Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean (1982)

Director:

Robert Altman

Writers:

Ed Graczyk (play)
Ed Graczyk (screenplay)

Release Date:

7 July 1983 (Australia)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

A cup of coffee and a side of dreams.

Plot:

The Disciples of James Dean meet up on the anniversary of his death and mull over their lives in the present and in flashback...

Plot Keywords:

James Dean | Drought | Acceptance | Southern | Nostalgia

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe.

Cast

Sandy Dennis	...	Mona
Cher	...	Sissy
Karen Black	...	Joanne
Sudie Bond	...	Juanita
Kathy Bates	...	Stella Mae
Marta Heflin	...	Edna Louise
Mark Patton	...	Joe Qualley
Caroline Aaron	...	Martha
Ruth Miller	...	Clarissa
Gena Ramsel	...	Sue Ellen
Ann Risley	...	Phyllis Marie
Dianne Turley Travis	...	Alice Ann

Also Known As:

Come Back to the 5 and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean (USA) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

109 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | Spain:13 | USA:PG | Australia:M | Canada:A (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Sandcastle 5 Productions

Trivia:

The play opened on Broadway at the Martin Beck Theater on February 18, 1982 and ran for 52 performances.

Goofs:

Continuity: In a flashback scene, we see "The Disciples of James Dean" posing for a group photo. When the photo is shown a moment later, nearly everyone is in a different position.

Quotes:

Stella Mae: I just love to try an' guess at people from old photographs.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Night Court: Come Back to the Five and Dime, Stephen King, Stephen King (#7.4)" (1989)

Soundtrack:

IT MAY SOUND SILLY

Stunning emotional drama and an American classic

Character studies don't come any better than this offbeat look at small-town self-delusion. Robert Altman, best known for sweeping epics like Nashville, shows us that even on a smaller physical scale he is an original, highly inventive director. The low-budget production uses 16-millimeter photography and a single set to create a desolate, lonely atmosphere that mirrors the characters' hidden emotional turmoil. Although we only glimpse a tiny portion through the store window, we get a perfect feel for the dusty isolation of dying McCarthy, Texas. Five and Dime also contains hidden elements of symbolism that you may not notice at first but add another layer to the brilliance of the film.

Still, as with any play, it's all about the acting. And here, the acting is impeccable, especially that of top-billed stars Sandy Dennis, Cher, and Karen Black. Dennis is Mona, the stubbornly (and dangerously) romantic leader of the Disciples; Cher is Sissy, the blowsy sex symbol with a painful secret; and Black is Joanne, a mysterious "stranger" who cracks everyone's delusions. All three are terrific and should have received more recognition for their roles herein. Great support is provided by the Marta Heflin, the delightful Kathy Bates, and Sudie Bond as the shrill, bigoted owner of the Woolworth's.

This is not a film for everyone. There is no action, by the traditional definition. But this examination fantasy and reality, how life is and how we would like it to be, is a haunting exercise in acting, direction, and emotional involvement.