From: Reviews and Criticism of Vietnam War Theatrical and Television Dramas ( Compiled by John K

From: Reviews and Criticism of Vietnam War Theatrical and Television Dramas (http://www.lasalle.edu/library/vietnam/FilmIndex/home.htm) compiled by John K. McAskill, La Salle University ([email protected])

T7300 THE TRIAL OF BILLY JACK (USA, 1974)

Credits: director, Frank Laughlin ; writers, Frank Laughlin, Teresa Christina Laughlin (Delores Taylor) Cast: Tom Laughlin, Delores Taylor, Victor Izay, Teresa Laughlin. Summary: Melodrama set in contemporary Arizona. Billy Jack (Laughlin), the mixed-race Native American, ex-Green Beret, and Vietnam vet, is put on trial for two killings he committed in self-defense while protecting the Freedom School from small-town Arizona bigots. He is convicted and sent to prison, but the Freedom School thrives under Jean Roberts (Taylor). When Billy Jack is paroled for good behavior, he returns home to explore his tribal spiritual heritage. Meanwhile the Freedom School’s television station has broadcast exposés of America’s sociopolitical ills which have annoyed local officials. National Guard troops occupy the school’s campus, but the students resist. Billy Jack agrees to surrender to the Guard if they withdraw, but the Guard opens fire, killing many students and wounding Billy and Jean. The Guard is finally forced to withdraw from the reservation by the terms of an 1880 treaty, and Billy and Jean vow to rebuild the Freedom School. Includes flashbacks to atrocities committed by American troops in Vietnam.

Adair, Gilbert. Hollywood’s Vietnam [GB] (p. 61) ______. Vietnam on film [GB] (p. 89) Albarino, Richard. “‘Billy’ sequel’s grand $11-mil preem” Variety 277 (Nov 20, 1974), p. 1+ “‘Billy Jack’ at $23-mil after 3 week playoff” Variety 277 (Dec 11, 1974), p. 1+ “‘Billy Jack’ sequel four-walls New York, Philly, Phoenix areas” Variety 276 (Oct 23, 1974), p. 5+ “‘Billy Jack’ sequel seeking bids on massive nationwide saturation” Independent film journal 74 (Sep 4, 1974), p. 15+ Canby, Vincent. “This home-made movie makes millions” New York times 124 (Dec 15, 1974), sec. 2, p. 19. Casuso, Jorge. The untold story behind the legend of Billy Jack : an inside look at the ultimate independent filmmakers [Arizona?] : Billy Jack Enterprises, 1999. Cocks, Jay. “Bigots and bromides; black power; a star is born” Time 104 (Dec 16, 1974), p. 6+ Cook, Page. “The sound track” Films in review 26 (Jan 1975), p. 28-30+ Crist, Judith. “Movies: Houdini of the whodunit” New York 7 (Nov 25, 1974), p. 94+ Devine, Jeremy M. Vietnam at 24 frames a second [GB] (p. 80) “Exhibitors viewing rough-cut ‘Trial’” Boxoffice 105 (Jul 22, 1974), p. 5. “Four-wall pioneer Laughlin stumbles on ‘Trial’ dates: Anti-critic angle a bore” Variety 279 (May 14, 1975), p. 3. Frank, E. [Trial of Billy Jack] Ann Arbor sun 2/29 (Dec 20, 1974), p. 21. Gary. [Trial of Billy Jack] Great speckled bird 7/48 (Nov 28, 1974), p. 17. Holzl, Gebhard and Peipp, Matthias. Fahr zur Holle, Charlie! [GB] (p. 159, 312) Kael, Pauline. “The current cinema” New Yorker 50 (Nov 25, 1974), p. 180-84. Lanning, Michael Lee. Vietnam at the movies [GB] (p. 333-4) “Laughlin on ‘Trial of Billy Jack’: Largest four-wall release ever under contemplation” Independent film journal 74 (Aug 7, 1974), p. 6+ Macklin, F. Anthony. “The trial of Billy Jack” Film heritage 10/2 (1975), p. 41-2. Mathews, Freya. “The trial of Billy Jack” Cinema papers 2 (Jul/Aug 1975), p. 151+ McCormick, Ruth. “The trial of Billy Jack” Cineaste 6/4 (1975), p. 45-6. Muse, Eben J. The land of Nam : the Vietnam war in American film [GB] (p. 61, 64, 88, 271) Olson, Greg. “The trial of Billy Jack” Vietnam war feature filmography (1992 draft) [GB] (p. 403-4) and Vietnam war films [GB] (Entry 615) Peipp, Matthias (see under Holzl, Gebhard) Robins, Joan. “‘Billy Jack’ rough cut pleases L.A. crowd” Boxoffice 105 (Jul 29, 1974), p. 8. Sackett, Susan. The Hollywood Reporter book of box office hits Rev. and enl. ed. New York : Billboard Books, 1996. (p. 239) Silber, I. [Trial of Billy Jack] Guardian [New York] 27/8 (Dec 4, 1974), p. 18. Smith, Julian. Looking away : Hollywood and Vietnam (book) [GB] (p. 154) Stein, Benjamin. “A civics lesson Hollywood style” Wall Street journal (Dec 20, 1974), p. 14. [Trial of Billy Jack] Hollywood reporter 233/44 (Nov 11, 1974), p. 3. “The trial of Billy Jack” Independent film journal 74 (Nov 13, 1974), p. 12. “Trial of Billy Jack, The” Motion picture guide (edited by Jay Robert Nash and Stanley Ralph Ross) Chicago : Cinebooks, 1985. (v. 8, p. 3541) [Trial of Billy Jack] Takeover 4/15 (Nov 20, 1974), p. 12. [Trial of Billy Jack] Washington post (Nov 15, 1974), p. B1. Turan, Kenneth. “Movies: Pandering” Progressive 39 (Mar 1975), p. 39-40. Verrill, Addison. “See more Jack for ‘Billy’ in bids: Sequel eschews four-wall deals” Variety 276 (Aug 28, 1974), p. 3+ Weldon, Michael. The psychotronic video guide New York : St. Martin’s Griffin, 1996. (p. 583-4) Williams, Whitney (Whit). “The trial of Billy Jack” Variety 277 (Nov 13, 1974), p. 18. Wolcott, James. “The noble savage as an ass-kicker” Village voice 19 (Dec 2, 1974), p. 128+ Zimmerman, Paul D. “Generation gulch” Newsweek 84 (Dec 2, 1974), p. 104+

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