Meurtre à Coweta County

Original title: Murder in Coweta County

TV Movie
1983
Not Rated
1h 40m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

Johnny Cash and Andy Griffith in Meurtre à Coweta County (1983)

In 1948, in rural Georgia, Coweta County is watched over by its legendary, indomitable Sheriff Lamar Potts (Johnny Cash). No felony had ever gone unsolved while Sheriff Potts was in charge. ... Read allIn 1948, in rural Georgia, Coweta County is watched over by its legendary, indomitable Sheriff Lamar Potts (Johnny Cash). No felony had ever gone unsolved while Sheriff Potts was in charge. In the next county, though, there is a vast estate known as "The Kingdom." It's ruled by o... Read allIn 1948, in rural Georgia, Coweta County is watched over by its legendary, indomitable Sheriff Lamar Potts (Johnny Cash). No felony had ever gone unsolved while Sheriff Potts was in charge. In the next county, though, there is a vast estate known as "The Kingdom." It's ruled by one man, John Wallace (Andy Griffith), whose power is absolute and beyond the law. But when... Read all

Director
- Gary Nelson
Writers
- Dennis Nemec
- Margaret Anne Barnes
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.4/10

931

YOUR RATING

Director
- Gary Nelson
Writers
- Dennis Nemec
- Margaret Anne Barnes
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 nomination total

Photos4

User reviews33

7.4931

Featured reviews

7joshuahickman

Remake this Movie

I agree with the other comments, Griffith and Cash are great. THis made for TV movie is surprisingly edgy. The "N" word, which is common in the book and for that time, was used repeatedly by Griffith, who was a stark contrast to Matlock and Mayberry. My biggest disappointment with this movie is that that is was not filmed in Coweta County, or at least they didn't use our courthouse. Also, they didn't use the Old Jail in Greenville, which still stands today. I'd like to see this movie remade on location, with a Hollywood budget, and at least one major start. The most important Character that would need to be played by a major star would most likely be John Wallace the villain. Over all, for a TV movie it's worth watching.

dtucker86

an awesome tv film

People who enjoyed Andy Griffith's tv show need to be warned. Watching his show and then watching this riveting film is like watching a fireworks display and then seeing a nuclear explosion! He plays one of the most loathsome villians you will ever see, a man without a conscience who truly believes he is above the law and can kill whoever he wants. It is one of the most frightning portrayals of a cold-blooded killer imaginable. On the other hand, Johnny Cash is one of the most likeable good guys imaginable as the honest, dogged righteous sheriff determined to bring Griffith to justice. Cash is one of the greatest singers of all time, but this film shows off his considerable acting ability as well. Its also a beautiful film to look at with its depiction of life in the South and the photography. I see this wonderful film as almost a morality play of sorts, ultimate good versus ultimate evil. One interesting footnote, there is an actress named Cindi Knight who plays the murder victim's wife, in real life she later married Andy Griffith! This film was available on video for a while, but is out of circulation. Tape it if its on tv

8Miles-10

One of my favorite made-for-TV movies

Andy Griffith gives one of the best performances of his career as the socio-pathic John Wallace who is as evil as Griffith's other great character, Will Stockdale, is good. Johnny Cash makes a serviceable lawman. (Good casting: I'm afraid that if Mr. Griffith had played the lawman and Mr. Cash the villain, this would have been a poorer movie.) There are also great minor characters such as the witches. (Yes, witches--or conjurers as they might prefer.) I never thought of it before, but this movie probably echoes "Macbeth" even if it does not quite parallel it.

7melchizedeknm

A story Rich in Georgia History

Being from Coweta County myself, the setting of this story portrayed this quaint southern county in a very convincing way. Johnny Cash embodies the character of a Coweta County sheriff with wonderful aptitude, and holds together the story in a brilliant manner. And with Andy Griffith in the mix, nothing can go wrong. As a required assignment for high school freshman in Coweta County, I enjoyed this movie very much the first time I watched it five years ago, and it is still a very nice watch today.

So, if you're looking for a good cinematic portrayal of southern life, this is a good pick for you.

10badbilly3d

One of the best TV movies I have ever seen

I watched this movie for the first time in high school at a time when I usually couldn't stand ANY type of TV movie. My dad was watching it and I just happened to be passing through as it was starting, and I was totally transfixed by this movie. I absolutely LOVE this movie. Andy Griffith is best known as a "good guy", but in this movie he plays one of the BEST evil, deluded, just-plain bad guys in movie history, big or small screen, in my opinion. Johnny Cash plays a very solid supporting role in the movie as the sheriff who will not rest until the crime is solved; but this film is OWNED by Griffith. If you see it listed, watch it, for God's sake, watch it. You won't regret it.

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Trivia
James Neal, who plays defense attorney A.L. Henson, was in fact an attorney and prosecutor in real life. He was a Special Prosecuting Attorney who won the convictions of Richard Nixon's aides H.R. Haldeman, John Ehrlichman and John Mitchell during the Watergate trial in 1974. He had several other significant cases in his career. Among his clients were John Landis (whom he successfully defended against charges of voluntary manslaughter after Vic Morrow, Renee Chen and My-ca Dinh Le were killed on the set of La Quatrième Dimension (1983); George Nichopoulos, against charges that he overprescribed drugs to Elvis Presley; and Exxon in the wake of the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Just two years after this movie was filmed, he was named by "Forbes Magazine" as one of the five best trial lawyers of 1985.

Goofs
Courtroom scenes show Georgia flag incorporating Confederate battle flag. Movie takes place in 1947; this flag wasn't adopted until 1956.

Quotes
Sheriff Hardy Collier: Sheriff Potts paid me a visit this morning.
John Wallace: Yeah? Wha'd he want?
Sheriff Hardy Collier: What he wants is the man who killed Wilson Turner.
John Wallace: Is that what's go you so bothered?
Sheriff Hardy Collier: Real bothered!
John Wallace: Well, Turner was nothing but thieving, weasely, white trash. What kinda man gonna go breakin' a sweat over the likes of him?
[chuckles to himself]
Sheriff Hardy Collier: Lamar Potts.
John Wallace: The man was insolent ... stole from me. I let him get away and every dirt farmer I got's gonna wanna start helping himself to my possessions. I had to kill Turner, it was business, Potts oughta understand that.
Sheriff Hardy Collier: Don't see things that way, John. Now if you don't walk right, Potts'll come atcha, and he keeps coming ... hey, you member the field hand that killed his wife and chopper her legs off? Now, Potts tracked him all the way to Kansas and yanked him outta a wheat field!
John Wallace: That was a nigger!
Sheriff Hardy Collier: It don't make no difference to him, John!
John Wallace: I don't believe you know who you're talking to! This is the Kingdom, this is Merryweather! Nobody round here gonna say a word against me!
Sheriff Hardy Collier: Except you didn't kill him in Merryweather! You killed him across the line, where there's Coweta wittnesses and a sheriff that won't quit. Now, I'm tellin' ya John ... if Potts can find a nigger in Kansas, he can sure find white trash in a swamp! Now, I don't know ... and I ... I don't wanna know where you dumped the body, but wherever it is ... better be hid good.