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

According to Loretta Lynn, Tommy Lee Jones went to meet her husband with his hair dyed red to match Doolittle's youthful color, but Mr. Lynn did not warm to him or help him out. "He was jealous of him," she said, noting that it wasn't until Doo had to teach Tommy Lee to drive a tractor that he began to thaw. Eventually, as Loretta put it, "Doo ended up falling in love with Tommy Lee." Doo also showed Jones how to get the most speed out of the old World War II Jeep he drove in the film.

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Goofs

Loretta tells Patsy Cline that she's pregnant. A few days later Patsy is killed in a plane crash. Patsy Cline died in March 1963, and Loretta's twins were born in August 1964 - a span of 17 months.

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Quotes

Loretta Lynn: [after hearing of Patsy's death] She can't be dead, Doo! We're goin' shopping! Who am I gonna talk to now?

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Connections

Referenced in The Roseanne Show: Episode #1.4 (1998)

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Soundtracks

Back in Baby's Arms
Written by Bob Montgomery
Performed by Beverly D'Angelo

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.

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