Billy Jack Goes to Washington
Encyclopedia
Billy Jack Goes to Washington is a 1977 film starring Tom Laughlin
, the fourth film in the Billy Jack
series, and although the earlier films saw enormous success, this film did not. The film only had limited screenings upon its release and never saw a general theatrical release, but has since become widely available on DVD. The film is a loose remake of the 1939 Frank Capra
film Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
.
film Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
. Billy Jack (Tom Laughlin
) is appointed a United States Senator to fill out the remaining term of another Senator. It is hoped that he will quietly vote the party line, but his term in the Senate runs into trouble when he proposes a bill to fund a national youth camp which happens to be on the property where a nuclear power plant
is also being proposed. His fellow Senator Joseph Paine (E. G. Marshall
) claims to oppose nuclear power but is secretly taking graft
to influence his votes in favor, and moves to try and keep Billy Jack out of the way when the bill is being debated.
Seeking to keep Billy out of the Senate on a day when a controversial energy bill is being voted on, Senator Paine suggests he meet with a grassroots group that day instead. The group is working to pass a national initiative
and Billy Jack becomes convinced of their cause.
Billy is invited to meet with a group of lobbyists attempting to offer him bribes and other perks if he will vote their way, and threatening him with ruining his political career if he doesn't. Billy responds with anger at their threat, and the next day in the Senate he tries to speak on the floor in opposition to the nuclear power plant. Paine responds by proposing to expel Billy from the Senate as unfit for office. Billy's assistant quits after the murder of a lobbyist, fearing for her own safety, but returns later in the film after Billy Jack is about to be expelled from the Senate, to help him learn Senate procedure in order to filibuster
. Billy Jack ends up by filibustering in the Senate giving a long speech supporting a national initiative.
appears briefly as a reporter in the opening scene. (Klein became friends with Laughlin after interviewing him for Rolling Stone
in 1975.)
Played over the closing credits is a new version of the song "One Tin Soldier
" (the original theme for Billy Jack) sung by Teresa Laughlin.
Tom Laughlin (actor)
Tom Laughlin is an American actor, director, screenwriter, author, educator and political activist. Laughlin is best known for his series of Billy Jack films. He has been married to Delores Taylor since 1954. Taylor has also co-produced and acted in all four of the Billy Jack films...
, the fourth film in the Billy Jack
Billy Jack
Billy Jack is a 1971 action film. It is the second, and highest grossing, in a series of motion pictures centering on a character of the same name, played by Tom Laughlin who also directed and co-wrote the script. Filming began in Prescott, Arizona, in fall 1969, but the movie was not completed...
series, and although the earlier films saw enormous success, this film did not. The film only had limited screenings upon its release and never saw a general theatrical release, but has since become widely available on DVD. The film is a loose remake of the 1939 Frank Capra
Frank Capra
Frank Russell Capra was a Sicilian-born American film director. He emigrated to the U.S. when he was six, and eventually became a creative force behind major award-winning films during the 1930s and 1940s...
film Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is a 1939 American drama film starring Jean Arthur and James Stewart about one man's effect on American politics. It was directed by Frank Capra and written by Sidney Buchman, based on Lewis R. Foster's unpublished story. Mr...
.
Plot
The film largely follows the story of the Frank CapraFrank Capra
Frank Russell Capra was a Sicilian-born American film director. He emigrated to the U.S. when he was six, and eventually became a creative force behind major award-winning films during the 1930s and 1940s...
film Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is a 1939 American drama film starring Jean Arthur and James Stewart about one man's effect on American politics. It was directed by Frank Capra and written by Sidney Buchman, based on Lewis R. Foster's unpublished story. Mr...
. Billy Jack (Tom Laughlin
Tom Laughlin (actor)
Tom Laughlin is an American actor, director, screenwriter, author, educator and political activist. Laughlin is best known for his series of Billy Jack films. He has been married to Delores Taylor since 1954. Taylor has also co-produced and acted in all four of the Billy Jack films...
) is appointed a United States Senator to fill out the remaining term of another Senator. It is hoped that he will quietly vote the party line, but his term in the Senate runs into trouble when he proposes a bill to fund a national youth camp which happens to be on the property where a nuclear power plant
Nuclear power plant
A nuclear power plant is a thermal power station in which the heat source is one or more nuclear reactors. As in a conventional thermal power station the heat is used to generate steam which drives a steam turbine connected to a generator which produces electricity.Nuclear power plants are usually...
is also being proposed. His fellow Senator Joseph Paine (E. G. Marshall
E. G. Marshall
E. G. Marshall was an American actor, best known for his television roles as the lawyer Lawrence Preston on The Defenders in the 1960s, and as neurosurgeon David Craig on The Bold Ones: The New Doctors in the 1970s...
) claims to oppose nuclear power but is secretly taking graft
Graft (politics)
In general graft is an unscrupulous use of one’s authority for personal gain. However, the gain may also end up in party coffers...
to influence his votes in favor, and moves to try and keep Billy Jack out of the way when the bill is being debated.
Seeking to keep Billy out of the Senate on a day when a controversial energy bill is being voted on, Senator Paine suggests he meet with a grassroots group that day instead. The group is working to pass a national initiative
National initiative
National initiative refers to proposals within the United States to allow for ballot initiatives at the federal level. Currently, this is being proposed by Mike Gravel, a former U.S. Senator, and The Democracy Foundation, a non-profit non-governmental organization...
and Billy Jack becomes convinced of their cause.
Billy is invited to meet with a group of lobbyists attempting to offer him bribes and other perks if he will vote their way, and threatening him with ruining his political career if he doesn't. Billy responds with anger at their threat, and the next day in the Senate he tries to speak on the floor in opposition to the nuclear power plant. Paine responds by proposing to expel Billy from the Senate as unfit for office. Billy's assistant quits after the murder of a lobbyist, fearing for her own safety, but returns later in the film after Billy Jack is about to be expelled from the Senate, to help him learn Senate procedure in order to filibuster
Filibuster
A filibuster is a type of parliamentary procedure. Specifically, it is the right of an individual to extend debate, allowing a lone member to delay or entirely prevent a vote on a given proposal...
. Billy Jack ends up by filibustering in the Senate giving a long speech supporting a national initiative.
Cast and credits
As with the two previous films in the series, Laughlin's wife Delores Taylor and daughter Teresa Laughlin reprise their former roles. Julie Webb and several other supporting actors from Billy Jack and The Trial of Billy Jack return as well. Author and political journalist Joe KleinJoe Klein
Joe Klein is a longtime Washington, D.C. and New York journalist and columnist, known for his novel Primary Colors, an anonymously written roman à clef portraying Bill Clinton's first presidential campaign. Klein is currently a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and is a former Guggenheim...
appears briefly as a reporter in the opening scene. (Klein became friends with Laughlin after interviewing him for Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
in 1975.)
Played over the closing credits is a new version of the song "One Tin Soldier
One Tin Soldier
"One Tin Soldier" is a 1960s era anti-war song written by Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter. The Canadian pop group Original Caste first recorded the song in 1969. The track went to No. 6 on the RPM Magazine charts and hit the No.1 position on Canada's most influential radio chain, CHUM-AM, in Canada...
" (the original theme for Billy Jack) sung by Teresa Laughlin.
External links
- Billy Jack, Laughlin's official Billy Jack web site