Walking Tall Part 2 ** (1975, Bo Svenson, Luke Askew, John Davis Chandler, Robert DoQui, Leif Garrett, Bruce Glover, Richard Jaeckel, Noah Beery Jr) – Classic Movie Review 11,869

Grimacing Swedish–American actor Bo Svenson takes over Joe Don Baker’s role as real-life vigilante Southern sheriff Buford Pusser in the 1975 action thriller Walking Tall Part 2, a violent, cheap-looking sequel, whose story follows on directly from 1973’s Walking Tall.

Though Svenson is entirely adequate, this chapter is several notches down from the original, which was Baker’s show. Earl Bellamy directs in TV style and this time the supposedly true story seems none too credible as Pusser continues his one-man war against moonshiners and a crime syndicate after his wife’s murder in late 1960s Tennessee.

After Baker declined to reprise his role, Pusser agreed to play himself but died in an car accident as discussed at the end of the movie.

Also in the cast are Luke Askew, Robert DoQui, Bruce Glover, Richard Jaeckel, Noah Beery Jr, Archie Grinalds, Logan Ramsey, John Davis Chandler, Lloyd Tatum, Lurene Tuttle, Leif Garrett, Dawn Lyn, Libby Boone, Jimmy Moore, Richard Jaeckel, Brooke Mills, Frank Mcrae, William Bryant, Gary M Darling, Angel Tompkins, Levi Frazier Jr, Red West, Jon R Wilson, Ken Zimmerman.

It runs 109 minutes, is made by Bing Crosby Productions, is written by Howard B Kreitsek, produced by Charles A Pratt, shot by Keith C Smith and scored by Walter Scharf.

The on-screen title of the film is Part 2 Walking Tall: The Legend of Buford Pusser.

The third installment, Walking Tall: Final Chapter (aka Final Chapter: Walking Tall. All Walking Tall), followed in 1977.

The cast are Bo Svenson as Buford Pusser, Luke Askew as Pinky Dobson, John Davis Chandler as Ray Henry, Robert DoQui as Obra Eaker, Leif Garrett as Mike Pusser, Bruce Glover as Grady Coker, Dawn Lyn as Dwana Pusser, Brooke Mills as Ruby Ann, Logan Ramsey as John Witter, Lurene Tuttle as Grandma Helen Pusser, Angel Tompkins as Marganne Stilson, Noah Beery Jr as Carl Pusser, Richard Jaeckel as Stud Pardee, Archie Grinalds as A C Hand, Allen Mullikin as Floyd Tate, Lloyd Tatum, Libby Boone, Jimmy Moore, Brooke Mills, Frank Mcrae, William Bryant, Gary M Darling, Levi Frazier Jr, Red West, Jon R Wilson, Ken Zimmerman.

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 11,869

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com