bluesman-20 I've read the book by Stuart Woods and always wanted to see the mini series. It came out in 1983 and at that age of 14 I had no interest at the time for that kind of mini series or story. Now pushing 50 I found tastes change . I searched and found the movie on Youtube and watched it. And I was greatly rewarded for it. Chiefs is a thriller on a major level here. One they can't seem to do today. It begins with a murder. And As the small town of Delano grows the need for a police department is needed. And the first police chief is a modest humble farmer named Will Henry Lee. Will is a gentle man who does his best to live up to the responsibilities of the job. Soon after he begins a murdered boy is found on the outskirts of town. And Will Henry is given a murder case. He becomes obsessed with solving it as more boys are reported to have disparates near his town. Will Henry soon discovers Who the murderer is but he is killed before he can arrest him. Flash forward to 1946. Sonny Butts is a war hero. And a racist bully a drunkard and a man with a nasty streak a mile long. Sonny Butts becomes Police Chief and soon falls under the spell of Will Henry's old case. While he makes mistakes and breaks the law to enforce his racist sense of justice. He knows a murderer is on the loose. And while Sonny Butts is far from a good man he knows he cannot let this murderer go. While the Sins of Sonny's life are closing in around him. he figures the only way out of his trap is to bring the murderer in. Sonny Butts tries and is murdered by the killer. Flash Forward to 1962. And Delano is on the cusp of history the first southern town to hire a black Police Chief. Tyler Watts is a no nonsense former army major.He knows police procedure. And as Tyler not only fights for his life and his job he fights to bring in a murderer thanks to clues left by Will Henry and Sonny Butts. Three Generations of Police Chiefs chasing the same man . With one goal to bring a serial killer to justice.That's the Story more or less. The Subplots are just as engrossing as the main story. Great acting by all involved .Heston is the very heart of the story providing a moral voice . Wayne Rogers portrayal of a gentle man thrust into a hard and cruel job is a wonderful performance. Brad Davis portrays Sonny Butts a misguided man with a Heart of Darkness. And While his Sonny Butts isn't evil he really isn't a good man either. he is conflicted. And Brad Davis does it beautifully. But the Showcase performance here must go to Billy Dee Wiliams. Williams portrays Chief Tyler Watts as a man with a sense of justice. And a outrage for the injustices done by those who hide behind a badge or a white hood.It's a complex story. a long movie but the payoff is worth watching. A classic story. That is well written . and it stays in the mind long after you see it.

wlmlbl This was one of the best mini series I have seen. The plot was well written, and had a great cast. Charlton Heston was outstanding as Hugh Holmes, the man behind the town of Delano. It is a small southern town in need of a police chief. the mini series is in three parts, covering three generations. The first part is 1924. A meeting is held, and there are only two candidates for the job. One is a well known farmer, Will Henry Lee. The other is a World War I veteran named Foxy Funderburke. Foxy is breeding dogs, but a lot of people in the town think he is strange. Will Henry Lee is a fair man, and well liked. He has to deal with a county sheriff named Skeeter Willis. Willis is very bigoted, and has the backing of the Ku Klux Klan. Will Henry investigates a death, and leads him to begin an investigation of disappearing young men. As is turns out, they are being murdered by Foxy. Will Henry dies after being shot by a man that has malaria. The man mistakenly shoots Will Henry, and sends his son away before being executed for his crime. The second part takes place in 1945. Many of the towns soldiers are returning after the war, including a very bigoted Sonny Butts, who becomes police chief. He is involved in the beating of a returning veteran named Marshall Peters. Peters was set up in business by Hugh Holmes, and befriended by Will Henry Lee's son, Billy. Butts happens upon the investigation that Will Henry Lee began 20 years before, and goes to visit Foxy. Foxy kills Sonny, and buries him and his motorcycle. The third part takes place in 1962, and Delano is again in need of a police chief. Billy Lee is running for governor, and suggests a retiring army officer named Tyler Watts be given consideration for the job. Watts gets the job, and it is revealed that he is the son of the man that shot and killed Will Henry Lee almost 40 years before. Again young men are disappearing, and Tyler Watts begins an investigation of his own. He runs into trouble when he wants to search Foxy's property, but eventually does get permission to search the property. One of the agents there trips over what he thinks is a pipe, but it turns out it is the handlebar of Sonny's motorcycle buried almost 20 years before! Foxy gets his rifle and shoots Tyler, and then is shot by agents. More than 40 bodies are unearthed on his property. Billy, Tyler, and Hugh are saddened by what they have found out. In the end, Billy is elected governor, and Tyler reveals his true identity to Billy by recalling a conversation they had almost 40 years before. Billy is brought to tears as he realizes it is his long lost friend.

magellan333 This movie will grab you and keep you in it's grasp from beginning to end! You find yourself cheering for one of the bad guy's at one point. The entire film is acted very well and it is interesting to see the characters and town age and change over time. I think Charlton Heston did a great job, better than Andy Griffith would have done had he gotten the role as planned. It was originally a mini series and it might take you two or three sittings to see the entire film, but when it is over you will be glad you did.

hlw27 If you like movies about dusty, small southern towns that are hiding a crime/mystery/secret, then this one's for you! It has all of the elements to keep you watching. Centered around the police chiefs of the town and serial killer, over a long period of time. Psssst....The men who play the police chiefs are all great actors.