With his parents Noah Beery Jr. And Lureen Tuttle warning him that his beloved hometown has undergone some "changes", newly returned Joe Don Baker, a retired prizefighter, decides to get involved and is made sheriff, desperate to cease the illegal goings on in the peaceful seeming Tennessee countryside. As real life law enforcer Buford Pusser, he faces instant retaliation from the sinister populace which means constant assassination attempts on his family, and even on a pet. He's lured by flirtatious working girls into state highway speed chases in ambush setups, and eventually, this catches up after a slew of violence surrounding the local bar the Lucky Spot, the setting for the majority of the graft going on.
Violent and exploitive, this is still mesmerizing in many ways, the type of film that is difficult to turn away from. I remember as a child this being up there with the original "Death Wish" and the "Billy Jack" films, discussed by older teens as the adult film they most wanted to see. No wonder it has such a cult following with sequels a TV show and a remake! Baker commands all the way as Buford, and Felton Perry is quite good as his black deputy. Elizabeth Hartman is great as his wife while Roseanne Murphy is unforgettable as the hostess of the Lucky Spot. Maybe not a great film, but one of the unsung blockbusters of the 70's that may not have had a Bronson or Reynolds or Eastwood in the lead, but equally as memorable as anything those action film vets came up with, having a great finale that is a terrific followup to a very shocking twist, resulting in a conclusion worthy of tremendous applause.
Violent and exploitive, this is still mesmerizing in many ways, the type of film that is difficult to turn away from. I remember as a child this being up there with the original "Death Wish" and the "Billy Jack" films, discussed by older teens as the adult film they most wanted to see. No wonder it has such a cult following with sequels a TV show and a remake! Baker commands all the way as Buford, and Felton Perry is quite good as his black deputy. Elizabeth Hartman is great as his wife while Roseanne Murphy is unforgettable as the hostess of the Lucky Spot. Maybe not a great film, but one of the unsung blockbusters of the 70's that may not have had a Bronson or Reynolds or Eastwood in the lead, but equally as memorable as anything those action film vets came up with, having a great finale that is a terrific followup to a very shocking twist, resulting in a conclusion worthy of tremendous applause.