ðə fˈɪlm hæd ɪts pɹəmˈɪɹ ˌɔn mˈɑːɹtʃ twˈɛnti fˈoːɹ, nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti ɪn lˈɪɾəl ɹˈɑːk, ˈɑːɹkənsˌɔː ænd wʌz ðˈɛn ɹᵻlˈiːst ɪn θɹˈiːhˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti θˈiəɾɚz ɪnðə sˈʌðɚn juːnˈaɪɾᵻd stˈeɪts fɹʌm tˈɛksəs tə flˈɔːɹɪdə, ɪŋklˈuːdɪŋ sˈɪksti fˈaɪv θˈiəɾɚz ɪn ˈɑːɹkənsˌɔː.
The film had its premiere on March 24, 1970 in Little Rock, Arkansas and was then released in 350 theaters in the southern United States from Texas to Florida, including 65 theaters in Arkansas.