Based on a William Faulkner novel, this is a spirited comedy-drama starring Steve McQueen in a rare character part as Boon Hoggenbeck, a ne'er-do-well, turn-of-the-century Mississippi farm hand and cousin of 11-year-old naif Lucius McCaslin. The arrival of a handsome new automobile purchased by Lucius' grandfather, Boss McCaslin, causes an uproar when Boon and another cousin, Ned McCaslin, who is half African American, vie to drive the vehicle around town. Boss's departure by train for a funeral gives Boon, Ned, and Lucius an opportunity to drive in style to Memphis, where young McCaslin's eyes are opened to a larger world of hard-core racism, prostitution, corruption, and the tyranny of the powerful over the vulnerable. In short order, Lucius finds his innate decency and integrity lessen the sting of disillusionment and helplessness.
-KENTFLIX
| Ruth White (II) | |
| Steve McQueen | Boon Hogganbeck |
| Ruth White | Miss Reba |
| Michael Constantine | Mr. Binford |
| Clifton James | Butch Lovemaiden |
| Sharon Farrell | Corrie |
| Juano Hernandez | Uncle Possum |
| Lonny Chapman | Maury McCaslin |
| Will Geer | Boss |
| Rupert Crosse | Ned McCaslin |
| Mitch Vogel | Lucius McCaslin |
| Diane Shalet | Hannah |
| Pat Randall | May Ellen |
| Diane Ladd | Phoebe |
| Ellen Geer | Sally |
| Dub Taylor | Dr. B.F. Peabody |
| Allyn Ann McLerie | Alison |
| Charles Tyner | Edmonds |
| Lindy Davis | Otis |
| Shug Fisher | Cousin Zack |
| Raymond Guth | Uncle Ike |
| Logan Ramsey | Walter Clapp |
| Jon Shank | Joe Poleymus |
| Gloria Calomee | Minnie |
| Sara Taft | Sarah |
| Vinnette Carroll | Aunt Callie (as Vinette Carroll) |
| Lou Frizzell | Doyle |
| John McLiam | Van Tosch |
| Roy Barcroft | Ed (The Judge) |
| R.N. Bullard | Patron |
| Ogden Talbot | Man with Derby |
| Michael Hinn | Joe Dobbs |
| Bert Conway | Billy Hebb |
| Billy Green Bush | Patron |
| John J. Fox | Heasley |
| Owen Bush | Pete Hyde |
| James Rawley | Paul Hart |
| Al Hopson | Al Boyce |
| Wes Fuller | Bobo |
| Ella Mae Brown | Mrs. Possum |
| Florence St. Peter | Mary Possum |
| James Goodwin | W.J. Garver (as Jim Goodwin) |
| Burgess Meredith | Lucius / Narrator (voice) |
| John Williams | Composer |
| Richard Moore | Cinematographer |
| Thomas Stanford | Editor |
| Charles Bailey | Production Designer |
| Joel Schiller | Production Designer |
| Phil Abramson | Set Decorator |
| Joanne Haas | Custome Designer |
| Alan Levine | Custome Designer |
| Theadora Van Runkle | Custome Designer |
| Pat Abbott | hair stylist |
| Emile LaVigne | key makeup artist |
| Tim Zinnemann | Assistant Director |
| Frank Agnone | props |
| Tom Fairbanks | props |
| Joseph Hurley | visual consultant |
| Glenn Melts | construction coordinator |
| Craig Binkley | set dresser |
| Gene S. Cantamessa | Boom Operator |
| John Oliver | Sound Recordist |
| Clem Portman | Sound Re-Recording Mixer |
| Jerry Rosenthal | sound effects supervisor (as Gerald S. Rosenthal) |
| Jack Solomon | Sound mixer |
