Coal Miner's Daughter (1980)

The life of legendary Loretta Lynn, the dirt poor Appalachian Mountains girl who rose from humble beginnings to become the "Queen of Country Music."

Director:

Michael Apted

Writers:

Thomas Rickman (screenplay) (as Tom Rickman), Loretta Lynn (autobiography)

Stars:

Sissy Spacek, Tommy Lee Jones, Levon Helm

Won 1 Oscar. Another 9 wins & 13 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sissy Spacek	...	Loretta Lynn
Tommy Lee Jones	...	Doolittle Lynn
Levon Helm	...	Ted Webb
Phyllis Boyens-Liptak	...	'Clary' Webb (as Phyllis Boyens)
Bill Anderson Jr.	...	Webb Child
Foister Dickerson	...	Webb Child
Malla McCown	...	Webb Child
Pamela McCown	...	Webb Child
Kevin Salvilla	...	Webb Child
William Sanderson	...	Lee Dollarhide
Sissy Lucas	...	Betty Sue Lynn
Pat Patterson	...	Jack Benny Lynn
Brian Warf	...	Ernest Ray Lynn
Elizabeth Watson	...	Cissy Lynn
Beverly D'Angelo	...	Patsy Cline

Storyline

At only 13, Loretta Webb marries Doolittle Lynn and is soon responsible for a large family. She appears destined to a life of homemaking, but Doolittle recognizes his wife's musical talent, and buys her a guitar as an anniversary present one year. At 18, the busy mother of four children still finds time to write and sing songs at small fairs and local honky-tonks. This gift sets Loretta Lynn on the grueling, tumultuous path to superstardom and country-music greatness.

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Plot Keywords:

country music | kentucky | song | singing | poverty | 

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Taglines:

She was married at 13. She had four kids by the time she was 20. She's been hungry and poor. She's been loved and cheated on. She became a singer because it was the only thing she could do. She became a star because it was the only way she could do it.

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | Music

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

Sissy Spacek was reluctant to take on the lead role, instead favoring a project by Nicolas Roeg. She had insisted on doing her own singing for the film in hopes of scaring the producers off. The real Loretta Lynn prematurely announced that Spacek was going to play her on a talk show, so Spacek was torn between the decision to star in the film, or choose the other project. She was advised by her mother-in-law to pray for a sign on what to do that evening, which she did. Spacek later went for a drive with her husband in her mother's car, where the radio was tuned into a classical music station that changed formats every evening. As the car pulled out of the parking garage, "Coal Miner's Daughter" by Loretta Lynn came on the radio. Spacek then accepted the role.

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Goofs

When Loretta and Patsy return to the parking lot after shopping, and after they drive off leaving Mooney behind, as he is walking through the lot you can see a 1965 Pontiac Tempest among the cars parked. Patsy died in 1963.

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Quotes

Doolittle Lynn: [has just tasted Loretta's cooking for the first time] Make many pies, Loretta?
Loretta Lynn: Naw, this is the first one.
Doolittle Lynn: How much salt that recipe call for?
Loretta Lynn: Shoot, you don't put salt in a pie! You put in flour and eggs and sugar and... oh no.
Doolittle Lynn: Makes sense though; salt and sugar are both white.

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Connections

Referenced in Aerial America: Kentucky (2014)

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Soundtracks

Amazing Grace
(uncredited)
Written by John Newton
[Sung at Ted Webb's funeral]

User Reviews

Loretta Lynn's eventful life expertly brought to the big screen.

Loretta Lynn's life has been to say the least,interesting.A wife at 13, mother at 14,and walking a long path to her throne as the "Queen of Country Music".Triumphs and tragedies have virtually filled her life, and it was expertly brought to life in this film.Sissy Spacek gives a dead on performance as Lynn,right down to her voice,and even does her own singing for the film.This is without a doubt one of the best acting performances of a non fictional character I have ever seen,and let us not forget the Oscar worthy performance of Tommy Lee Jones as Doolittle Lynn,Loretta's husband.He is always excellent,but he was never better than he was here.This is an excellent true story of Loretta's long journey from the Kentucky backwoods to the Grand Ole Opry stage.A must see and must own movie.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Peacock

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 March 1980 (USA)

Also Known As:

Coal Miner's Daughter

Filming Locations:

Norton, Virginia, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,366,443, 9 March 1980

Gross USA:

$67,182,787

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$67,182,787

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

124 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1