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A Real American Hero

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A Real American Hero (1978)

December. 09,1978
|
5.6
| Drama Action Crime TV Movie
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When two boys are killed and two girls are blinded for life in a tragic accident, Buford Pusser, the town sheriff, is determined to get revenge. Though he must bend the law, Pusser is resolved to get the bootleg booze and dope king of the county who provided the poisoned moonshine that caused the accident. Based on the real-life folk hero whose career inspired the Walking Tall movies.

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Hellen
1978/12/09

I like the storyline of this show,it attract me so much

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Pluskylang
1978/12/10

Great Film overall

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GazerRise
1978/12/11

Fantastic!

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Philippa
1978/12/12

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

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bluesman-20
1978/12/13

A Real American Hero. Is a fictional account of Buford Pusser's life. The story is there are some deaths that have occurred in McNairy County. The evidence and witnesses point to a former friend of Buford's. Now a local mobster he opposes Buford at every turn using the town's by laws against him. Buford turns the tables on him by using the same trick. Butthe mobster is still selling his poisoned moonshine. Then an old friend of Buford's comes home a former Hooker who was Buford's informant against the state line mob. She's come home to find a respectable life but the townspeople hold her former life against her. and Buford decides to help her by making her respectable. He finds a good job for her and slowly wins the town over. Meanwhile Buford's war with his old friend heads towards a tragic ending as Buford and his friend are forced to fight to the bitter end.I see A Real American Hero as a love Letter to Buford Pusser.. The film is in step with the legend of Buford Pusser. and it keeps in character the way Buford was. A Highly enjoyable made for TV movie. Brian Dennehy is the perfect choice for Buford Pusser. and my favourite actor to play Buford after Joe Don Baker. Worth watching and highly recommended.

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Wizard-8
1978/12/14

The three original theatrical "Walking Tall" movies eventually lead to a short-lived television series in 1981, but three years earlier there was apparently an attempt by the makers of the theatrical movies to bring the legend of Buford Pusser as a TV series. It was with this made-for-TV movie, a series pilot in disguise. After seeing it, it's probably best these guys didn't get the green light to make a series. It's a really slow and dull movie. Though the movie starts off with Pusser's pursuit of moonshiners, it soon forgets to focus on this plot, and instead focuses on unnecessary characters and subplots. There is also a lack of action; after the opening car chase and disco smash-up, there's no more action for the next hour or so. That previously mentioned action, as well as the climatic action sequence, are flatly directed and have no excitement at all. And while Brian Dennehy may seem like a good choice to play Busser, his performance here lacks spark. He seems very uninterested in every scene he is. The 1981 television series (made by different people) was far from a great show, but it was still a lot better than this sorry TV pilot!

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Chase_Witherspoon
1978/12/15

Tame TV version of the "Walking Tall" Sheriff with the name you don't forget - Buford Pusser - played by renowned tough guy Brian Dennehy in one of his first screen appearances. Dennehy finds himself on his last warning after unlawfully conducting a search of a local disco in which he believes illegally distilled liquor is being sold. Told to shape up or ship out by the local magistrate, Dennehy elects to become the law's most abiding exponent, and enforcer, penalising anyone for the most trivial and often antiquated infringement to make his point and mete out a unique brand of justice by a thousand cuts.Dennehy is okay as the one-man band, essentially no different to most of his characterisations, Ken Howard also watchable as the smarmy local bootlegger who finds himself the target of Dennehy's vendetta. Most notable amongst the cast is the sultry Sheree North, who had a string of memorable roles in her later career, here playing a former prostitute who served time for murdering her pimp. Dennehy takes on her cause as she struggles to re-adjust, shunned by the local ladies' club who treat her as persona non-grata.Low key TV drama is light on violence (nothing more than a bit of fisticuffs, intimidation and jukebox smashing), but heavy on the noble causes proffering the justice to those who deserve it, and comeuppance for those don't approach to law enforcement. If you like that sort of thing, or have some regard for the minor cult hero Buford Pusser, then "Real American Hero" could be worth the watch.

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MEEdmo42
1978/12/16

I have seen several versions of this sheriff and for me, Brian Dennehy is the one who seems most able to hold his own against the "bad guys". He portrays a man who loves his town and wants more than anything to rid the area of those who would destroy it.....including the children and teens. (Ken Howard did a great job with his part) I think it was excellent because I found it believable. The surrounding characters also lent great credibility, well done by all. I am a fan of Sheree North anyway, and find that in this movie she is as beautiful a lady as always. I really enjoyed how she was finally accepted by the better-than-thou church lady. If you have seen the other Buford Pusser movies and not this one, then you have missed a treat. Of all of Brian's movies, (I am a Jack Reed fan), this is one of his best of his earlier ones. I bought mine second hand online and was not disappointed.

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