Final Chapter: Walking Tall

"Final Chapter: Walking Tall" is a solid finale to an excellent trilogy. "Finale Chapter" wraps things up in a sad but very satisfying way. Family is a very important element to all three movies. The family part of the saga takes center stage in this movie. The scenes between Bo Svenson and Forrest Tucker are excellent. The rest of the cast isn't far being. This movie is not a stand alone film. It's actually the final chapter of an amazing story. I first saw "Final Chapter: Walking Tall" in the theater (Glen Oaks, NY). Over the years I've seen this movie a bunch of times. It always hits the spot. Honorable mention: a dreamy Margaret Blye.

They had pretty much run out of story by the end of the second film, so making a movie with what was left was kind of redundant. Yet they somehow manage to stretch what was left to an unbelievable length (116 minutes), a lot of which is made of endless and unnecessary footage of people walking from one place to another. A competent editor would have been able to prune not only this filler, but a lot of scenes that don't do anything to the plot, or start subplots that go nowhere.

There was promise in the sequence when Pusser sells his life story to the big screen (including when Pusser tells why he is reluctant to do so) but they don't spend much time in this sequence.

If you don't care about this, and just want to see Pusser swing his bat at heads, you should know there isn't much of that this time around. Most of the movie is just people talking, and it's not interesting talk. If you know what happened to Pusser, then there's no reason for you to see this movie.

This movie was good.....but i suggest you see the original.(Walking Tall) I find that this movie shows Buford Pusser as just a fantasy movie character, and not the real tennessee sheriff he was. Bo Svenson was terrible as the role of Sheriff Buford. Why didn't Joe Don Baker act in the final two? They probably would have been alot better if he were in them.

TITLE: Walking Tall Final Chapter was release on August 8, 1977 and it was 112 minutes long. Bo Svenson, Lurene Tuttle, and Forrest Tucker. Walking tall: final chapter is the third installment of the Walking Tall film series. The film was directed by Jack Starrett. The film opened in the US on May 31, 1977. The on-screen title of the movie is "Final Chapter Walking Tall." Bo Svenson, Lurene Tuttle, and Forrest Tucker. Walking Tall: Final Chapter is the third installment of the Walking Tall film series.

SUMMARY: The movie begins with Buford (Bo Svenson) remembering the ambush that killed his wife. One year has passed, and Buford still has a hard time dealing with it. He goes to his wife's grave and breaks down, telling her that if he had listened to her about not being sheriff, she would still be alive. Buford then goes to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation wanting to know why John Witter (Logan Ramsey) (who ordered the ambush) is not in jail. Buford is told that there is nothing that can be done since they have no case against him. Pinky Dobson is paralyzed and his girlfriend retracted her statement implicating Witter. Buford then goes to see his friend, attorney Lloyd Tatum (Sandy McPeak) and asks if this is the case. Lloyd tells Buford that it's just the way the law reads, and he will have to be patient and let the TBI do their job. John Witter is now in New York, and tells his boss (Morgan Woodward) that he will settle things with Buford finally. The boss tells Witter that he should face the fact that Pusser beat him, and let it be at that. There isn't any prostitution, stills or gambling left in McNairy County, and the boss doesn't want back in. Witter is told that due to his mistakes, he must cede 25% of his territory, which Witter says he doesn't have to accept, but the boss tells him he will. Meanwhile Buford and Grady (Bruce Glover) are staking out a still being run by O.Q. Teal (Clay Tanner) and his brother Udell (Michael Allen Honacker). Buford witnesses O.Q. beating his son Robby (David Adams), and intervenes. He takes Robby to the car and tells Grady to entertain him while he deals with O.Q. Buford orders O.Q. to drop his trousers and proceeds to give him the same kind of beating he gave his son. They then depart, blasting the still as they leave. Buford takes Robby to a foster home, and returns to the office to find a telephone message from Luan Paxton (Margaret Blye) a prostitute who helped Buford get rid of the state line gang. Buford arrives at the motel and upon seeing Luan, asks her if she is still hooking. He is surprised when she tells him that she is on her way to the gulf coast and works in real estate. Buford arrives at home and his dad, Carl (Forrest Tucker) tells him that his tax situation is bad due to all the expenditures he incurred while sheriff. Buford says he will ask the county for a raise after reelection. Carl asks Buford if he really wants to remain sheriff despite all the pain it has caused, and Buford says it's the only thing he knows how to do. Buford arrives at his office the next morning to find O.J. Teal's lawyer, French (Taylor Lacher) waiting. French shows Buford the pictures taken of O.Q. after the beating that Buford inflicted on him. French wants Buford to drop the charges against O.Q. and in return he will not file police brutality charges. Buford declines to which French reminds him that the office of sheriff is up for election soon. Buford has a meeting with Sheriff Clegg (Lecile Harris) from Hardin County. Sheriff Clegg wants Buford to check out a new club called the 3 Deuces. The club is in an area that no county claims, and Buford is reluctant to involve him, since he will be up for reelection soon, but reluctantly agrees. As they are talking, some boys steal Bufords car and go for a joy ride. Buford and Sheriff Clegg give chase, and finally catch them. Buford takes them into custody, handcuffs them to each other, and has them clean up the courthouse lawn. French sees this, and confronts Buford about their civil rights. Buford says that the alternative, detention hall and a police record would be a lot worse. One of the witnesses watching the boys at the courthouse places a phone call to John Witter filling him in on everything that happened. Witter believes he can use this against Pusser on Election Day. Pusser goes to the 3 Deuces bar, and is surprised to see Luan there. Angry that she is still a prostitute, he offers her money, which Bulow (H.B. Haggerty) the bar manager sees. After Buford leaves, Bulow confronts Luan, and tortures her.

QUESTIONS: Why did Buford run for reelection? Did Buford really think he was going to win? On the other hand, Buford run for reelection because he didn't know how to do anything else? Why are Buford parent's beginning to worry? Why was Buford fixing up old cars and then selling them? What happen to Buford's car? Were there any witness? Why did Buford visit his wife's grave? Why did Dwana show up at here's mom grave? Who contacts Buford about a story? Why is Buford reluctant to sign a contract? Why did Buford seek help from Lloyd?

MY THOUGHTS: I give this movie 8 weasel stars because of the suspense that keeps watching the picture and the action.

Much like the previous movie this picture essentially begins immediately after "Sheriff Buford Pusser" (Bo Svenson) has been seriously hurt and his wife killed in a deadly ambush by a criminal element there in Tennessee. However, unlike its predecessor, this film focuses less of Buford seeking vengeance and more on his coming to terms with his changing environment afterward. This is especially apparent when it comes to his being able to make ends meet financially as his way of doing business becomes increasing out-of-favor as time goes by. That being said, this film seemed to rely more on tepid drama than the more robust action found in either of the two previous movies and as a result it seemed to be rather dry for the most part. That's not to say that this was a dull film, necessarily, as it certainly has its moments at times. It isn't, however, quite as good as its predecessors and I have rated it accordingly. Average.