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Walking Tall

  • 19731973
  • RR
  • 2h 5m
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
5.9K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Joe Don Baker and Elizabeth Hartman in Walking Tall (1973)
Trailer for Walking Tall
Play trailer1:12
1 Video
40 Photos
  • Action
  • Biography
  • Crime

Based on the life of Tennessee sheriff Buford Pusser, who almost single-handily cleaned up his small town of crime and corruption, but at a personal cost of his family life and nearly his ow... Read allBased on the life of Tennessee sheriff Buford Pusser, who almost single-handily cleaned up his small town of crime and corruption, but at a personal cost of his family life and nearly his own life.Based on the life of Tennessee sheriff Buford Pusser, who almost single-handily cleaned up his small town of crime and corruption, but at a personal cost of his family life and nearly his own life.

IMDb RATING
6.9/10
5.9K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Phil Karlson
  • Writers
    • Mort Briskin
    • Stephen Downing
    • John Michael Hayes(uncredited)
  • Stars
    • Joe Don Baker
    • Elizabeth Hartman
    • Leif Garrett
Top credits
  • Director
    • Phil Karlson
  • Writers
    • Mort Briskin
    • Stephen Downing
    • John Michael Hayes(uncredited)
  • Stars
    • Joe Don Baker
    • Elizabeth Hartman
    • Leif Garrett
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 60User reviews
    • 33Critic reviews
    • 60Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Walking Tall
    Trailer 1:12
    Walking Tall

    Photos40

    "Walking Tall" Joe Don Baker
    "Walking Tall" Joe Don Baker
    Joe Don Baker in Walking Tall (1973)
    Grande Movie Poster, 47 x 63
    Joe Don Baker and Elizabeth Hartman in Walking Tall (1973)
    Joe Don Baker in Walking Tall (1973)
    Joe Don Baker in Walking Tall (1973)
    Joe Don Baker and Elizabeth Hartman in Walking Tall (1973)
    Walking Tall (1973)
    Walking Tall (1973)
    Walking Tall (1973)
    Walking Tall (1973)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Joe Don Baker
    Joe Don Baker
    • Buford Pusseras Buford Pusser
    Elizabeth Hartman
    Elizabeth Hartman
    • Paulineas Pauline
    Leif Garrett
    Leif Garrett
    • Mikeas Mike
    Dawn Lyn
    Dawn Lyn
    • Dwanaas Dwana
    Noah Beery Jr.
    Noah Beery Jr.
    • Grandpaas Grandpa
    • (as Noah Beery)
    Lurene Tuttle
    Lurene Tuttle
    • Grandmaas Grandma
    Ed Call
    • Lutie McVeighas Lutie McVeigh
    Dominick Mazzie
    • Bozoas Bozo
    Lynn Borden
    Lynn Borden
    • Margie Annas Margie Ann
    Brenda Benet
    Brenda Benet
    • Luan Paxtonas Luan Paxton
    • (as Brenda Benét)
    Arch Johnson
    Arch Johnson
    • Buel Jaggersas Buel Jaggers
    Russell Thorson
    Russell Thorson
    • Ferrin Meaksas Ferrin Meaks
    Gil Perkins
    Gil Perkins
    • 1st Bounceras 1st Bouncer
    Carey Loftin
    Carey Loftin
    • Dice Playeras Dice Player
    Warner Venetz
    • Stickmanas Stickman
    Gene LeBell
    • 2nd Bounceras 2nd Bouncer
    Del Monroe
    • Otie Dossas Otie Doss
    Gene Evans
    Gene Evans
    • Sheriff Al Thurmanas Sheriff Al Thurman
    • Director
      • Phil Karlson
    • Writers
      • Mort Briskin
      • Stephen Downing
      • John Michael Hayes(uncredited)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    A surprise hit when it premiered, Walking Tall carried the theme of one man standing up for his sense of right and wrong. Selmer, a small town in southwest Tennessee, served as the authentic background for the bio-pic of the heroic southern Sheriff. Joe Don Baker did an admirable job with the role, and the hugely violent film was a surprise hit. Former Sheriff Pusser himself was set to potray himself in the sequel, but he died in a car crash as he as returning from his contract signing in California. The sequel was filmed using Swedish actor Bo Swensen, and a Final Chapter triquel told of Pussers' demise. While the Walking Tall franchise will never be on any list of Classic Film, the original is a great slice of Americana, Circa '70s. It made Bakers' career and perhaps kicked the 'southsploutation' genre of that decade into gear. —rick rothermel
    • sheriff
    • small town
    • tennessee
    • redneck
    • criminal syndicate
    • 267 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • His most powerful weapon is the truth
    • Genres
      • Action
      • Biography
      • Crime
      • Drama
      • Thriller
    • Certificate
      • R
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The real-life Buford Pusser actually wanted Bo Svenson to play him in this film; however Svenson was unavailable and Joe Don Baker was cast instead. When Baker turned down Walking Tall Part II (1975), the producers approached Svenson again, by which time Svenson jumped at the chance to play Pusser.
    • Goofs
      When bartender Bozo and Margie Ann pick up the unconscious drunk outside The Lucky Spot, the drunk pushes off slightly with his right leg to help out with the lift.
    • Quotes

      Buford: There's only two rules, and thats all... But don't ever forget them. Number one we enforce the law equally. Number two, any man caught taking a bribe gets his head knocked off by me.

    • Alternate versions
      Although the UK cinema version was uncut the 1988 Vestron video version was cut by 29 secs by the BBFC to heavily edit a scene where a woman is whipped and closeup shots of her wounds.
    • Connections
      Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Action Movies of the 1970s (2014)
    • Soundtracks
      Walking Tall
      Sung by Johnny Mathis

      Lyrics by Don Black

      Music by Walter Scharf

    User reviews60

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    Extremely effective as visceral entertainment.
    "Walking Tall" is certainly one of the most ass kicking movies ever made. It's a fictionalization of the true story of Tennessee sheriff Buford Pusser, played here with conviction and intensity by Joe Don Baker. Buford has retired from life as a wrestler, hoping to settle down to a quiet life in his hometown, but he finds out that everything has gotten crooked, with local bigwigs running the show. Soon enraged at a system that does little to nothing to help the common man, he wages a personal war on corruption, using any method necessary. The movie does its job as far as manipulating its audience. It doesn't take long for viewers to get their blood lust up, and loudly cheer on our swaggering hero as he gives the assorted sleazy cretins their just desserts. And it doesn't hold back in the violence department, either; even if the blood is typically bright red movie blood that looks more like paint than anything, there's a lot of it that flows before the movie is over. And we can also definitely take interest in a story of a regular Joe who fumes at the injustices of the world, and refuses to live in a place where the big shots can have their way at any time. When Pusser puts a pompous, ineffective judge (Douglas Fowley) in his place, or humiliates a rat by having them crawl on all fours, it's not hard to pump one's fist in the air and yell, "YEAH!" All of the bad people are one dimensional, sleazy, selfish jerks; even though they may disagree with one another on methods used, they all look out for number one and enjoy their hold on the community. Provided one can take the brutality, and doesn't mind having their buttons pushed so obviously, "Walking Tall" is gripping. A superb cast really helps in the selling of the material, with Elizabeth Hartman as the troubled but loyal wife, Gene Evans as the ineffectual sheriff, Bruce Glover and Felton Perry as deputies, real-life siblings Leif Garrett and Dawn Lyn as the Pusser children, Noah Beery Jr. and Lurene Tuttle as Buford's folks, Rosemary Murphy as trouble making Callie Hacker, and assorted other character players such as Arch Johnson, Don Keefer, Sam Laws, Kenneth Tobey, Pepper Martin, Red West, Logan Ramsey, Richard X. Slattery, Sidney Clute, and John Myhers. Now, granted, all of what happens is plenty predictable, but it's hard to deny how this could become a crowd pleasing entertainment on a non-think level. And Buford's story didn't end here, with two sequels, a TV movie, a short lived series, and a loose remake & subsequent sequels to follow, just going to show how enduring the concept of a strong, principled man fighting for what's right can be. Seven out of 10.
    helpful•5
    1
    • Hey_Sweden
    • Apr 22, 2012

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 22, 1973 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Der Große aus dem Dunkeln
    • Filming locations
      • Jackson, Tennessee, USA
    • Production company
      • Bing Crosby Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $500,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 5 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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