One of Burt Reynolds’ most iconic movies has tragically left the HBO Max streaming catalog. Up until this month, Deliverance was available for subscribers to watch anytime. Now you’ll have to look much further to find the infamous adventure drama.
Deliverance is one of the biggest titles of the late Reynolds’ career — and up until March 31, it was one of the notable titles HBO Max had to offer. It is an adaptation of a novel by James Dickey, and it tells the story of four businessmen from Atlanta, Georgia going on a camping trip in the state’s remote wilderness one last time before the land becomes more developed. Before long, this leisurely trip turns into a desperate struggle for survival.
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Reynolds plays Lewis in the movie – an experienced outdoorsman and the de facto leader of his friends. Jon Voight plays Ed, another businessman with some experience in the outdoors but not as much as Lewis. They are accompanied by Bobby (Ned Beatty) and Drew (Ronny Cox), neither of whom have any real experience with this kind of travel.
All three are eager to get away from the city and enjoy the outdoors for a while, but they quickly find themselves feeling unwelcome in the more remote part of Georgia they have traveled to. The movie starts with the iconic “Dueling Banjos” scene where Drew has a seemingly friendly musical contest of sorts against a local boy with a banjo.
The men then set out in two canoes, intending to traverse a remote river before it is dammed up. They are not only subjected to harsh elements, but to predatory locals, including some who seem to be living feral. The movie is violent and disturbing, so be sure to look ahead before watching it with sensitive viewers.
Still, Deliverance is an important part of the American film zeitgeist. It was preserved in the U.S. National Film Registry by the Library of Congress in 2008, when it was deemed “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.” It was also one of the movies cited as Reynolds’ best work after his passing in 2018.
Deliverance is no longer streaming on HBO Max. If you want to watch it now, you will need to find the movie on a digital store for rental or purchase if you want to stream it at home. It is also available on DVD, Blu-ray and other hard copy formats.
