History Film / BillyJack

* ''The Trial of Billy Jack'' (1974): After the events of the prior film, Billy is now in prison for manslaughter, while the Freedom School, vowing to rebuild, starts engaging in investigative journalism in a manner inspired by "Nader's Raiders". It was the third-highest-grossing film of the year, behind only ''Film/BlazingSaddles'' and ''Film/TheToweringInferno''. However, it is also the longest of the four Billy Jack films (running 2 hours and 50 minutes) and is notorious for the way in which Billy Jack himself is out of focus, with the bulk of the three hour film focusing on the "Freedom School" and its members political activism and subsequent author filibusters on various subjects.

* PutDownYourGunAndStepAway: Subverted. Evil deputy (Kenneth Tobey) is holding a school girl hostage in a Kent State-like situation. He tells Billy (Tom Laughlin) to drop his rifle or he'll shoot the girl. Billy tells him to go ahead and shoot her. Deputy says, "You'd kill her? Just like that?" Billy shakes his head and says, "You'll kill her. And then I'll kill you. Just like that."

* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: In ''The Trial of Billy Jack'' Posner is replaced by another villain named Posner who is, conveniently, the original character's relative.

* ''The Trial of Billy Jack'' (1974): After the events of the prior film, Billy is now in prison for manslaughter, while the Freedom School, vowing to rebuild, starts engaging in investigative journalism in a manner inspired by "Nader's Raiders". It was the third-highest-grossing film of the year, behind only ''Film/BlazingSaddles'' and ''Film/TheToweringInferno''. However, it is also the longest of the four Billy Jack films (running 2 hours and 50 minutes) and is notorious for the way in which Billy Jack himself is out of focus, with the bulk of the three hour film focusing on the "Freedom School" and it's members political activism and subsequent author filibusters on various subjects.

* BrokenAesop: For as much as the film sells the audience on the idea that pacifism and nonviolence are the right way to go, the message is heavily undermined by how the only thing keeping the peaceful hippies from being repeatedly victimized by the town thugs is Billy's freely-dispensed asskicking.

* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: In ''Trial of Billy Jack'' Posner is replaced by another villain named Posner who is, conveniently, the original character's relative.

'''''Billy Jack''''' is a series of action films written, directed, produced by, and starring Tom Laughlin, who plays the titular character Billy Jack, a half-Indian [[RetiredBadass Green Beret veteran]] and hapkido master who stands up for the weak in the face of authoritarian police, politicians, and biker gangs. While critics never liked the series, it became a smash hit among the '70s counterculture, to the point where Laughlin organized an essay contest where fans could rebut the terrible reviews it received. Behind the scenes, the films are also known for having pioneered the idea of a "wide" theatrical release, as Laughlin, who distributed his films independently, printed hundreds of reels to distribute to theaters across the country rather than a few that would first show at the big-city theaters before going to smaller cities and towns.

* ReWrite: ''Goes to Washington'' saw Billy suddenly reverse from a jaded cynic who casually cites broken treaties and government abuses to a naive innocent who is ''shocked'' that not everyone in government is scrupulously honest.

* ''The Trial of Billy Jack'' (1974): After the events of the prior film, Billy is now in prison for manslaughter, while the Freedom School, vowing to rebuild, starts engaging in investigative journalism in a manner inspired by "Nader's Raiders". It was the third-highest-grossing film of the year, behind only ''Film/BlazingSaddles'' and ''Film/TheToweringInferno''.

* MixedAncestry: The main character is half-white, half-Native American (played by a [[FakeMixedRace fully white]] actor).

* BadassBoast: Billy Jack's legendary oath to kick someone in the fact "and there's not a damn thing you're gonna be able to do about it". He immediately makes true on his threat.

* RealityEnsues: The films never make Billy an unstoppable OneManArmy, as many of its imitators do. In ''Billy Jack'' the below-mentioned NoHoldsBarredBeatDown actually ends with Billy ''losing'' the fight because he's heavily outnumbered, forcing the Sheriff to save him. In ''The Trial of Billy Jack'' he [[spoiler:is wounded by police and unable to prevent the National Guard from attacking the Freedom School]] in the climax.

* SignatureScene: Billy Jack kicking Mr. Posner in the face, then taking on several thugs using his Hapkido skills. As one of the earliest films to make use of martial arts, it was quite iconic for its time. Interestingly, [[spoiler: a bit of RealityEnsues in that, despite his skills, Billy Jack is overwhelmed by sheer numbers and loses the fight.]]

* WorldOfCardboardSpeech:
-->'''Billy:''' Bernard, I want you to know... that I try. When Jean and the kids at the school tell me that I'm supposed to control my violent temper, and be passive and nonviolent like they are, I try. I really try. Though when I see this girl... of such a beautiful spirit... so degraded... and this boy... that I love... sprawled out by this big ape here... and this little girl, who is so special to us we call her "God's little gift of sunshine"... and I think of the number of years that she's going to have to carry in her memory... the savagery of this idiotic moment of yours... I just go BERSERK! ''[cue CurbStompBattle]''

-->'''Billy:''' Bernard, I want you to know... that I try. When Jean and the kids at the school tell me that I'm supposed to control my violent temper, and be passive and nonviolent like they are, I try. I really try. Though when I see this girl... of such a beautiful spirit... so degraded... and this boy... that I love... sprawled out by this big ape here... and this little girl, who is so special to us we call her "God's little gift of sunshine"... and I think of the number of years that she's going to have to carry in her memory... the savagery of this idiotic moment of yours... I just go BERSERK! ''[cue CurbStompBattle]''

->'''Billy Jack''': I'm gonna take this right foot, and I'm gonna whop you on that side of your face... and you wanna know something? There's not a damn thing you're gonna be able to do about it.\\

* PutDownYourGunAndStepAway: Subverted. Evil deputy (Kenneth Tobey) is holding a school girl hostage in a Kent State-like situation. He tells Billy (Tom Laughlin) to drop his rifle or he'll shoot the girl. Billy tells him to go ahead and shoot her. Deputy says, "You'd kill her? Just like that?" Billy shakes his head and says, "You'll kill her. And then I'll kill you. Just like that."

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/c7c44db5_19e7_4cac_b41a_65680d03767a.jpeg]]