Billy Jack Goes to Washington

The only differences between this film and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington are to update it from 1939 to 1977 and to fit it into the context of the Billy Jack character. Even some of the names are the same. Jimmy Stewart's portrayal of Mr. Smith is a classic. This remake doesn't come close to living up to the original. If you're a Billy Jack fan it's worth a watch. If you're not a Billy Jack fan watch Jimmy Stewart in the original instead.

I saw this film in the late '70s at a preview in Oak Brook, Illinois. The movie was pretty well-received and even I was surprised that Billy Jack was a better fit in the old Jimmy Stewart role than I had expected. It wasn't great, but serviceable, and certainly better than THE TRIAL OF BILLY JACK. The film, as mentioned here, was never released, but has come out on DVD. Interested in seeing it again after all these years, I picked it up and was shocked. Normally DVDs have Director's Cut-type things -- more footage, deleted scenes, etc.. In this case Laughlin had cut the crap out of the film. Long scenes that helped the flow of the film and made it less --well, "Billy Jack-ish" had been cut. If Laughlin had used the cut I saw nearly thirty years ago, the film would still have worked. Instead it has become a mess. Come on, Tom, give us the original print.

As a Washington, D.C. native who saw this film when it was first released (and, contrary to some other comments, it WAS released in DC, playing in several area theaters), I was interested to see how Laughlin would portray the city and its political institutions. Surprisingly, he did so very well. The debt to Jimmy Stewart is obvious throughout but, having said this, his film reflected the political temper of the city in the late 1960's-early 1970's very well indeed. The dialog was not brilliant or sparkling, but there were some good lines: "Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered," is one I remember, referring to bribes and corruption. No matter what one's political views are, this is a film that can be viewed as escapist entertainment and, now from a vantage of several decades, with some nostalgia as well. Worth a rental, definitely, and better if seen with someone who lived through the era.

Billy Jack Goes to Washington (1977) was the last film in the Billy Jack

series. Unlike the other films where the political posturing was kept in check, Tom Laughlin goes full tilt boogie into the subject. In this virtual remake of the classic Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Billy Jack is

appointed the vacant senatorial seat after receiving a full pardon from the

Governor. Why did they give this man a political platform I'll never know. But they did and he tries to do his best to let the whole nation know that

he's the last and only honest man in Washington D.C.

Why do we watch Billy Jack movies. Most of you will answer because he

kicks butt and takes names. But the latter films focus more on his "acting" and the metaphysical being of one's self. If you watch Billy Jack for these

reasons raise your hand. That's what I thought.

For die-hard Billy Jack fans, others beware!

Recommended.

This was fourth and last of the Billy Jack Era however, this picture never made it to the theaters for any length of time. This picture was shown in Los Angeles as a sneak preview on April 16 1977. The next night the picture was again a sneak peak at the Admiral Theatre in Omaha Nebraska. Tom Laughlin resumes his role as Billy Jack and Delores Taylor resumes her role as Jean Roberts. While sitting in prison from the third film a Senator suddenly dies which leaves an open spot in the Senate. After the Senator death, it's revealed that he was conducting an investigation into the nuclear power industry, the remaining senator and the state governor must decide on a person who will play along with their shady deals and not cause any problems. Therefore, they decide to get Billy out of prison and give him the vacant sit. They figure by giving Billy the seat he won't give them enough trouble because he won't no anything. Billy is pardoned, released and nominated, after which he begins his duties. He soon notices that things aren't right, and starts trying to find out just what are going on. I didn't know this until I saw it in a magazine. Tom Laughlin and Delores Taylor were married. At the end of the movie, the couple kept the mailbags that were use in the Senate part of the shooting. The couple uses them on ski trips for there skis and equipment. The bags were confiscated by airport officials when they protested that the bags were property of the U.S. Mail. When this film was being shot, the Senate Scene had to be recreated because the film crew was denied asset to the real Senate Chamber. As filming progressed, Laughlin found it increasingly difficult to film in Washington, D.C. They were wrongly accused of desecrating gravesites in Arlington Cemetery. Even though it was the last of the four films, it wasn't the best. I will give this film 7 weasel stars an also will say the second and the third films were the best.