The Sheriff

As I watched "The Sheriff", I couldn't help but think that this made for TV movie was intended as a pilot for a potential television series. This happened a lot with made for TV films in the 1970s. The networks would air them and see how the public took to them. If they went over very well or some network exec loved it, they'd okay it as a series. I can only assume this one, though an excellent film, just didn't gain the traction needed to become a TV show or merit further movies.

Ossie Davis stars as Sheriff Lucas, a good cop who has a white deputy with whom he gets along just fine. However, Lucas is facing a huge case...one with strong racial components and it also hits very close to home. It seems some sleaze-bag raped his son's girlfriend...and Lucas needs to keep the girl's father and his own son from taking the law into their own hands. He also has to deal with his deputy's wife...a lady who is a racist.

In so many ways, this film seems inspired by "In the Heat of the Night"....and that's not a bad thing. But what really won me over was Davis' wonderful performance...strong, believable and inspiring. It would have made a great series!