Tender Mercies (1983)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Bruce Beresford

Writer:

Horton Foote (written by)

Release Date:

10 June 1983 (Australia)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Robert Duvall is Mac Sledge, down and out country singer. His struggle for fame was over. His fight for respect was just beginning

Plot:

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.

Plot Keywords:

Widow | Behind The Scenes | Musician | Divorce | Baptism

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 6 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Robert Duvall	...	Mac Sledge
Tess Harper	...	Rosa Lee
Betty Buckley	...	Dixie Scott
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)
Stephen Funchess	...	Bertie (Slater Mill Boys)
Glen Fleming	...	Steve (Slater Mill Boys)
James Aaron	...	Henry (Slater Mill Boys)

Runtime:

100 min | 92 min (TCM print)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Singapore:PG | Iceland:L | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Chile:TE | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | USA:PG | UK:PG

Filming Locations:

Palmer, Texas, USA

Company:

Antron Media Production

Trivia:

'Robert Duvall (I)' is really singing in the nightclub scene.

Quotes:

Mac Sledge: I don't trust happiness. I never did, I never will.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Your Choice for the Film Awards (1984) (TV)

Soundtrack:

You Are What Love Means To Me

A Drama With Realism, Heart & Dignity

This is a movie with a lot of "dignity." It has such realistic people, it kept me fascinated because it seemed so different from most films I've watched.

There aren't a lot of dramatic things that happen in the story yet, as a whole, it's a wonderful tale that stays with you. It's a lot more than just seeing an Oscar-winning performance by Robert Duvall as Texan and former C&W singer and writer, "Mac Sledge." It's simply good storytelling

I can't say I am a fan of Duvall's country singing, but that is the only thing I didn't like. Well, maybe "Dixie" (Betty Buckley), who played a bitter ex-wife of Duvall's in here. She was not pleasant, but others were really nice, likable people. Yet, this is not some sappy movie just because most of the people are good folks.

As in film noirs in which the viewer has a sense of dread, knowing something bad is around the corner, I felt the same thing in this film, even though it didn't necessarily happen. I mean with the main characters: Mac, Rosa Lee and Sonny. There was underlying tension, probably because of Sledge's alcoholic and violent past, that made me fear that any minute he was going to ruin the nice setup he had with a good woman and nice stepson.

Duvall, as usual, makes his role a fascinating and unpredictable one. With many of the people he has played over the years, you never am sure what his characters are going to do next. Tess Harper, as Mac's new wife, and Alan Hubbard, as her son, are two of the most realistic characters I've ever seen on film. It helped they were from the area so their accents were real.

This is a just straight drama, with a solid screenplay by Horton Foote and direction by Bruce Beresford ("Driving Miss Daisy"). In addition, actors Buckley (who can sing, too), Wilford Brimley and Ellen Barkin all give memorable supporting performances.

It was an interesting tale of something I have rarely seen on film in the past 50 years: a good Christian woman lifting up a man to her level. She never had to do it verbally, never nagged or preached to the man, just set example of how to act and be a loving, supportive spouse. There is a lesson for people here with how well "Rosa Lee" handled situations. Nice.....very nice.