Billy Jack Goes to Washington

Infobox Film
name = Billy Jack Goes to Washington


image_size = 210px
caption = theatrical release poster.
director = Tom Laughlin
producer = Frank Capra Jr.
writer = Tom Laughlin
Delores Taylor
narrator =
starring = Tom Laughlin
music = Elmer Bernstein
cinematography = Jack A. Marta
editing = Susan Morgan
distributor = Taylor-Laughlin
released = 16 April fy|1977 "(LA)"
runtime = 155 minutes
country = FilmUS
language = English
budget =
gross =
preceded_by = "The Trial of Billy Jack"
imdb_id = 0075754

"Billy Jack Goes to Washington" is a fy|1977 film starring Tom Laughlin, the fourth and last 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 fy|1939 Frank Capra film "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington". It is often cited in lists of the worst films of all time.

Plot

The film largely follows the story of the Frank Capra 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.

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