A Real American Hero

I have seen several versions of this sheriff and for me, Brian Dennehy is the one who seems most able to hold his own against the "bad guys". He portrays a man who loves his town and wants more than anything to rid the area of those who would destroy it.....including the children and teens. (Ken Howard did a great job with his part) I think it was excellent because I found it believable. The surrounding characters also lent great credibility, well done by all. I am a fan of Sheree North anyway, and find that in this movie she is as beautiful a lady as always. I really enjoyed how she was finally accepted by the better-than-thou church lady. If you have seen the other Buford Pusser movies and not this one, then you have missed a treat. Of all of Brian's movies, (I am a Jack Reed fan), this is one of his best of his earlier ones. I bought mine second hand online and was not disappointed.

A Real American Hero. Is a fictional account of Buford Pusser's life. The story is there are some deaths that have occurred in McNairy County. The evidence and witnesses point to a former friend of Buford's. Now a local mobster he opposes Buford at every turn using the town's by laws against him. Buford turns the tables on him by using the same trick. Butthe mobster is still selling his poisoned moonshine. Then an old friend of Buford's comes home a former Hooker who was Buford's informant against the state line mob. She's come home to find a respectable life but the townspeople hold her former life against her. and Buford decides to help her by making her respectable. He finds a good job for her and slowly wins the town over. Meanwhile Buford's war with his old friend heads towards a tragic ending as Buford and his friend are forced to fight to the bitter end.

I see A Real American Hero as a love Letter to Buford Pusser.. The film is in step with the legend of Buford Pusser. and it keeps in character the way Buford was. A Highly enjoyable made for TV movie. Brian Dennehy is the perfect choice for Buford Pusser. and my favourite actor to play Buford after Joe Don Baker. Worth watching and highly recommended.

The three original theatrical "Walking Tall" movies eventually lead to a short-lived television series in 1981, but three years earlier there was apparently an attempt by the makers of the theatrical movies to bring the legend of Buford Pusser as a TV series. It was with this made-for-TV movie, a series pilot in disguise. After seeing it, it's probably best these guys didn't get the green light to make a series. It's a really slow and dull movie. Though the movie starts off with Pusser's pursuit of moonshiners, it soon forgets to focus on this plot, and instead focuses on unnecessary characters and subplots. There is also a lack of action; after the opening car chase and disco smash-up, there's no more action for the next hour or so. That previously mentioned action, as well as the climatic action sequence, are flatly directed and have no excitement at all. And while Brian Dennehy may seem like a good choice to play Busser, his performance here lacks spark. He seems very uninterested in every scene he is. The 1981 television series (made by different people) was far from a great show, but it was still a lot better than this sorry TV pilot!

This shoddy TV movie badly exploits the success of 'Walking Tall'. Trying to imitate the dramatic original with a badly written script, filled with shallow situations and bland rip-off characters. Brian Dennehy does a good job as Sheriff Bufford Pusser but the trite script lets him and his above average support cast down badly.

The Flashback DVD is taken from a VHS tape with soft focus and some tape drop-outs. One for the easily pleased or to be avoided.

"A Real American Hero" looks and feels like what it is: a late '70s telefilm. But it benefits from strong performances by Brian Dennehy as the legendary (or infamous?) Sheriff Buford Pusser, Forrest Tucker as Pusser's father, and Sheree North as an ex-prostitute trying to start over after serving a prison sentence for killing her pimp. Ken Howard is okay as Pusser's moonshining nemesis, but he lays on the phony Southern accent a bit thick. A film like "A Real American Hero" is best viewed on a warm summer night as you relax in your favorite chair, a can of beer in your hand. If you're from my generation (and particularly if you grew up in the Deep South), the car chases and punch-outs will bring back pleasant memories :)