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Billy Jack Goes to Washington, Reconsidered

posted 14 years ago by VladdyTrout
3 replies | jump to latest

Billy Jack Goes to Washington isn't a classic movie like Billy Jack, or a masterpiece like Trial of Billy Jack, but I do recommend fans of the series watch this film. You gotta give props to Tom Laughlin and family for making a movie that tackled the serious issue of corrupt government officials and the regulation of the nuclear power industry.

Okay, the Billy Jack character is a bit off track. In this movie he's too naive in the ways of Washington, which makes no sense because in the previous films he is portrayed as being hip to how power corrupts and how absolute power corrupts absolutely. In the previous films Billy Jack has no illusions about 'the man' being a positive force for society. Part of this continuity problem stems from the script being based upon the old Jimmy Stewart-Frank Capra original, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.

The Laughlins' hearts were in the right place. They poured a ton of their own cash into making this film. They risked their financial security to make a movie with a message. Unfortunately by the time Billy Jack Goes to Washington came out, audiences no longer cared about - or were exhausted by - serious political issues. Watergate was already old news. The Vietnam War had come to a close. Ford pardoned Nixon. Woodstein had became world famous journalists.

Audiences wanted to be entertained. They wanted to dance the disco with Travolta, jump around with lightsabers like Luke Skywalker, and truck around the country in an 18 wheeler with only a chimp as companion.

Billy Jack was a victim of the times. The times had changed. Billy Jack was a bit too slow to change. Perhaps if Billy Jack donned a white polyester suit, slicked back his hair, hung out with a cool chimp, and boogied the night away at some disco with a funky-fied version of 'One Tin Soldier' blaring in the background, Billy Jack would have caught on with the younger generation...alas, twas not to be.

Thankfully a beautifully restored version of this movie is now on the DVD.

[–] Bob-45 13 years ago

Wish I had Taylor's-Laughlin's ear immediately following "The Trial of Billy Jack". I would have advised they abandon the horrible "Master Gunfighter" and have put their money into "Billy Jack Goes to Washington;" but, instead of making an homage to "Mister Smith Goes to Washington" (which is a poor fit for the a "street smart" Billy Jack), I would have suggested the movie be about Billy Jack RUNNING for Congress. The movie could have covered the same issues, but have shown the difficulties in mounting a political movement to GAIN political power against the same political enemies at the LOCAL level. Oh well...

[–] ORBuddha 11 years ago

Bob-45 I recently watched the Billy Jack movies and when I got to the end I was so sad, I was in hopes that Billy Jack Goes To Washington would be exactly what you suggested, taking the issues of Billy Jack and The Trial of Billy Jack to the highest levels of government. Especially coming off the shocking end of The Trial Of Billy Jack.

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[–] lee1888 12 years ago

LOL, you are reading way to much into a very poor film and films about Billy Jack. People didn’t go see his movies for the S0-Called social message it had, because their message was to corny anyway, it was laughable. People went to see the karate fight scenes or the nude scenes.
Tom Laughlin was a joke when it came to writing or directing a film, and even acting. They just hit the right theme at the right time with Billy Jack, and that was helped by the Bruce Lee Movies. Born Looser had come out before Billy Jack and did very poor at the Box office, but by 71-72 Kung Fu was in. No matter how bad the films were.