Daddy's Dyin'... Who's Got the Will? (1990)

Director:

Jack Fisk

Writers (WGA):

Del Shores (play)
Del Shores (screenplay)

Release Date:

4 May 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Buford Turnover is going to heaven...his family is going through hell.

Plot:

Bickering siblings are reunited at their Texas home as their father lies on his deathbed in this black comedy. |

Plot Keywords:

Deathbed | Gay Slur | Independent Film | Based On Play

Cast

Beau Bridges	...	Orville
Beverly D'Angelo	...	Evalita
Tess Harper	...	Sara Lee
Judge Reinhold	...	Harmony
Amy Wright	...	Lurlene
Patrika Darbo	...	Marlene
Bert Remsen	...	Daddy
Molly McClure	...	Mama Wheelis
Keith Carradine	...	Clarence
Newell Alexander	...	Sid
Emily Bridges	...	Little Evalita
Carolyn Brooks	...	Linnie Sue
Schuyler Fisk	...	Little Sara Lee
Justin Smith	...	Little Orville
Katherine A. Torn	...	Little Lurlene

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:L | USA:PG-13 (certificate #30310) | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Denton, Texas, USA

Company:

Artist Circle Entertainment

Goofs:

Continuity: Evalita's silver belt continuously appears and disappears while she's singing "Daddy You Can't Blame Me."

Quotes:

Lurlene: [regarding Evalita's latest husband] Well, I guess we shouldn't judge... but it's just so HARD!
[chuckling]

Soundtrack:

Rock Of Ages

This movie's dyin'...Who's got the remote?

I may be exaggerating about how bad the movie is. Sometimes I got the impression the performances were good, and occasionally this was funny. But it wasn't what I was hoping for, based on the title.

Yes, the four adult children of Buford Turnover have arrived at his Texas ranch to visit their father one last time. Sara Lee has to clean up her house so the very conservative and holier-than-thou Lurlene won't see anything inappropriate. Evalita, an aspiring country singer, arrives engaged to Harmony, a long-haired vegetarian hippie. And Orville brings his wife Marlene, who is trying to lose weight but can't seem to please her husband no matter what she does. Sara Lee claims to be marrying Clarence, but that's just a cover story so her family won't think she's ... can I use that word? I'd better not. Mama Wheelis (who doesn't look that much older than Buford) is even more Christian (mostly meaning judgmental) than Lurlene. It is her son who is dying, and he lost his wife Linnie Sue years ago.

All anyone seems to care about is what they're getting when Buford dies. And no one seems to know where the will is. Orville is the greediest and least caring of the whole group.

These people tried hard to make me laugh, and I suppose there's nothing wrong with a movie like this being partly a drama, but it just wasn't enough for me.

If any performances can be said to stand out, I would say Patrika Darbo as the frustrated Marlene, and Judge Reinhold as the sensitive and caring Harmony. Despite his rugged appearance, Harmony was a really nice person. This is partly good writing, of course.

The most touching moments, for me, were Buford's delusions as he watched his family singing around the piano. He thought he was seeing his wife and his young children.

There was lots of good music. I especially enjoyed the country band which Evalita sang with (until Harmony decided to join in; if I wanted to listen to Montgomery Gentry, I would).

It depends on the individual, I suppose. Southerners may enjoy this more than those from other parts of the country.