The big one from the dark

Movie
German title	The big one from the dark
Original title	Walking Tall
Country of production	United States
original language	English
Publishing year	1973
length	101 minutes
Age rating	FSK 18 ( indexed )
Rod
Director	Phil Karlson
script	Mort Briskin Stephen Downing
production	Mort Briskin
music	Walter Scharf
camera	Jack A. Marta
cut	Harry W. Gerstad
occupation
Joe Don Baker : Buford Pusser Elizabeth Hartman : Pauline Pusser Lurene Tuttle : Helen Pusser Noah Beery junior : Carl Pusser Dawn Lyn : Dwana Pusser Leif Garrett : Mike Pusser Felton Perry : Obrah Eaker Logan Ramsey : John Witter Rosemary Murphy : Callie Hacker Douglas Fowley : Judge RW Clarke

The Great from the Dark (original title Walking Tall ) is an action flick by director Phil Karlson premiered on February 22, 1973 . The film, inspired by real events, was produced for $ 500,000. Joe Don Baker plays the real Sheriff Buford Pusser (December 12, 1937 - August 21, 1974).

action

At the request of his wife Pauline, Buford Pusser ends his career as a professional wrestler and returns to his hometown, where he wants to work in local forestry . His friends celebrate their homecoming with him in a casino . When Pusser complains about gambling fraud there, a violent argument immediately ensues in which he is injured by knife wounds. The responsible sheriff shows relatively little interest in prosecuting the perpetrators, which is why Pusser is running for his successor and, after a successful election, implements his own view of the duties of a sheriff. This leads to an escalation in the course of which his wife is killed and avenged by him.

criticism

Buford Pusser was very controversial. There have been conflicting opinions on various aspects of its history. Therefore, the film, which showed Pusser as a hero, inevitably provoked corresponding criticism. The depictions of violence led to different cut versions being published.

“Allegedly based on authentic reports, but without a serious critical approach. A sloppily staged, unimportant police film. "

- Lexicon of international film

effect

The commercial success of the film meant that the role of Buford Pusser was later played by Bo Svenson , Brian Dennehy , Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Sorbo . Bo Svenson played him in two sequels for the cinema and a TV series, while Brian Dennehy played him in a TV film ( A real American Hero , 1978). Dwayne Johnson starred in a theatrical remake that attempted two sequels starring Kevin Sorbo, which were released directly on DVD. The real Bufort Pusser, who died in a car accident in 1974, has never seen these sequels and remakes.

Web links

• Walking Tall in the Internet Movie Database (English)
• "The big one from the dark" on Schnittberichte.com

Individual evidence

1. ↑ The great one from the dark. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed July 15, 2017 .