Rafe and Rory Calhern, who had great success in producing THE BOOTLEGGER'S BROOD (1970) for TIP, had none of that film's success with their 1978 feature HAMMERDOWN! THE INCREDIBLE STORY OF TOAD DICKERSON.
Toad is a man amongst men. He is the best looking, strongest and most interesting person in any group . . . and if you don't believe it. . . Just ask him.
PLOT: Toad has just walked off of his job as a semi-truck driver, due to his boss leaning on him for no good reason. It turns out that Toad has just wrecked his third semi and his boss is none too happy about that. Toad doesn't think that it is a big deal, a heated argument ensues, ending with Toad shoving his boss off a loading dock into a trash container. Toad doesn't give a care about losing his job, as it will provide him more free time to explore his dreams. . . which mainly consists of drinking longnecks at his favorite country and western watering hole, the Saddle Tramp Bar & Grill, till last call and picking up any broad that falls under the "spell of the Toad" He also likes to dirt bike, hang glide, wind surf and strum an out of tune guitar.
The main downfall is the character of Toad. He is such an obnoxious narcissist that the audience can't relate to him. It is not easy to spend ninety minutes with this guy and watch his shirtless exploits. He is smug, condescending, treats women like trash and all others like dirt. In fact, the character of Toad Dickerson may be the most unlikable protagonist concocted for the movie screen. . . Well Toad and George Bailey.
The Calherns envisioned a series of films featuring Toad Dickerson, but with less than a dozen playdates, they tossed those ideas in the nearest trashcan.
The film was released, albeit briefly, in 1980, under the title ANY WHICH WAY THERE IS, to try to take advantage of the Clint Eastwood hit ANY WHICH WAY BUT LOOSE (1978) and its sequel ANY WHCH WAY YOU CAN (1980).
Playing Toad is David Manners, who by all accounts was not like his character at all. This would be his only acting credit, as Manners joined the Peace Corps soon after the film wrapped. He then traveled to Gabon to help dig water wells and introduce Fruit Stripe gum to the natives.
As the theme song says:
"Live your life with gusto, don't give a damn what the other man says."
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