Movie Profile: BUSTER AND BILLIE
| Attribute | Details |
| Title | Buster and Billie |
| Release Date | August 21, 1974 |
| Director | Daniel Petrie (A Raisin in the Sun, Fort Apache, The Bronx) |
| Writer | Ron Turbeville |
| Producer | Ron Silverman |
| Genre | Drama, Romance, Crime |
| Runtime | 100 minutes |
| Distributor | Columbia Pictures |
| Lead Cast |
• Jan-Michael Vincent (Buster Lane) • Joan Goodfellow (Billie Jo Truluck) • Pamela Sue Martin (Margie Hooks) • Robert Englund (Whitey) • Clifton James (Jake) • Jessie Lee Fulton (Mrs. Bell) |
Plot Overview
Set in 1948 rural Georgia, Buster Lane (Jan-Michael Vincent) is a handsome, popular high school senior engaged to Margie Hooks (Pamela Sue Martin), a straight-laced girl from a respectable local family. Despite his popular standing, Buster grows tired of the superficial social expectations imposed on him by his peers and fiancée.
Buster turns his attention to Billie Jo Truluck (Joan Goodfellow), a shy, impoverished girl who lives on the margins of town. Because of her low social standing, Billie has been routinely exploited and mistreated by the local teenage boys, who view her merely as an easy target.
As Buster spends genuine time with Billie, he discovers her sweet, gentle nature and falls deeply in love with her. Determined to protect her, Buster breaks off his engagement with Margie and defies his family and friends to publicly pursue a relationship with Billie. However, the town’s cruel prejudices and the jealousy of his former friends spiral toward a tragic, devastating climax.
