The Sheriff

Ossie Davis is the Sheriff in a small town. When Brenda Sykes is raped, he finds the guy soon enough. But can the DA get a conviction? And can Davis keep his stepson and Miss Sykes' father from taking the law in their own hands?

This TV movie was clearly intended as the pilot for a series that never came to be. With Ruby Dee playing Davis' wife, Kaz Garas his deputy, it clearly intended to confront the issue of "quiet racism" and its not-so-quiet violent outbreaks. It's good to see Davis in one of his serious roles, portraying the strength he was capable of. But it was not to be. With Edward Binns, Lynda Day George, and Moses Gunn.

This movie typical from the late sixties and early seventies is a sort of IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT rip off. It is so obvious in the southern town tale where a Black and White investigators pull their job together, facing the racist atmosphere of those countrysides. That's all what I wanted to add, sorry to have missed this resemblance between the Norman Jewison's feature and this one.

As I watched "The Sheriff", I couldn't help but think that this made for TV movie was intended as a pilot for a potential television series. This happened a lot with made for TV films in the 1970s. The networks would air them and see how the public took to them. If they went over very well or some network exec loved it, they'd okay it as a series. I can only assume this one, though an excellent film, just didn't gain the traction needed to become a TV show or merit further movies.

Ossie Davis stars as Sheriff Lucas, a good cop who has a white deputy with whom he gets along just fine. However, Lucas is facing a huge case...one with strong racial components and it also hits very close to home. It seems some sleaze-bag raped his son's girlfriend...and Lucas needs to keep the girl's father and his own son from taking the law into their own hands. He also has to deal with his deputy's wife...a lady who is a racist.

In so many ways, this film seems inspired by "In the Heat of the Night"....and that's not a bad thing. But what really won me over was Davis' wonderful performance...strong, believable and inspiring. It would have made a great series!