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