Coal Miner's Daughter (1980)

Biographical story of Loretta Lynn, a legendary country singer that came from poverty to worldwide fame. She rose from humble beginnings in Kentucky to superstardom and changing the sound and style of country music forever.

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 8 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 thirteen years of age, Loretta Webb marries Doolittle Lynn and is soon responsible for a sizeable family. Loretta appears destined to a life of homemaking, but Doolittle recognises his wife's musical talent, and buys her a guitar as an anniversary present one year. At eighteen, the mother of four children and busy housewife still finds time to write and sing songs at small fairs and local honky-tonks. This gift sets Loretta Lynn on the gruelling, 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

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 March 1980 (USA)

Also Known As:

La hija del minero

Filming Locations:

Norton, Virginia, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,366,443, 9 March 1980, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$67,182,787

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

124 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Sissy Spacek expected fellow Texan Tommy Lee Jones to be a good old boy, but soon learned he was a sophisticated Harvard graduate. "I can honestly say, he's always the smartest person in the room," she wrote in her autobiography. "Tommy Lee had great instincts about the film. He elevated my performance in every way."

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Goofs

When Loretta and Mooney are driving through town, it is supposed to be 1948. When they round the corner, a 1979 Dodge Omni is parked on the street, facing the opposite direction.

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Quotes

Loretta Lynn: [catches Doolittle with another woman] Woman, if you want to keep that arm, you better get it off my husband.
Girl at fairgrounds: Who are you telling what?
Loretta Lynn: I don't know who you are, but I know what you are.

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Connections

Featured in Precious Images (1986)

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Soundtracks

The Titanic
Written by Mother Maybelle Carter, Sara Carter and A.P. Carter
Performed by Sissy Spacek

User Reviews

Excellent Performances Touch Every High Note.

The true-life story of Loretta Lynn (dominant Oscar-winner Sissy Spacek) from her youth where she married at the tender age of 13 all the way to country music stardom. Along for the ride is her husband (Tommy Lee Jones' first legitimate role), an amazingly complex individual who has anger management and jealousy issues. Beverly D'Angelo (in arguably her finest career performance) is also a solid scene-stealer playing doomed singer Patsy Cline. Spacek and D'Angelo actually did all the singing themselves and that just elevates an already high level of performances. The direction by Michael Apted is adequate and so is the Oscar-nominated adaptation, but the excellent work by the three leads makes "Coal Miner's Daughter" one of the finest pictures of the early-1980s. 4.5 out of 5 stars.