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 Democratic 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:

pregnant schoolgirl | pregnant teen | school | rape | one against many | 

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Taglines:

Just a person who protects children and other living things.

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Genres:

Action | Drama | Western

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Certificate:

GP

Did You Know?

Trivia

The type of hat Billy Jack wears is commonly called an Uncle Joe hat.

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Goofs

When Bernard and Dinosaur pick on the students at the malt shop, he dumps flour on the kids to make them white. When the girl with the headband slaps him, his scoop has no flour. When he turns, his scoop is full of flour.

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Quotes

Jean: [tearfully] I know to let them handcuff you, close you in, and lock you up, is by far the hardest thing you've ever done. And I know that you're only doing it because of the love you have for the kids. And me.

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Connections

Referenced in Flick (2000)

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Soundtracks

The Star-Spangled Banner
(uncredited)
Lyrics by Francis Scott Key and music by John Stafford Smith
Played on a saxophone at the town meeting and sung at a performance at the school

User Reviews

A cult film with attitude

Before the smug heroics of Steven Segal's characters there was Billy Jack, the original self proclaimed savior with an attitude. If you like to see self-righteous jerks stylishly beating up even bigger jerks then this is your movie. Each fight scene is setup explicitly for Jack to do an affected restraint merely as a taunt before dispensing his own brand of justice. The spoiled, morally depraved Bernard seems to exist only for the purpose of angering the audience and thus justifying his punishments at the hands and feet of Jack.

Ostensibly about taking a stand against a corrupt authority and abusive bigots 'Billy Jack' is mostly a guilty pleasure for pacifists who feel they've been pushed around long enough. Jack's own claims of trying to be less violent seem hollow as he relishes every punishment he dishes out. He functions as the darker id or alter ego of the peace-love generation.

If not taken nearly as seriously as it wants to be 'Billy Jack' can be enjoyed for it's low budget earnestness, in spite of its somewhat conflicted messages.

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)

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