Smith goes to washington remake, produced by frank capras son, but with one fight scene. Its not top tier filmmaking but its engaging and a decent remake in that its faithful even having shoe horned the billy jack character and updating the relevance to nuclear power plants. From this auspicious opening premise, billy jack goes to washington staggers forward at the stately pace of a drugged brontosaurus. Billy jack goes to washington dvd for sale online ebay. Billy jack, hero of the oppressed, goes up against an enemy he cant wrap his. Delores taylor, star of billy jack movies of the 1970s. Billy jack goes to washington is the only one of the four films not shown in 16x9. Following the incredible trial of billy jack with a frank capra jr. Billy jack goes to washington 1977 was the last film in the billy jack series. Billy jack goes to washington watch full episodes and. Smith goes to washington, but then laughlin is no jimmy stewart and for that matter jimmy is no billy jack.
They decide on billy jack, currently sitting in prison after being sent to jail at the end of his previous film, as they dont expect him to be capable of much, and they think he will attract young voters to the party. They would team again for sequels the trial of billy jack 1974 and billy jack goes to washington 1977. Billy jack goes to washington 1977 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. A decade later, laughlin also wrote, directed and starred in a fifth film in the series. Billy jack goes to washington is a humorless, egofueled abomination but i sincerely hope laughlin gets to make billy jack s moral revolution, a threatened sequel about, well, you really need to head over to and read all about it yourself. The most outrageous game show moments 2 part 3 duration. A talky, static, derivative picture that seems to run on forever. Billy jack goes to washington 1976 ambitious actor tom laughlin first invented his persistent billy jack character for the 1967 exploitation feature the born losers 1967, in which a taciturn blackclad loner defeats a biker gang in a california town. The fourth film starring tom laughlin as billy jack, billy jack goes to washington was a loose remake of frank capras mr. Billy jack goes to washington billy jack rights, llc.
It is the sequel to the 1971 film, billy jack, and the third film overall in the series directed by laughlin, it has a running time of nearly three hours. Smith goes to washington with billy jack in the jimmy stewart role. Even as an uncritical teenage movie consumer, i could tell it was not a good film, specifically because mr. The film is a loose remake of the 1939 frank capra film mr. To curry favor with youth and minority voters, billy is appointed to a vacant seat in the u. Billy jack goes to washington watch full episodes and clips. The film only had limited screenings upon its release and never saw a general theatrical release, but has since become widely available on dvd. Billy jack goes to washington 1977 plot summary imdb.
Its obvious that hes used the capra film as a crutch rather than an inspiration. Billy jack goes to washington billy jack goes to washington, a remake of the 1939 frank capra classic mr smith goes to washington, compensates for its lack of subtlety with an angry, attack on. Smith goes to washington with the only major exceptions being that it includes a bit of karate and that it bears the undeniable antinuke sentiment and even includes much of the original script and original words in full and names of the characters, sometimes borrowing heavily on the original musical score. Mar 27, 2018 they would team again for sequels the trial of billy jack 1974 and billy jack goes to washington 1977. Smith goes to washington proved to be the death knell for the billy jack series. Billy jack goes to washington 1977 billy jack goes to. She reprised her role in the three sequels, 1974s the trial of billy jack, 1977s billy jack goes to washington and 1986s the return of billy jack. If billy jack goes to washington isnt a wordforword. Dec 07, 2019 billy jack goes to washington was the final film in tom laughlins indian rebel series. The effervescent suzanne somers was in on the shooting of billy jack goes to washington here with sam wanamaker as bailey in a lavish party scene that only made the final cut in very small bits.
The new film just didnt recapture the charming and disarming character tom had played in billy jack 1971. They decide on billy jack, currently sitting in prison. This is a trailer of the last billy jack film billy jack goes to washington a remake of mr. Billy jack goes to washington the fourth film in the billy jack series. Billy jack goes to washington 1977 directed by tom. However, the fourth entry in the series, billy jack goes to washington was a failure because of distribution problems, and it proved to be laughlins final film. Unlike the other films where the political posturing was kept in check, tom laughlin goes full tilt boogie into the subject. May 31, 2010 this is a compilation of the some of the fights scenes in billy jack goes to washington a movie. Billy jack is a 1971 actiondrama independent film, the second of four films centering on a character of the same name which began with the movie the born losers 1967, played by tom laughlin, who directed and cowrote the script. Laughlin made one more sequel, 1977s billy jack goes to washington essentially a mr. The third film in the billy jack trilogy is, as you may have guessed it, a remake if one could so be inclined to call it that of the jimmy stewart film mr.
Billy jack, a halfnavajo martial artist and vietnam veteran, protects the freedom school, an experimental hippie school for runaways and troubled youth on an indian reservation in arizona, from locals who hate the schools countercultural values. Billy jack goes to washington is a 1977 american political drama film starring tom laughlin, the fourth film in the billy jack series, and although the earlier films saw enormous success, this film did not. The story begins with billy receiving a pardon for the trumpedup charges that put him behind bars in frank capra. At the washington premiere one senator exploded, vowing to do everything in his power to make sure it was never released. Billy jack 1971 tom laughlin, delores taylor, clark. Billy jack goes to washington extends the unsubtle paranoid populism prevalent in the trial of billy jack. Billy jack goes to washington was the final film in tom laughlins indian rebel series. Ending voiceover by ed roberts wbbm announcer this aired on local chicago tv. Billy jack goes to washington won, but the medveds noted that this was partly because of laughlins shenanigans after it was pulled from release. Billy jack goes to washington premiered april 22, 1977, at the kb cinema.
Laughlin blamed individuals within the united states government for the failure of the picture, telling cnn s showbiz tonight in 2005. What they are referring to was laughlins oftstated and continuing contention that the film was torpedoed not by the movie going public, but by the government. The billy jack film that was so controversial it was kept from being released. Another sequel was canceled when laughlin sustained a head injury while filming. Billy jack goes to washington is a 1977 film starring tom laughlin, the fourth film in the billy jack series. Billy jack goes to washington, a remake of the 1939 frank capra classic mr smith goes to washington, compensates for its lack of subtlety with an angry, attack on governmental corruption. On the fact that the last film, the trial of billy jack, didnt. Billy jack goes to washington is a 1977 american political drama film starring tom laughlin, the fourth film in the billy jack series, and although the earlier films. Billy jack goes to washington sonicwb wikia fandom.
The parallels with the notorious waco, texas standoff twenty years later are disturbingly prophetic. The story begins with billy receiving a pardon for the trumpedup charges that put him behind bars in the trial of billy jack. Billy jack goes to washington 1977 rotten tomatoes. Billy jack goes to washington is a 1977 film starring tom laughlin, the fourth film in the billy jack series, and although the earlier films saw enormous success, this film did not. Perhaps the most controversial film of all, billy jack goes to washington tells a story straight out of the headlines. Billy jack goes to washington grindhouse cinema database. Although commercially successful, it was panned by critics. The screening and reception raised funds for victims of the hanafi muslim siege, which had taken place a month earlier. The film only had limited screenings upon its release and never saw a general theatrical. Billy jack goes to washington the billy jack film that was so controversial it was kept from being released. The film lasts for nearly three hours and in its numbskulled way tries to follow each of the twists and turns of the old capra formula.
Suzanne somers not in washington billy jack rights, llc. Tom laughlin resumes his role as billy jack and delores taylor resumes her role as jean roberts. Billy is pardoned, released, and nominated, after which he begins his duties. While sitting in prison from the third film a senator suddenly. May 22, 2007 this is a trailer of the last billy jack film billy jack goes to washington a remake of mr. The paranoid hysteria of the trial of billy jack has since been coopted by radicals at the other end of the political spectrum. If you want to see a good billy jack movie get, the trial of billy jack.
In 2019, it was revealed that writerdirector quentin tarantino and actor brad pitt used the film and laughlins performance as an influence while developing pitts character in once upon a time in hollywood 17. This category has the following 5 subcategories, out of 5 total. Taking up the jimmy stewart role of a geewhiz junior congressman, billy jack. Marshall, pat obrien, sam wannamaker a electrifying update of mr. Laughlin himself is the one selling the shortened cut of the film, which he maintains was butchered. Billy jack goes to washington 1977 jabootus bad movie.
Billy jack goes to washington 1977 video detective. Williams rating of the film billy jack goes to washington william following the incredible trial of billy jack with a frank capra jr. Remembering when billy jack came to washington the. Jun 30, 20 he discovers the lair of bigfoot and is told loud and clear he is not welcome duration. The fourth film starring tom laughlin as billy jack, billy jack goes to washington was a loose remake of frank capras frank capra. The centerpiece of the film features billy jack, enraged over the mistreatment of his native american friends, fighting racist thugs using hapkido techniques. Feeling that the movie was uncommercial, arkoff passed on the chance to distribute the movie, and the other distributors, for whom laughlin screened the movie, also decided not to pick up the distribution rights for the same reason. Billy promotes his wholesome freedom school, but just as in the capra original, he slowly learns that he has been set up as the dupe for grafters pushing through a bill to build a nuclear power plant.
Heres a theatrical movie trailer for tv for the film billy jack. Look and sees what you are missing in this wonderful movie. If you want to enjoy this story line, get mr smith goes to washington. Oh poor billy jack what ever happened to you made mostly and very costly in washington, dc locations it was never shown on the movie circuits or the public screens, apparently for political sensitivity reasons. An overview of other films like billy jack goes to washington. Smith goes to washington, this fourth film starring tom laughlin as billy jack begins when the governor pardons jack for the trumpedup charges that landed him in jail in the.
Billy jack goes to washington the billy jack film that was so controversial it was kept from being released starring. I saw it at its washington premiere in 1977 at the kb cinema on wisconsin avenue. The trial of billy jack is a 1974 action film starring delores taylor and tom laughlin. Films featuring native american characters as protagonists or prominent cast members.