**SPOILERS**A bit over-plotted film about political corruption involving the overstuffed, in his stomach as well as ego, and arrogant Ridgewood Country Sheriff Kellwin C. Burke, Thomas Gomaz, who feels that his word is law in the county.
It's when Sheriff Burke tries to put the squeeze on the Daily Intelligencer Newspaper's editor the highly respected and ethical Haven D. Allridge, Walter Pidgon, that he finally took on more then he could swallow. It's when Allridge and his friend, whom he was giving a lift home, Wilfred Johnson, Whit Bissell, were arrested by Burke on trumped up charges-in Allridge not having his drivers license on him-that Burke and his stooges got more then they bargained for.
Exposing Burke's corrupt activities in Ridgewood County on the front pages of his newspaper Allridge had Burke & Co. start to play rough with him. Burke had one of the trucks delivering Allridge's paper run off the highway and its driver killed. It was then that both local Ridgewood County police Captain Buck Maxwell, Karl Malden, and Federal Prosecutor Charles "Chick" Johnson, John Hodiak, got on the case. Just when everything was going fine in getting Burke indited on a slew of Federal and local violations of the law, including murder and intimidating witnesses, that all the 55 persons who were willing to testify against him suddenly lost their memories! One of those witnesses included that right and honest as well as crusading editor of the Daily Intelligencer Haven D. Allridge!
***SPOILER ALERT*** It's very obvious that Burke and his men got to Alldrige after setting a trap for him and working him over at the Amboy Bar and Grill Nightclub. But the real reason for Allridge turning yellow and attempting to leave town, to Detroit no less, was far more shocking then just a few lumps on his head! It was something very very close to home that if brought out would destroy not only himself, in Allridge not being able to do his job affectively, but his daughter Peggy, Paua Raymond, and her husband Ridgewood County prosecutor Randy Stauton, Cameron Mitchell!
The film "The Sellout" shows how political corruption effects all of those that are surrounded by it even if they have to guts, like Haven Allridge, to stand up and fight against it. There's always something that the people of Ridgewood County have hidden in their closet, involving friends and relatives, that if exposed will bring the roof down on their heads. This is what kept Burke in power all these years in knowing these secrets, that in many cases he was involved in, and using them against men like Allridge who dared to stand up to him. It was in the end courageous men like Chick Johnson and Capt. Buck Maxwell who were immune for Burke's blackmailing tactic who finally brought him and his gang of murderous cut throats to the bar of justice.
It's when Sheriff Burke tries to put the squeeze on the Daily Intelligencer Newspaper's editor the highly respected and ethical Haven D. Allridge, Walter Pidgon, that he finally took on more then he could swallow. It's when Allridge and his friend, whom he was giving a lift home, Wilfred Johnson, Whit Bissell, were arrested by Burke on trumped up charges-in Allridge not having his drivers license on him-that Burke and his stooges got more then they bargained for.
Exposing Burke's corrupt activities in Ridgewood County on the front pages of his newspaper Allridge had Burke & Co. start to play rough with him. Burke had one of the trucks delivering Allridge's paper run off the highway and its driver killed. It was then that both local Ridgewood County police Captain Buck Maxwell, Karl Malden, and Federal Prosecutor Charles "Chick" Johnson, John Hodiak, got on the case. Just when everything was going fine in getting Burke indited on a slew of Federal and local violations of the law, including murder and intimidating witnesses, that all the 55 persons who were willing to testify against him suddenly lost their memories! One of those witnesses included that right and honest as well as crusading editor of the Daily Intelligencer Haven D. Allridge!
***SPOILER ALERT*** It's very obvious that Burke and his men got to Alldrige after setting a trap for him and working him over at the Amboy Bar and Grill Nightclub. But the real reason for Allridge turning yellow and attempting to leave town, to Detroit no less, was far more shocking then just a few lumps on his head! It was something very very close to home that if brought out would destroy not only himself, in Allridge not being able to do his job affectively, but his daughter Peggy, Paua Raymond, and her husband Ridgewood County prosecutor Randy Stauton, Cameron Mitchell!
The film "The Sellout" shows how political corruption effects all of those that are surrounded by it even if they have to guts, like Haven Allridge, to stand up and fight against it. There's always something that the people of Ridgewood County have hidden in their closet, involving friends and relatives, that if exposed will bring the roof down on their heads. This is what kept Burke in power all these years in knowing these secrets, that in many cases he was involved in, and using them against men like Allridge who dared to stand up to him. It was in the end courageous men like Chick Johnson and Capt. Buck Maxwell who were immune for Burke's blackmailing tactic who finally brought him and his gang of murderous cut throats to the bar of justice.