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 | native american reservation | hippie | anti establishment | pregnant teenager | 

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Taglines:

Just a person who protects children and other living things.

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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:

2 August 1971 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

Billy Jack

Filming Locations:

Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$800,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$98,000,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Eaves Movie Ranch, 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

Contract disputes between Tom Laughlin and various producers caused the film to change hands between three different film studios, and delaying its release for three years. In 1973, Laughlin filed a $51 million lawsuit against Warner Bros. studios for "improperly publicizing" the film.

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Goofs

During the snake ceremony, Billy Jack's shoes change from moccasins to sneakers and back.

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Quotes

Cindy: I pray Billy kills him!
Jean: You mustn't tell Billy, Cindy.
Cindy: Why not?
Jean: Because he will kill him.
Cindy: DAMN YOUR PACIFISM!

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Connections

Referenced in Live from Washington D.C.: They Shoot HBO Specials, Don't They? (1993)

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Soundtracks

The Ring Song
Written and Sung by Katy Moffatt

User Reviews

Good movie with strong messages for its time.

Generation Xters will not have a chance at understanding this to the magnitude planned. Keeping things in proper perspective requires consideration of the time frame of this movie. In the real world we were still "in country"/Nam and getting very fed up with the associated atrocities both there and here. The differences between liberals and conservatives were at an all-time-high. This movie definitely leans to the left on many issues but only really to point out how important it is to not lose our humanity. It was really about a man who, disillusioned by what he saw his own country do overseas, came home to find the same thing. The fighting scenes were excellent for their time. The use of a hard style of martial arts was different and very impressive. Tom's execution of moves were both well done and in most cases reasonably realistic (maybe a few too many karate chops). The acting was anywhere between good to just adequate,,, which in some cases gave it a more realistic feel (less hollywoodlike).