TV Movie Gone Wrong

 

 (the moviedb.org)

THE LEGEND OF CUSTER-1968-This TV movie/pilot is based on the life of General George Custer, the arrogant, self-possessed Indian hater (Wayne Maunder) later known as the man who led his troop of solders to slaugh-ter at The Little Big Horn. Here he's only a Colonel because he's been suspended from being a General for one year due to insubordination. He's under the command of General Terry (Robert F. Simon) who wants Custer to clean up the 7^th Calvary. One of the fort's scout California Joe (Slim Pickens) is his old friend. A postal worker, Tymen (William Mims) is selling guns to the Indians who go on a rampage stealing gold and cash from white men to pay for the weapons. 

This is a real spin doctoring story (“suggested by” Larry Cohen) with the fool hardy disgraced General trying to save the west by provoking the vicious native Americans. He later somehow meets up with Crazy Horse (Michael Dante) to escape The Blackfoot tribe. They have a knife fight in a cave and eat raw worms. Custer preaches peace but Crazy only wants war. Norman Foster and Sam Wanamaker are the credited directors. Also with Mary Ann Mobley and Rodolfo Acosta.

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Senator Billy Jack

BILLY JACK GOES TO WASHINGTON-1977-In this whack job of a movie Billy Jack (Tom Laughlin) is given full pardon by a governor (Dick Gautier) and made a state senator after the incumbent (Kent Smith in his last role) dies. It's really just a phony ploy by a powerful industrialist (Sam Wanamaker) but of course it backfires and Senator Jack with the help of his wife (Laughlin's real life wife Delores Taylor) wants to build a children's camp on land designated for a nuclear power plant. Later Billy is framed by senator Paine (EG Marshall). He almost gives up but the words of Thomas Jefferson and a walk around DC change his mind. He creates a filibuster in Congress and almost dies. Later Paine admits he's a corrupt bastard and Jack and his unreal world live happily ever after. Since this movie is a mess the vice president of the US (Pat O'Brien) does a lot of narration. 

Director,/co-writer/co-producer/star Laughlin blamed the failure of the film on a government conspiracy. Another sequel THE RETURN OF BILLY JACK began filming in 1986 but was never finished.

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