I read the book by Margaret Barnes back in the twentieth century, and I realized it was "book material". I only recently saw the film, and it was very true to the book.
The book appears to be based on the real events. It's the story of a political kingpin who rules with an iron and terrible hand.
Andy Griffith plays this kingpin in a rare "bad guy" role. Johnny Cash plays the sheriff of an adjoining county who finds that the kingpin (a man named Wallace) murdered a man in this sheriff's county, Coweta County.
I should make it clear this is a historic event. It was in Georgia in 1948. Roads were rarely paved, and there were many places to hide. It was a different world, and Georgia was Georgia. I can't say much more. It's one of the few states I have never visited, and certainly never saw in 1948.
It's remarkable that the sheriff of Coweta County did what he did. The motivation was a Christian one, as reported at the time, for the sheriff. What motivated the cruel Wallace? I haven't any idea, but it is what it is.
The book appears to be based on the real events. It's the story of a political kingpin who rules with an iron and terrible hand.
Andy Griffith plays this kingpin in a rare "bad guy" role. Johnny Cash plays the sheriff of an adjoining county who finds that the kingpin (a man named Wallace) murdered a man in this sheriff's county, Coweta County.
I should make it clear this is a historic event. It was in Georgia in 1948. Roads were rarely paved, and there were many places to hide. It was a different world, and Georgia was Georgia. I can't say much more. It's one of the few states I have never visited, and certainly never saw in 1948.
It's remarkable that the sheriff of Coweta County did what he did. The motivation was a Christian one, as reported at the time, for the sheriff. What motivated the cruel Wallace? I haven't any idea, but it is what it is.