Billy Jack *** (1971, Tom Laughlin, Delores Taylor, Clark Howat) – Classic Movie Review 8324

Tom Laughlin writes, directs and stars in this once radical and significant, but now very dated and rather hollow-seeming 1971 hippie-era anti establishment drama about a half Native American Vietnam vet wandering round Texas harassed by bigots while helping people and saving wild horses from slaughter.

Laughlin plays the ex-Green Beret hapkido expert Billy Jack with some charisma. He directs the film as T C Frank, and writes the screenplay as Frank Christina, along with his co-star Delores Taylor, who writes as Teresa Christina. Delores Taylor plays Jean Roberts and Clark Howat plays Sheriff Cole.

Despite its faded, time-worn condition, the 1971 Billy Jack is still fascinating both as drama and a comment on the times. For example our martial arts hero does not feel he needs to avoid violence in the name of peace, a bit like a Seventies half Native American Vietnam vet Robin Hood really.

Also in the cast are Bert Freed, Julie Webb, Kenneth Tobey, Victor Izay, Debbie Schock, Stan Rice, Teresa Kelly, Lynn Baker, David Roya, ,John McClure, Susan Foster and Katy Moffatt.

Billy Jack was an incredible success. It cost $800,000 to make and grossed over $98 million in the US. Laughlin was trained in hapkido by karate master Bong Soo Han.

It is the second in the Billy Jack saga (after 1967’s The Born Losers). Its surprise success in America led to further sequels with The Trial of Billy Jack, Billy Jack Goes to Washington (1977) and The Return of Billy Jack (1986).

Delores Taylor, star of the Billy Jack movies, died at 85 on 23 March 2018. From 15 October 1954 -to 12 December 2013, she was married to Tom Laughlin, who died of pneumonia on 12 December 2013, aged 82.

 © Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8324

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