Theme Song: A bunch of violins.
Interesting Dated References: People thinking that watching someone play the harmonica is entertaining.
Social Context: He Who Walks Alone (originally aired on television as Lawman Without a Gun) is based on the story of Rev. Thomas E. Gilmore, Sr., a black sheriff from Greene County Alabama.
Summary: The sheriff and his officers of a small Alabama town take all their aggression out on the town’s black population. After a young girl is attacked and the townspeople can’t get the District Attorney to take action, Tom Hayward (Lou Gossett Jr.) decides to run for sheriff.
The establishment does everything in its power to stop him, including forcing him to run third-party, firing and evicting black residents who attempt to register to vote, and other intimidation tactics, all the while acknowledging behind the scenes that they are in the minority in the county.
Fred Tayman (Barry Brown), a son from a powerful white family looking to maintain the status quo, shoots and kills Rufus Cartwright (Philip Michael Thomas), setting off a chain reaction that results in Hayward winning the election for Sheriff.
After continued inaction on the case, Hayward moves to arrest Fred, but not before Fred is tipped off and goes on the run. Eventually, he is cornered at an old factory, and Tom uses his nonviolent philosophy to negotiate Fred’s surrender.
There are nice performances and an authentic Southern sweat throughout, but an episodic approach keeps things from getting too intense.
Worth Mentioning:
– This was Barry Brown’s last role, and the movie aired posthumously. He’s pretty intense for the limited screen time he has, including totally committing to eating shit when he falls off of a porch face first.
– Clu Gulager also brings it with his role as conflicted District Attorney Marvin Tayman, cousin to Fred.
– Originally aired on television in 1979 as Lawman Without a Gun.
Poster and Box Art: He Who Walks Alone has a beautifully illustrated cover by Brian Bysouth, who has done some great poster work, a lot of which has been made available in auction.
Look at that! Such talent! This art was used as-is for the home video release under the updated title of He Who Walks Alone.
