Billy Jack (1971)

Ex-Green Beret hapkido expert saves wild horses from being slaughtered for dog food and helps protect a desert "freedom school" for runaway.

Director:

Tom Laughlin (as T.C. Frank)

Writers:

Tom Laughlin (screenplay) (as Frank Christina), Delores Taylor (screenplay) (as Teresa Christina)

Stars:

Tom Laughlin, Delores Taylor, Clark Howat

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tom Laughlin	...	Billy Jack
Delores Taylor	...	Jean Roberts
Clark Howat	...	Sheriff Cole
Victor Izay	...	Doctor
Julie Webb	...	Barbara
Debbie Schock	...	Kit
Teresa Kelly	...	Carol
Lynn Baker	...	Sarah
Stan Rice	...	Martin
David Roya	...	Bernard Posner
John McClure	...	Dinosaur
Susan Foster	...	Cindy
Susan Sosa	...	Sunshine
Katy Moffatt	...	Maria
Gwen Smith	...	Angela

Storyline

Billy Jack is a half-Indian/half-white ex-Green Beret who is being drawn more and more toward his Indian side. He hates violence, but can't get away from it in the white man's world. Pitting the good guys, the students of the peace-loving free-arts school in the desert vs. the conservative bad guys in the near-by town, the movie plays definitive late-60s themes/messages: anti-establishment, make love not war, the senseless slaughter of God's creatures, the rape of society (figuratively and literally), two-sided justice, racial segregation and prejudices.

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Plot Keywords:

school | violence | hapkido | rape | hairy chest | 

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Taglines:

Would Billy Jack be executed if it had happened in your town?

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Genres:

Action | Drama

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Certificate:

GP

Details

Official Sites:

Billy Jack Online

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 October 1971 (West Germany)

Also Known As:

Ashita no kabe o buchi yabure

Filming Locations:

Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$800,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

National Student Film Corporation, Warner Bros.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The unusual kick that Billy Jack uses in the fight in the park is known in Hapkido as an "Outside Crescent Kick", in which the leg is raised and swung outward, striking with the outside edge of the foot.

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Goofs

When Billy Jack performs a spinning back kick against one of the "boys" attacking him in the park, the face shown is clearly not Tom Laughlin's. It's his body double, Hapkido expert Bong Soo Han.

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Quotes

Billy Jack: Martin, do you know what mental toughness is? Well, mental toughness is the ability to accept the fact that you're human and that you're going to make mistakes - lots of 'em - all your life. And some of them are gonna hurt people that you love very badly. But you have the guts to accept the fact that you ain't perfect. And you don't let your mistakes crush you and keep you from doing the very best that you can.

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Crazy Credits

Special Improvised Material by The Cast and The Committee

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Connections

Referenced in Flick (2000)

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Soundtracks

A Rainbow Made of Children
Written and Sung by Lynn Baker

User Reviews

One of the best

A movie I think almost everyone should see. Billy Jack epitomizes the senselessness of blind hatred and bigotry, and, it was one of the best "B" movies ever made. I myself, went to a type of "freedom school" when I was a kid, and the song, "One Tin Soldier" almost became our school anthem. I love this movie and always will, but a word of warning, the younger generation wont find any "star-wars" special effect's, it was produced on a rather small budget, and anyone can find a filming flaw, in any movie, but if you take it at face value, and just enjoy the "John Wayne cleaning up the town(only moved into the 1970's instead of the 1870's)" and the message it convey's. then I think you will like this film.