On This Day

Thunderbolt and Lightfoot released

May 24th 1974

06:49 24 May 2024

'Thunderbolt and Lightfoot' opened in US theaters on this day in 1974. Michael Cimino's directorial debut stars Clint Eastwood and Jeff Bridges in the title roles as a fugitive bank robber and a young drifter who team up to try and pull off an audacious heist.

Eastwood originally intended to direct the movie but on meeting Cimino decided to take a chance on the young filmmaker. Eastwood did not like to do any more than three takes on any given shot, according to Bridges. "I would always go to Mike and say 'I think I can do one more. I got an idea.' and Mike would say 'I gotta ask Clint.' Clint would say, 'Give the kid a shot.'". Bridges received the movie's only nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.