Actor Tom Laughlin passed away on December 12, 2013
Hopefully this will be the last week for quite some time that I will have to start with the announcement of another actor’s death. Tom Laughlin, the co-writer, director and star of the four Billy Jack movies, passed away at the age of 82 last month. Though Billy Jack, the second film in the series, cannot be considered a ‘good’ movie by any means, it is still a B-movie cult classic that has some solid entertainment value.
Laughlin stars as Billy Jack, the part Aboriginal ex-Green Beret hapkido expert, who is forced to defend the head-mistress and students of hippie-themed ‘Freedom School’ from the townspeople who have no interest in understanding or sharing their community with this eccentric and unusual center that is run by Jean Roberts (Delores Taylor – co-writer of the film with Laughlin and his wife). Everyone in the town, from Sheriff Cole (Clark Howat) and county politician Stuart Posner (Bert Freed), to Posner’s spoiled son Bernard (David Roya) seem to be corrupt, crooked, indifferent, racist or violent. Though Billy Jack abhors violence, he is drawn into the role of a vigilante to protect the peaceful students of the school after he witnesses a detestable act of racially motivated refusal of service at an ice cream shop which is then followed by physical abuse of the young students by Bernard and his goons. Other even more vile acts occur later on in the film and Billy Jack is the only one standing between these mistreated individuals and the cruel and vicious city folks.
This movie contains many themes and messages that were common in the late sixties and early seventies – anti-establishmentism, racism, prejudice, peace not war (though some may question this with the violence Billy Jack must resort to), unfair justice, as well as many others. The film is also one of the first widely released pictures to use the f-word.
There are many scenes worth watching. The most iconic has to be the ice cream shop abuse and the scene that follows. It perfectly encapsulates the film. We watch as Bernard and his gang abuse an older child, who has an unfortunate lisp , and the younger kids as well. Enter Billy Jack who, simply put, snaps and takes out the gang. He is soon surrounded by the elder Posner and some townspeople, yet promptly tells the political figure that he is going to kick him in the face and there is nothing he can do about it. It is a classic scene that is widely remembered – it was even spoofed in the rather poor Jim Carrey comedy Yes Man (by far the best scene of that movie). Another memorable shot is when Jack forces Bernard to push his convertible into a lake after he has been abusing a woman. Both of these scenes inject some much-needed humour into the rather darkly-themed movie.
The acting is also more than respectable. Laughlin is excellent as the subdued yet lethal man who is always dressed in his iconic black t-shirt, blue denim jacket, and black hat with beaded band. Taylor is strong as the helpless head of the school and the children who play her students all do admirable jobs. Howat is great as the two-faced sheriff while Freed’s portrayal of the rich, power-wielding politician is spot on, easily capturing the corrupt southern charm so often used in movies of this time. His performance may remind others of Clifton James’ amazing portrayal of Sheriff J.W. Pepper in the James Bond flick Live and Let Die that was released one year later. Finally, Roya is perfect as Bernard; the cocky, bigoted hotshot who you just love to hate.
Billy Jack continues to be an entertaining cult classic that mixes vigilante justice with drama and some excellent humourous scenes. It may not be an Academy Award contender or even close to it yet it does provide the audience with a valid snapshot of that time period and some kick-ass entertainment to boot(s), even though Billy Jack never liked to use his! Rest in peace, Billy Jack.