Walking Tall

Synopsis: This is the one that started it all! Joe Don Baker is Buford Pusser, a man who walks tall and knocks the bad guys clear across the county with a piece of oak as thick as a fence post. when his town is overrun by gamblers, prositutes and bootleggers, he tries to shut them down by becoming sheriff. Buford gets shot, carved up like a turkey and left for deat, but keeps on coming. when eight men die due to tainted moonshine, it's bad news for the mob, cause Buford's out for blood! Based on a true story.

Rating:R

Run Time: 126 Minutes

Director: Phil Karlson

Dvd Extra's: Scene Selection

Nudity Factor: Nude woman that is being tortured for because she is suspected to be an informant

Of Note: Opened 6/15/73 in Seattle, Washington, at the 5th Avenue Theatre. Its ad campaign, whose slogan was "When was the last time you stood up and applauded a movie?", was one of the most successful in Hollywood's history.

Review by: Jason James
Rating:
I grew up watching this movie so maybe I have a better appreciation for it. I think that above that the movie does pull at your emotional strings. It is based on the real life events of Sheriff Pusser. When he comes back to the town he grew up in and is ready to settle down he finds himself no liking what had become of his town. In the first couple days that he was back he was cut up and left for dead. Finding that the whole system was corrupt he puts himself on the ballet to become sheriff. Upon getting elected he starts the process of cleaning up the county. Sure this movie was made in the 1970's so it does have a little dating. There are places were the audio and visual do no line up. The special effects are pretty standard for the 70's so don't expect much in that department either. Were this movie really shines is in the story. The strength of a man to stand up for what is right while everyone else just turned there back and pretended the bad things were not happening. Overall I just enjoy the story of this movie and have watched it many times over the years. It is a good reminder of what can happen when good people do nothing.