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.

---

Plot Keywords:

school | native american reservation | hippie | anti establishment | violence | 

---

Taglines:

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

---

Genres:

Action | Drama

---

Certificate:

GP

Details

Official Sites:

Billy Jack Online

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 August 1971 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

Ashita no kabe o buchi yabure

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

Elizabeth James was originally cast as Jean.

---

Goofs

Martin credits the Serenity Prayer to St. Francis of Assisi. It was actually written by American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr, and first published in the 1930s.

---

Quotes

Councilman: When was the last time you cut your hair?
Drama Teacher: When was the time you brushed your teeth, sir?

---

Connections

Referenced in A Decade Under the Influence (2003)

---

Soundtracks

The Ring Song
Written and Sung by Katy Moffatt

User Reviews

This movie just makes me go berserk

First, I just want to mention that I used to like Billy Jack. Then something strange happened....I grew up. Where should I start. Maybe with the main reason that I used to be a fan, the martial arts action. Never mind that taken through a hindsight perspective, the action is quite limited. Also Tom Laughlin has no martial arts training at all (unknown to me during my ignorance at the time) and all of his karate scenes were performed by a Asian karate master stunt double. Also, I believe that one of the main reasons that no major studio would touch this, was Laughlin's insistence that Delores Taylor (his wife)play the female lead. Not only was she far from attractive, she was devoid of any acting ability whatsoever. If anyone doubts this, please name a non-Billy Jack film that she has appeared in. I must also mention the complete hypocrisy of the whole hippie, non-violence premise of the film. You see Billy Jack preaches pacifism and non-violence, while busting heads. I guess violence is only justifiable when it is considered "righteous liberal rage". Let this one tin soldier ride away.