Former pro wrestling superstar The Rock will tour McNairy County next Tuesday and see for himself the legacy of the late Sheriff Buford Pusser, whose life spawned a 1970s movie trilogy and inspired the soon-to-be released remake of "Walking Tall," in which The Rock stars.
"He wanted to see how the legendary sheriff lived in this area," said Kelly Wheeler, personal assistant to Pusser's daughter, Dwana Pusser Garrison.
The Rock's plane will land at the Selmer airport at noon Tuesday. The actor will tour the County Courthouse in Selmer, then head to Adamsville to tour the Buford Pusser museum and the jail that the family is trying to restore, Wheeler said.
The tour, expected to last only a couple of hours, comes as part of the heavy promotional end of the "Walking Tall" remake. While April 2 is set as the movie's national debut, Pusser's 43-year-old daughter has lined up a series of events to help push the film. If successful, family and friends quietly hope it will generate more national interest in the life of Buford Pusser and financially help his daughter's immediate family. Among the upcoming events is an invitation-only premier, with The Rock in attendance, Monday night in Nashville.
Garrison, who has multiple sclerosis, was resting and unavailable for comment Tuesday, Wheeler said. Officials from Metro Goldwyn Mayer Studios were recently in Selmer taping interviews expected to be made available to entertainment media.
Still, it's certainly become a busy and trying couple of months for Garrison, who in late January flew to Los Angeles to see a preview of the remake, one that had drawn much criticism - and previously had disappointed Garrison herself - because the story line and setting completely changed from the 1973 original.
Garrison endorsed the movie last month upon returning from Hollywood, reminding fans that the remake may not be based on her father or set in West Tennessee but is inspired by the story of her father.
"It's going to be good for McNairy County," said Steve Sweat, a longtime friend of the Pusser family. "The dealings she's had with The Rock, she's been impressed with his sincerity. He said he wanted to walk where Buford walked and where he lived. It's going to mean a lot to Dwana."
The movie stars Dwayne Johnson, aka The Rock, as Chris Vaughn, who returns to his Washington state mountain home from the U.S. Special Forces only to find that a casino has overrun the town with the drug crystal meth.
The 1970s movie trilogy depicted Pusser cracking down on the moonshine runners and busting the gambling and prostitution rings along the Tennessee-Mississippi line.
"We're really excited about The Rock taking time out of his schedule to come see our county," Wheeler said. "We just want people to be open-minded, that (the remake) is inspired by the life of her father and it is about good vs. evil."
Walking the line: Events promoting 'Walking Tall'
Friday: Dwana Pusser Garrison, daughter of late McNairy County Sheriff Buford Pusser, whose life story spurred a 1970s movie trilogy, will be interviewed on Nashville television station Fox 17's morning show with Charlie Chase.
Monday: An invitation-only premiere of the movie remake is set in Nashville.
Tuesday: Dwayne Johnson, the former pro wrestling superstar known as The Rock and who stars in the remake, will tour McNairy County. His plane will arrive at about noon.
March 19: Another private premier is scheduled in Knoxville.
March 29: Pusser's daughter will attend the Hollywood premier of 'Walking Tall.'
April 2: 'Walking Tall' debuts nationally. It is rated PG-13.
Rock to 'see how the legendary sheriff lived'