Walking Tall Movie

Back in 1973, no one expected "Walking Tall" to be a hit. It was a stripped-down, ultra-violent revenge drama, based on the true story of Buford Pusser, the crusading Tennessee sheriff who defended justice swinging a serious piece of lumber. But the film became a phenomenon with audiences, "a response to people being sick of crime and politicians like Richard Nixon," says Joe Don Baker, who played Pusser. "They just wanted to take a stick and beat up on the government."

Back in 1973, no one expected "Walking Tall" to be a hit. It was a stripped-down, ultra-violent revenge drama, based on the true story of Buford Pusser, the crusading Tennessee sheriff who defended justice swinging a serious piece of lumber. But the film became a phenomenon with audiences, "a response to people being sick of crime and politicians like Richard Nixon," says Joe Don Baker, who played Pusser. "They just wanted to take a stick and beat up on the government."

Mitch Albom in the Detroit Free Press: "People try their whole lives to get on Jay Leno's 'Tonight Show.' So you could say the Lions are the envy of the nation.... "It's a regular part of Leno's monologues. He skewers politicians, he skewers celebrities--then he skewers the Lions. "Jay: 'The travel industry says the average person will travel 100 miles this Thanksgiving. Except the Detroit Lions. They can't travel 10 yards.'