Tender Mercies (1983)

A broken-down, middle-aged country singer gets a new wife, reaches out to his long-lost daughter, and tries to put his troubled life back together.

Director:

Bruce Beresford

Writer:

Horton Foote

Stars:

Robert Duvall, Tess Harper, Betty Buckley

Won 2 Oscars. Another 8 wins & 10 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert Duvall	...	Mac Sledge
Tess Harper	...	Rosa Lee
Betty Buckley	...	Dixie
Wilford Brimley	...	Harry
Ellen Barkin	...	Sue Anne
Allan Hubbard	...	Sonny
Lenny von Dohlen	...	Robert (as Lenny Von Dohlen)
Paul Gleason	...	Reporter
Michael Crabtree	...	Lewis Menefee
Norman Bennett	...	Reverend Hotchkiss
Andrew Scott Hollon	...	Larue
Rick Murray	...	Jake - Slater Mill Boys Member
Stephen Funchess	...	Bertie - Slater Mill Boys Member
Glen Fleming	...	Steve - Slater Mill Boys Member
James Aaron	...	Henry - Slater Mill Boys Member

Storyline

Alchoholic former country singer Mac Sledge makes friends with a young widow and her son. The friendship enables him to find inspiration to resume his career.

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Plot Keywords:

singer | widow | behind the scenes | alcoholism | reunion | 

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Taglines:

From Bruce Beresford, the acclaimed director of "Breaker Morant." Written by Horton Foote, screenwriter of "To Kill A Mockingbird."

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Genres:

Drama | Music

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 June 1983 (Australia)

Also Known As:

El precio de la felicidad

Filming Locations:

Palmer, Texas, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Antron Media Production, EMI Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min 92 min (TCM print)

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Wilford Brimley was cast at the urging of Robert Duvall.

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Goofs

In the final scenes, Sonny is shown with empty farmland behind him, then after a cut to a wider shot, suddenly the gas station and motel are behind him.

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Quotes

Woman with Groceries: Hey, mister, were you really Mac Sledge?
Mac Sledge: Yes, ma'm, I guess I was.

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Connections

Featured in Miracles & Mercies (2002)

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Soundtracks

"The Best Bedroom in Town"
Written by Charlie Craig
Sung by Betty Buckley

User Reviews

Powerful, moving movie about redemption, restoration and hope.

While some may consider the movie a little slow at times, its overall message is a powerful one. A movie about redemption, restoration and hope. Robert Duvall's portrayal of a man whose life is in need of repair is outstanding. Ranks with his character in "The Apostle", a similar tale in many ways. In my opinion, the baptismal scene is one of the movie's most moving moments. The bleak landscapes and the dust-blown scenes effectively echo the main character's state of mind for part of the film. Mac Sledge is a great character brought to life by Duvall. As Sledge gradually gets his life together thanks to the developing relationships with a young widow and her son, the mood of the movie becomes a little more positive.