grande and starts taunting the posse.

Turns out it wasn’t the Rio Grande. The posse keeps coming. And Moon’s horse promptly faints.

Mary Steeburgen is excellent in her screen debut; she’s gone on to enjoy a long career in films and television.

Another of the better scenes comes when other women who have married outlaws visit Julia to provide some advice — just think of your wifely duties as canning appricots, one suggests.

The supporting cast includes John Belushi and Danny Devito. The marked the second of three films Nicholson directed.

Christopher Lloyd as Deputy Towfield, explaining his dislike for Henry Lloyd Moon in Goin’ South (1978)

John Belushi as Deputy Hector, amused by Henry Moon’s plight in Goin’ South (1978)

Directed by:
Jack Nicholson

Cast:
Jack Nicholson … Henry Lloyd Moon
Mary Steeburgen … Julia Tate
Christopher Lloyd … Deputy Towfield
John Belushi … Deputy Hector
Richard Bradford … Sheriff Kyle
Veronica Cartwright … Hermine
Jeff Morris … Big Abe
Danny DeVito … Hog
Tracey Walter … Coogan
Luana Anders … Lorette Anderson

Runtime: 108 min.

Jeff Morris as Big Abe, a former member of the Moon gang in Goin’ South (1978)

Veronica Cartwright as Hermine, Henry Moon’s former girlfriend in Goin’ South (1978)

Memorable lines:

Hermine, visiting Henry Lloyd Moon as he’s about to hang: “You’s the best I ever had. ‘Cept maybe that circus fellow.”
Henry scowls.
Hermine: “Why does that always upset you so?”
Henry: “Why would you bring something like that up at a time like this?”

Sheriff Kyle, after Julia Tate agrees to take him: “Mr. Moon, what do you say?”
Henry Lloyd Moon: “Well, I ain’t no side of beef to be auctioned off. But what the hell? Fine by me.”

Henry Lloyd Moon, on the trip to Julia’s ranch: “Well, look, I can get off right here as far as I’m concerned. ‘Course, a good husband’s hard to find.”
Julia Tate: “You weren’t hard to find. You were standing in front of the whole town with a rope ’round your neck.”

Danny DeVito as Hog, bidding farewell to Henry Moon before his scheduled hanging in Goin’ South (1978)

Tracey Walter as Coogan, a former member of the Moon gang in Goin’ South (1978)

Henry Lloyd Moon: “You can always tell a virgin on accounts of the whites of the eyes ain’t clear. You see, I got this theory on virgins on how they always looked peeked and groucy on account of them goin’ against nature. I don’t wanna get callous or pat myself on the back, but, in my time, I have put a gal or two in tune with nature.”
Julia Tate: “I’m sure nature is very grateful.”

Deputy Townsend, of Tate’s marriage: “It’s bad, huh?”
Henry Lloyd Moon: “Like eggs rolled in sand.”

When the other wives come to visit, one bearing a gift.
Henry Lloyd Moon: “We was just sayin’ how much we needed a figurine.”

Jack Nicholson as Henry Lloyd Moon, not amused by Julia’s joke of a wagon ride in Goin’ South (978)

Mary Steeburgen as Julia Tate, learning the railroad plans to seize her land in Goin’ South (1978)

Jack Nicholson as Henry Moon, showing off his credentials as a former member of Quantrill’s Raiders to Julia (Mary Steeburgen) in Goin’ South (1978)

Richard Bradford as Sheriff Kyle, a bit fed up with Henry Moon and Julia Tate in Goin’ South (1978)

Gerald H. Reynolds as Polty, the railroad man after Julia Tate’s land in Goin’ South (1978)

Jack Nicholson as Henry Moon and Mary Steeburgen as Julia Tate, receiving a figurine as a wedding gift in Goin’ South (1978)

Jack Nicholson as Henry Lloyd Moon, using some of his old outlaw skills in Goin’ South (1978)

Mary Steeburgen as Julia Tate, smiling at Henry Lloyd Moon’s attempts to impress her in Goin’ South (1978)