The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982) User Reviews

A fun and funny touching heartfelt musical that advocates and fights for the world's oldest profession.

[blanbrn · 7/10 · 31 December 2012]

Finally watched "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" and I must say fun musical with a story that's funny and the acting was true to heart with a theme that's real. And that is who really cares that the world's oldest profession exist hey legalize it! Based on a play set in Texas a house of prostitution known as the Chicken Ranch is on the verge of being shut down by a gossip type TV traveling hype salesman named Melvin Thorpe(Dom DeLuise)as it's his first goal to expose it's scandal. Yet the house's leading lady Miss Mona(Dolly Parton)joins forces with the local sheriff Earl Dodd(Burt Reynolds)to stop it's closing yet along the way the two join in a romance hopefully this all works out to save the girls and their jobs as they need to shine in their sexy colored bras and attractive underwear! Overall it's a fun journey with some great tunes the Parton and Reynolds chemistry is unmatched and the wonderful Jim Nabors is a treat as the narrator and future sheriff. Overall good little fun comedy!

Must see musical

[angeliossu · 7/10 · 24 October 2006]

For those of us who really watch musicals for the music this is one of the quintessential musicals of it's time . There is in particular one song that is constantly stuck in my head from this show even 25 years after its original release. The classic " Nothing Dirty Going on" stands up well with the likes of Moulon rouge , and Chicago. Expect a bit of camp humor here as Dolly was made for this roll.

It's classic dolly showing up everyone else in this over the top cast and making em all look like a bunch of fools by doing her part so well. Deloise and Reynolds are clearly struggling to keep up with her acting wise throughout the film and it's blatantly obvious Dolly had way way too much fun in this roll.

A great musical on a true story that really could use a remake with the right cast .

Great original, really funny musical comedy

[paulclaassen · 6/10 · 10 September 2018]

I decided to watch this after learning of Burt Reynolds' death. I can't believe it took me this long to finally watch the film! It was an utter delight watching this! I enjoyed every moment. I loved the music and the stunning costumes, and the film was really funny. It was good innocent fun with a hint of eroticism. The chemistry between Dolly and Burt was fantastic. 'The Best little whorehouse in Texas' made me smile from beginning to end!

Underrated and enjoyable film

[CucFan · 24 January 2000]

Sure, the movie shows some skin, but that's not all there is to it, so don't let the prospect of that keep you from watching this movie. There's much more to it than that. Sitting down to watch this film, you're immediately drawn in by one of the most ambitious parts of the film - the history of the Chicken Ranch, decade by decade, depicted with singing, dancing and huge productions that last only a moment, all set to the tune of "Twenty Fans" and narrated by Jim Nabors.

Some people would probably be surprised to find that this movie was nominated for Best Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical in the 1983 Golden Globe awards. Dolly Parton was also nominated for a Golden Globe award in the Best Actress - Comedy/Musical category, while Charles Durning, in his role of the Texas governor, was nominated (quite rightly) for an Academy Award for Best Actor In A Supporting Role.

The best thing about the film is the character of Miss Mona, played by Dolly Parton. I read that Barbara Mandrell or Crystal Gayle were also up for the part, but I can't imagine anyone else playing Miss Mona. You can't help liking Miss Mona - she's not like any prostitute or madam the 1982 movie-going public had ever seen. She's a ray of sunshine, totally forthright, honest, optimistic, generous, open-hearted and sweet. She even contributes heavily to local charities and causes, and one of her lines is "Well, I always just thought if you see somebody without a smile, give 'em yours!" As usual in her films, Parton, who is a singer/songwriter, not a trained actress, holds her own and more. Her entrance, singing "Lil' Ole Bitty Pissant Country Place" as she slowly walks down the stairs in that red dress, is something else. Throughout the movie, Miss Mona's fiery temper and tender heart provide some of the most authentic moments.

Reynolds plays the character his audience loves best - the smart ass. And he plays it very well. This movie shows him in the character of a sheriff, which must have been amusing to moviegoers accustomed to seeing him outrunning sheriffs and state police in his "Smokey & The Bandit" movies. Ed Earl is a typical Reynolds character - getting most of the funniest lines, cussing up a storm, getting philosophical in his semi-ignorant way and defending Miss Mona to the best of his hot-tempered ability.

Dom DeLuise plays the part of Melvin P. Thorpe to perfection, right down to the corset and the stuffed pants. He is a delight. Perfect comic timing. "Watchdog Report/Texas Has a Whorehouse in It" is a production number that is completely right for him.

Jim Nabors is, well, Jim Nabors. I still laugh thinking about the opening line of the movie, delivered in his "GOL-LEE" tone: "It was the nicest little whorehouse you ever saw!" Nabors plays Deputy Fred, who also narrates the movie.

Also of note is Charles Durning as the governor of Texas, who is perfect as he schmoozes and avoids the facts. It is no surprise to me that this actor, who has now made over 100 movies, was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for this role. My favorite part of his brief airtime is the business with his cowboy hat (four or five times he puts his hat on sideways and then whirls to the side so that it falls correctly onto his head). His singing and dancing in "The Sidestep" pulls out no stops - you can't stop watching him. I couldn't help wondering how Steve Martin would have played this role, but Durning makes it his own.

The movie is, of course, a musical, and it was a musical before it was made into a movie - so we get lots of musical numbers, including one with the Aggie football team. If you like musicals, you will like this, because the songs were clearly written not to be hits, not to be videos, but to be part of a musical. Mona's Girls and the Aggies are not actors - they're extremely talented dancers, some of whom can sing.

The Aggies, who are supposed to be the Texas A & M football team, push their scenes to the limit. It does stretch dramatic license a bit when the football players have most of their clothes off and are dancing around the locker room - their physiques are clearly not football material - but no matter. Yee-haw!

Mona's girls have been chosen to represent many different physical types of women, and besides their obvious dancing talent, each gets a small solo (one or two lines) in one of the movie's final songs, "Hard Candy Christmas" (a song which sounds as if it was written by Parton but wasn't). This is, to me, the best song in the movie, and it's a shame that a different version was used on the soundtrack (in the movie, each girl sings a line or two, with Parton singing the choruses, but on the soundtrack version, Parton sings it all). Nothing against Parton, but I enjoyed hearing/seeing all the different reactions as expressed by their distinct voices as the girls faced their uncertain futures.

Parton also contributed two of her own original songs to the movie. "I Will Always Love You," which she originally wrote and released in 1974, became this film's love song and went to number one for a second time (of course, it went to number one again when covered by Whitney Houston in 1992. The other song that Dolly contributed is "Sneakin' Around" (a "9 to 5"-like duet between Parton and Reynolds). According to some information on the WWW, she also contributed other songs which were not used, including a song which she later re-wrote for "Rhinestone."

Looking back on this film from 18 years in the future, I'm sure that many people have a low opinion of it, but I think it's a classic. Supposedly based on a true story, this film invites you in and never lets you go, keeping you hooked with sharply written dialogue and fast-paced action. Once you start watching it, it's impossible to stop - some of the comedy is very subtle, and each performer seems perfectly cast and enthusiastically performs her or his role.

There aren't as many serious moments, but they are well-acted. Ed Earl and Miss Mona have a long-term relationship, spiced with something more perhaps? Miss Mona's face after her fight with Ed Earl conveys such weary hurt that you can't help wanting her to get a break. There's much more to this movie than Mona's girls. It's about friendship, tradition, honesty, promises and tolerance as well. Managing to express valid points and make a 1982 audience sympathize with prostitutes, it also manages to poke fun at society.

Funny Musical

[Rainey-Dawn · 6/10 · 21 October 2014]

Yes this is a very cute and quite comical musical that is worth watching when you can get around to it. It does get a little sad towards the end (I can't tell you why or I will ruin the film for first time viewers)... but the very ending of the movie is uplifting.

Best songs in the movie, to me, are 'Hard Candy Christmas' - one of the best songs for the holiday season and 'I Will Always Love You' a very pretty love song.

If you like The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas then you might like the movies: 'Nine to Five', 'Rhinestone' or 'Smokey and the Bandit'.

6.5/10

A triumph for Dolly, an ego boost for Burt, yet an unremarkable film version of a rather mediocre show.

[mark.waltz · 5/10 · 28 September 2013]

I used to call this the "Who-House" because I couldn't believe that there would be a musical with the "offending" word in its title. It is what it is, however, an apparently true story of something that happened in Texas many years ago, and I can't help but go back and look at it for what works and what didn't.

Dolly Parton goes down Mae West territory here as Mona, the madame of the Chicken Ranch, and if both women have a tendency to come off as drag queens with real female body parts blatantly threaten to pop off the screen, it is not their fault. If there had to be a movie version of this long-running but somewhat odd late 1970's Broadway musical, then who better to play the female lead than Dolly Parton. Burt Reynolds seems to be an overabundance of ego here as the sheriff, played on stage by character actors rather than a leading man type. "As the World Turns" actor Henderson Forsythe originated the role, and on tour, none other than "All My Children's" Ray Gardner (Gil Rogers) played the part. But in Hollywood, glamor is the key, Burt was box-office king, so to cast someone less glamorous in the role would be an offense to the money men.

Actually, the two of them do share an amazing chemistry, but Burt's "I'm too sexy for myself" attitude always irritated me, and here it is blatantly obvious. Only in a few sentimental scenes does any sort of humbleness come out. Dolly really rocks the house with "Nothin' Dirty Going On", and even gets to sing a bit of her own real-life hit "I Will Always Love You" (long before Whitney Houston took it over). "Hard Candy Christmas" is a real heart-breaker.

I've always loved Charles Durning's "Side Step", a perfect song about political evasiveness still felt today, and his dancing and singing are picture perfect for his Oscar Nominated cameo. Dom De Luise is the epitome of creepiness for his "Watch Dog" reporter, and I just love to see him taken down a peg after declaring "Texas Has a Whorehouse In It!" The gay cult "Aggie Song" sometimes seems to just go on and on (and many of the football players seem truly uninterested in visiting the who-house!) and there are a few of the Broadway songs I truly miss, most notably "Dulcie Mae", sung on stage by the waitress character here played by Lois Nettleton. Stage and TV star Robert Mandan is amusing as another politician caught with his drawers down, and the wonderful Theresa Merrit is one of those character actresses that you just want to jump through the screen and hug.

I can't praise this movie, but neither can I praise the source it came from. The results are mixed on all sides, but there's much to love. You just have to sometimes dig deep to find it.

cute R-rated musical

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 15 March 2015]

There has been a whorehouse just outside of Gilbert, Texas owned by Wulla Jean since before WWI. During the depression, they accepted chicken as payment for services resulting in the nickname, the Chicken Ranch. Wulla Jean passed away leaving her establishment to Mona Stangley (Dolly Parton). The Ranch has local support including Sheriff Ed Earl Dodd (Burt Reynolds) who comes over often to see her. Muckraking reporter Melvin P. Thorpe (Dom DeLuise) comes to do a series of expose on the Ranch. Mona promises Ed to shut down for 2 months but she recants for the traditional Thanksgiving game between Texas A&M and University of Texas. A Senator is caught as well when Thorpe barges in on the Ranch. Sheriff Dodd is under pressure and he tries to plead his case to the Governor (Charles Durning).

Dolly Parton and Burt Reynolds come in like an old married couple. She has always been a bit of a cartoon character to me. There are a few pretty catchy songs in this. It's a cute R-rated musical but not that funny. Jim Nabors and Dom DeLuise don't get as many laughs as I expected. It's a very light somewhat enjoyable Broadway-heavy musical.

Nicely Dated

[Vidfan · 3/10 · 7 February 2014]

When I read the opening paragraph from Lechuguilla's review, I thought "That's exactly what I was thinking!" It reads (abridged):

"Maybe when it was first released, this film... wowed viewers with its bawdiness and clear-cut clash of values. But thirty years later, with the internet, cell phones, and gay rights, the underlying premise... strikes me as outdated and largely irrelevant..."

In my opinion, I think the film was as successful as it was only because it "dared" to broach a subject that was, at the time, considered titillating, immoral and slightly naughty. People could feel like they were indulging in a bit of raunchy voyeurism that skirted the limits of acceptable morality. It bordered on slightly wicked, yet allowed one to keep one's social (and self-righteous) moral virtue and rectitude intact.

Now, 30-plus years later, the film is dated by any standard. It was a vehicle for Parton (who does a passable job as Miss Mona)and Reynolds (who is miscast and mediocre at best), a toss-away attempt at cashing in on an excellent and popular stage production at the time.

Viewed as a quaint example of 1980s entertainment, it's moderately successful even now. But there isn't enough enduring substance to hold up over time.

If it were re-made today, I think it could probably succeed if the emphasis on titillation and sex was refocused on the relationships between the main characters and the struggle over the morality of the times.

But as it stands, it has become an archaic and somewhat droll museum piece.

Hello, Dolly!!!

[dimplet · 9/10 · 14 December 2011]

5.3?

The problem, I suspect, with this movie is that the wrong people are watching it, and the right aren't.

Let's see, who does this movie offend? Christian fundamentalists, politicians and Texans. I don't know how many of the former are watching it and then rating it (perhaps they just rate first, watch later), but it looks like some Texans don't have a sense of humor.

And then there are Burt Reynolds fans who might be shocked to find this is not a typical Burt Reynolds movie, and hate it. But folks who aren't Burt Reynolds fans will probably enjoy it. Reynolds' excellent acting is natural, understated, and properly nuanced to the scenes. I think Reynolds and Parton are very well cast together and have real chemistry.

As to Dolly Parton, who knows? All I know is you don't have to be a Dolly Parton country music fan to love this movie. My estimation of Ms. Parton went up enormously after first seeing this movie. She is one smart lady and a fine actress.

So, to add it up, if you are not from Texas, not a Bible-thumper, not a politician, not a Burt Reynolds fan and not a Dolly Parton fan, you should definitely watch The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.

Oh, and folks expecting porn are going to be disappointed, though there is the briefest of cameos by none other than Kay Parker, dressed. Don't blink. Too bad she didn't get a speaking part. This lady can actually act! I saw her reciting Shakespeare, for some reason I can't recall, in one of her movies, and she was real good.

Watch this movie because it is laugh out loud funny. You need to watch closely at the details because the scenes are beautifully crafted. Watch the one of Dom DeLuise getting dressed in front of Reynolds before going on air. It is hilarious, especially the sock. But the most memorable scene is of "Governor" Charles Durning doing his "Sidestep" number. It is a masterpiece.

It is easy to forget this is a musical, perhaps because the storyline is so strong it could survive as a movie without music. But a musical it is, in the tradition of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and Oklahoma! with its masculine cowboy acrobatics dancing, though with an 80s twist, given the locker room dance number.

Thats what makes this movie great: It takes the concept of the musical comedy and brings it out of the Fifties and into the Eighties in a way that is still relevant and pretty outrageous today because of its swipe at hypocrisy. Did I say swipe? Perhaps dagger thrust or kick in the face to hypocrisy would be more accurate. In this regard, The Best Little Whorehouse is hardly subtle.

So perhaps I should add to the list of people who will not like this movie, hypocrites. For them, there is "Hello, Dolly!"

A guilty pleasure.

[Peach-2 · 7/10 · 17 November 1998]

This movie is a guilty pleasure of mine. I really don't have much to say about it, other than I liked it.

One of the most fun and upbeat musicals ever made.

[triple8 · 8/10 · 20 March 2004]

How could anyone not love this movie? Being a big fan of musicals myself, I love this movie for the fun, campy performances, larger then life, sassy, characters,smalltown southern charm, the surprisingly sweet romance between Reynolds and Parton(I'm a big fan of both) and the homage to the south in general-YEEHAW!!! This is a perfect movie to watch directly after you've watched a heavy movie and want to "come down". It's bright, fun and filled with wicked gaiety. Anyone who's a fan of musicals should see this, I've seen many a stage show as well, my one big regret is I never saw the play version of this.

I don't see how anyone could fault Burt Reynolds performance in this, in my opinion the casting choices-all of them-were as close to perfect as there is. Although I do not live in Texas, I have visited and hold a deep admiration for Texas and all it has to offer. I love movies about one of my favorite states in the country, as well as musicals, so this was a double plus. And everyone played their roles with such charm, Dolly was so lovable, Reynolds, the tough sheriff yet so decent at heart and Charles Durning as mentioned by nearly EVERYBODY was amazing.

This ranks up there as one of my all time top musicals, it's got so much gaiety and is so infectiously warm, inviting and a celebration of fun! A must see. 8 of 10.

Pure fun from start to finish

[jakethesnake-42007 · 7/10 · 30 August 2021]

This movie deserves more credit then it gets. Very underrated and forgotten musical from the early 80's. The film is pure fun the musical numbers are fun and fast and the acting is good too. It's not the best musical out there but it's one of the funnest.

Texas Tacky -- Turkey Ranch

[brower8 · 4/10 · 14 November 2005]

On the surface it's not so bad -- until one sees a stage play. The movie is badly directed; it drags badly. Dolly Parton can't act, and Burt Reynolds is far past his prime as an actor. Even with the necessary bowdlerizations, the play can be fun to watch, but this movie isn't. The zany Dom DeLuise is just too foppish to pull off his role as "Watchdog" Melvin P. Thorpe; he just can't pull off the hypocrisy necessary for the villain character. The singing isn't very good, and the romance between Parton and Reynolds has no spark. Because of the subject the movie must be fun to view if it is to be effective; it isn't, so it fails.

There can be human interest in the story if one focuses on the 'working girls', but it doesn't appear in the movie. Above all, the hypocritical villain, the Melvin P. Thorpe character, which Dom DeLuise can't quite pull off -- and without an effective villain one has no sympathy for the 'working women' on the Chicken Ranch.

By far the best performer in the movie is Charles Durning, who does a superb job in "Sidestep" as the Texas Governor who lets the polls make decisions for him and pays his tribute to Fred Astaire. It's not quite Astaire's famous ceiling dance and his dance with a hat rack in >Royal Wedding< (definitely not a great movie, but at least RW has its moments). But that's about it. And Durning's routine is but trick photography.

I got to see BLWiT in a small live theater in the Midwest -- and it was an enjoyable experience, even if I had my trepidations in view of the cinematic performance.

This is one of few movie stories that compels a remake -- which statement is the definitive insult to the competence of the persons involved in making this turkey of a movie at the supposed "Chicken Ranch". Better yet, see it as a stage play.

Dolly's Voice

[pmullinsj · 11 April 2004]

The pure part of this film is Dolly's voice, with its warble, its touch of yodel, its complete inability to resists little trills, mordents, all the musical embellishments that are mirrored in her visual presence, her couture. And since the sumptuous breasts are maybe even a bit too much here--with many gown changes in the big numbers--that is all the more striking that it is still the singing that stands out. Jim Nabors, for example, takes some time to seem bearable to me, but finally the whole context works; but the movie seems like it is going to be horrible till Dolly's first phrase in the "Pissant Country Place" song.

Carol Hall's "Rock Candy Christmas" is a good number, but putting Dolly's "I Will Always Love You" was the smartest thing done musically here; in no way is the subsequent Whitney Houston version comparable in either sincerity or just naturalness of lovely sound--she uses little ornaments, too, but changes them as if to be original; all you really notice is that she didn't use the ones Dolly had already made perfect, as if they were as firm and fixed as the melody line itself. It was a considerably smarter thing than using "My Man" in 'Funny Girl', when "The Music that Makes Me Dance" would have made the show keep its original musical integrity; and leaving out the Ziegfeld Follies type numbers "Cornet Man" and "Rat-tat-tat" depleted this film, leaving it only great in moments ('Don't Rain on My Parade' is really the only great one.)

Burt Reynolds is a charmer as the sheriff and his and Dolly's affection for each other is sweet and moving. All of their scenes together work because they fully enjoy them, enjoy each other.

Certain big production numbers--the Aggies football players dancing in the locker room, then when they get to the Chicken Ranch, for example--seem to be low imitations of old Agnes de Mille choreography in 'Oklahoma', full of old-fashioned "cowboy high spirits" (one cannot keep from enjoying how non-cowboy most of the dancers must surely be) that have nothing new in them and merely seem mechanical.

It's a better Dolly Parton movie--though certainly not great--as a whole than 'Nine to Five', but nothing has ever quite surpassed the poetic genius of that picture's title song, in which Dolly has captured so basic a part of most people's daily life that you can hardly believe that the song is actually there to question its very validity, which it does with no qualms at all.

"Workin' nine to five, what a way to make a livin'... and later: "You would think that I would deserve a fat promotion... They just use your mind, and they never give you credit, It's enough to drive you crazy if you let it."

The real artist that she is peers through all the fluff from time to time, perhaps getting it through the fluff is the way it is proved.

Lord, have mercy on our soul!

[Die beste Freundin · 7/10 · 7 August 2000]

This movie wasn´t meant to change the world. It´s entertainment, and very entertaining entertainment, if I may add. The songs alone are reason enough to watch this movie. ´Fine and dandy´ (When Miss Mona´s girls have to leave the farm), the classic ´I will always love you´ and ´Texas has a whore house in it (Lord have mercy on our soul!)´ are my personal favorites. One of the best musicals made in the eighties (next to ´Fame´ and ´Annie´).

More HeWhore than Hee Haw

[ptb-8 · 2/10 · 17 October 2007]

Is this supposed to be a musical about straight men? I couldn't see any. Maybe Charles Durning. The 'chorus boys' were every bit the quintessential gay mustache guy look of the 80s and with Dom de Luise being Mr Sissy-prissy yet again in another romp with Burt, well, I just laughed and laughed and laughed. This even features a soapy shower scene in the locker room a-la CAN'T STOP THE MUSIC.... in fact this film looks like that film saddled up to be a hilarious 'whip crack-away' buckskin romp really titled SEVEN DUDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS... ...... WHOREHOUSE has Dolly Parton's breasts wobbling around Burt and his chum Gomer Pyle as they try to solve what to do with this chicken-house full of frilly fillies. Well everyone leaps a lot with precision booties and tight pants while the older generation (Burt Dom Dolly Charles and Gomer) all try to stay out of their leapin grinnin way. I guess it looked great on a drive in screen in 1982 .... but now in 2008 we all know better. Ye Gods!

Predictable Fare

[dennisbedard · 7/10 · 8 February 2020]

I watched this movie last night for the first time. Almost 40 years later, what stood out was the glossing over or covering up of a simple historical truth: the would be opposition to a brothel would never have come a from fraudulent huckster/TV celebrity like Dom Deleuise's character but from the likes of Jimmy Swaggert or James and Tammy Baker and the Moral Majority. But to mollify any protest from Christian groups, the producers disguised Deleuis's character as a southern hick consumer advocate which just doesn't pass the smell test.

All-time worst adaptation of Broadway musical

[rollo_tomaso · 1/10 · 27 August 2000]

The original Broadway musical wasn't great, but at least had it's interesting moments. With the single exception of Durning's wonderful rendition of "The Sidestep", this is a total and utter waste of money and time. The Chicken Ranch fiasco was a minor embarrassment for its county, but this musical proved to be the major embarrassment of Reynolds career. Combining this and At Long Last Love, a law should be passed prohibiting Burt from ever trying his hand at musicals again. Parton is better than her material, but DeLuise's utter buffoonery is much more indicative of the general Cannonball-Run-like atmosphere of the entire debacle.

My Favourite Musical Of All Time

[slightlymad22 · 10/10 · 29 October 2014]

In terms of box-office The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas was the most successful movie-musical of the 1980's. And I can see why, it's easily my favourite musical of all time.

Plot In A Paragraph: Sheriff Ed Earl Dodd (brilliant Burt Reynolds) turns a blind eye to the fact his mistress Miss Mona (A delightful Dolly Parton) runs a brothel nicknamed "The Chicken Ranch" All is fine until TV reporter Melvin P Thorpe (Hilariously smug Dom DeLuise) decides to wage a war to close it down.

Both Burt Reynolds and Dolly Parton look gorgeous and they have really good chemistry, that hints at a flirty long time relationship. It's not sizzling by any means, just a hint of smut. They're both great looking, they smile a lot, and they've been provided with good dialogue. Yet somehow Charles Durning steals the movie from out underneath them both despite less than ten minutes of screen time.

Watching Durning dance up a storm as he sings "The Sidestep" is an absolute delight. He waltzes in and out of the movie, and walked off with an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

Burt Reynolds my favourite actor of that era, is at his most attractive here. He has never looked better on screen than he did in this movie. We get all of Reynolds persona's here, Romantic Burt, Bad Tempered Burt, Sexy Burt, Sad & Moody Burt. For the most part his natural charm is on full display here. Dom De Luise is brilliantly bizarre as the TV reporter who wants to shut down the Chicken Ranch. There are funny jokes, some raunchy one- liners, some enjoyable songs set to nice choreography, and then there is Dolly Parton.

If I were asked what image dominates "The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas," the honest answer would have to be: Dolly Parton's cleavage. I am not being deliberately crude or rude. The awesomeness of her wondrous boobs dominates every scene Dolly appears in.

Musical highlights include "A Lil' Ole Bitty Pissant Country Place" by Parton,"Sneakin' Around", performed as a duet with Parton and Reynolds, and of course Parton's' "I Will Always Love You".

I usually watch this movie a couple of times a year.

Good but not the Best

[senrgatr · 7/10 · 26 July 2009]

Even in 2009 this movie version of the stage play, BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN Texas, does not always ring true. For all her great talents, Dolly Parton has manipulated yet another script (she did this with STEEL MAGNOLIAS). Look at the overdone and over the top entrances...and that long, boring evening scene by a fire with Burt Reynolds. And these were suppose to be Aggie football players?? And one token black player...and one token black hostess. Come on, integration had not yet occurred in time. The tokenism was so obvious. Fortunately, Whitney Houston came along to really breathe life into "I Will Always Love You." At times exciting, vibrating, exhilarating....thanks in large measure to an over the top "evangelist" and sheriff. Boring and perplexing ending. And as for the goofs, who was watching the shooting script or controlling the editing? I must prefer a rollicking stage version.

The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas

[jboothmillard · 5/10 · 21 November 2021]

I knew about this film mainly because of the leading singer and actress, I didn't know what to expect, being a film full of songs and being full of sex workers, but I hoped for something entertaining. Basically, in Lanville County, Texas, just outside the city limits of Gilbert, the Chicken Ranch was founded in 1910, and has for generations been known as the best little whorehouse in Texas. It has been a fixture in the town and is most popular (mostly with male visitors) for its wholesome fun, strict moral code, and cleanliness, all perpetuated by its original owner, Miss Wulla Jean (Paula Shaw). Following the death of Miss Wulla Jean seven years ago, the brothel was left to her favourite working girl, Miss Mona Stangley (Golden Globe nominated Dolly Parton), who wants to keep the same traditions as her predecessor. The Chicken Ranch has always had the unofficial blessing of the local authorities, who see the ranch providing an important community service. Ed Earl Dodd (Burt Reynolds), the sheriff of Gilbert, has a long-standing relationship with Miss Mona, and does not interfere with her business. Miss Mona is a public-minded citizen who regularly donates to charity, and is decent and law-abiding, but not everyone in town approves of her or the business at the brothel. The biggest threat comes when television personality and consumer watchdog, Melvin P. Thorpe (Dom DeLuise), one of the most powerful men in the state begins an on-air exposé of the illegal activities at the Chicken Ranch, and Ed Earl's role in letting it happen. Thorpe accuses Ed Earl of taking payoffs and bribes for not cracking down on Miss Mona's business, Earl insults and threatens Thorpe, and their argument is all caught on TV. The Chicken Ranch is an institution, and they are awaiting the arrival of the winning team from the football game between state rivals the University of Texas Longhorns and the Texas A&M Aggies who will celebrate their victory. The negative publicity puts a spotlight on the place, so Ed Earl gets Miss Mona's word that she will keep the place closed until the attention goes away. She shuts it down to regular customers but elects to let the football players have their party, at which point Thorpe and his TV cameras sneak onto the property and ambush them all. Ed Earl and Miss Mona have an argument, he insults her based on her profession, and they break up. The Governor of Texas (Oscar nominated Charles Durning), who cannot make decisions on big issues until he first sees what voters say in the polls, listens to Earl's appeals to keep the Chicken Ranch open. But the polls come back with a negative result, and he orders Ed Earl to have the Chicken Ranch closed down. The working girls leave the Chicken Ranch for good. Miss Mona is broken-hearted, but she is enlightened finding out the effort made by the sheriff on her behalf. As Miss Mona leaves the whorehouse for the last time, Earl stops her and proposes to her. She turns him down, as his dream is to run for state legislature, and she knows having a wife who worked in prostitution would damage his chances. He again insists that he wants to marry her and that he does not care about what people will think or say. Deputy Fred (Jim Nabors), in a voiceover, states that Earl and Miss Mona got married and that Earl successfully ran for the legislature. Deputy Fred states that he succeeded Earl and became Sheriff. Also starring Robert Mandan as Senator Wingwood, Lois Nettleton as Dulcie Mae, Theresa Merritt as Jewel, Noah Beery Jr. As Edsel, Raleigh Bond as Mayor, Barry Corbin as C. J., Howard K. Smith as himself, Timothy Stack as Melvin's Crew, Total Recall's Mickey Jones as Henry, and Alice Drummond as Governor's Secretary. Parton is likeable as the head of whorehouse with a great country singing voice and a large cleavage you can't take your eyes off, Reynolds is alright as the sheriff trying to do the right thing, and Durning is memorable as the Governor in a dilemma. The most memorable songs are "20 Fans" (in the terrific opening), "Sneakin' Around", "The Sidestep" (Durning's energetic number), and the original version of "I Will Always Love You". This is apparently a lot more watered down and less gritty than the original Broadway show it is based on, obviously it is a subject matter that is unusual or song and dance film, but thankfully it pulls it off, cheesy and perhaps cringy at times, but it is a reasonably fun musical comedy. It was nominated the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical. Worth watching!

A Texas Institution

[bkoganbing · 8/10 · 13 December 2008]

The Texas county where Burt Reynolds is sheriff has only one thing that makes it stand out from all the other counties in the state. And I'm not referring to Dolly Parton's 40Ds. It's rather the old and established institution of the Chicken Ranch, The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas. Or maybe west of the Mississippi truth be told, if everyone left there as happy as they seem.

This film is a real gem, a timely and historical film as well as a fun country musical. The story is a true one, the names changed to protect the innocent as that other American institution used to say. Although few people but Dom DeLuise seem to have their innocence intact in this film.

In this county west of Houston for over 100 years servicing the veterans of five wars was the Chicken Ranch, The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas. It's existence was the most open secret in the state and everyone seemed happy with the arrangement. In fact the current owner, Dolly Parton, is a valued member of the community, paying her taxes and giving of money and time to community endeavors. She runs a disease free establishment and insists that of her customers.

But this was the time the Moral Majority was flexing it's muscles in the person of Dom DeLuise. He's really quite the scream as the crusading reporter going to close this den of vice and corruption. He stirs up quite the hornet's nest in the state.

Best scene of the film is the annual party for the winner of the Texas A&M, University of Texas football game. Those Aggies play hard and plow hard. And that's the night when DeLuise and his television crew decide to pull their own raid. The party is hosted by State Senator Robert Mandan playing the part in his best sanctimonious tradition.

Of course he pales beside Charles Durning as the governor of Texas. Durning was nominated for Best Supporting Actor and his political credo of never saying anything is embodied in that wonderful Sidestep number he has. Durning looks like he's having a great old time.

Carol Hall wrote the rollicking score for The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas and Dolly Parton also had the good sense to get a couple of her songs interpolated in the film, one of them her beloved I Will Always Love You. For all her good works Dolly is still the Madame of a bordello and that fact prevents her from being taken too seriously by Burt Reynolds as marriage material.

I'm sure the film was not a favorite of the late Jerry Falwell, DeLuise lampoons him so viciously. It is an entertaining reminder of times that sad to say haven't gone altogether away.

The Whorehouse that pay taxes...come on!!

[elo-equipamentos · 6/10 · 8 June 2017]

Here you have two situation completely different to judge, one hand you have the movie itself, in other hand you have a proper Whorehouse called Chiken Ranch which actually existed in the past and and we know how it worked in those days, but let's forget the past and talk about the movie, even having a fine musical numbers with beauty and sexiest girls and a fine performance of Dom DeLouise as sensationalist guy who play dirty to get high audience to your TV show, also the main cast Burt Reynold and Dolly Parton have a good performances, despite the end is very disappointing, no a single revenge to hypocrite Melvin who end up winning the glory, however the movie is really funny, but claimed that the Whorehouse pay taxes is too much!!

Resume:

First watch: 1988 / How many: 3 / Source: TV-DVD / Rating: 6.75

"But there's nuthin' dirty going on!"

[moonspinner55 · 5/10 · 7 December 2008]

Movie-version of the popular stage success (which derived from a factual article in Playboy magazine) about how a Texas bordello was brought down by a crusading TV newsman (in reality, a journalist fighting organized crime, in the film a hypocritical advocate for decency). With Burt Reynolds cast as the local sheriff and madam Dolly Parton as his unspoken lady-love, this seemed to have the right ingredients for a big, raucous musical hit. Alas, there's not an assured, well-directed sequence in the entire picture. Worse, Reynolds is on auto-pilot throughout, easily allowing supporting character players Dom DeLuise, Charles Durning, and even Jim Nabors to show him up something fierce. What's good about this "Whorehouse" is Dolly Parton who, despite not having the training or experience of a skilled comedic actress, brings to the project her sassy personality (which nearly makes the film worth-watching); her honeyed charms, white wigs and frilly outfits not only accentuate her famous curves, they give her (and the film) a welcoming spirit. The script is curiously heavy with dialogue, and one scene outdoors--wherein Burt and Dolly discuss aliens, the Bible, and Dolly's girlhood dreams--seems to ramble on forever. This wouldn't be so noticeable if the musical sequences brought life back into the piece, but each number is rendered flat by the editing, which doesn't allow the film any visual pizazz. Parton is bouncy all on her own, though none of the working girls have the personality Dolly does (the script doesn't give them a chance to be anything but proud prosties, eager to do their thing). The naughty humor is nudging and winking rather than smirking (which is good), and there are some big laughs: DeLuise doing some fancy footwork while on the air, Durning (as the Governor) dancing the "Sidestep", and Jim Nabors saying "sh*t" and "son of a b*tch". The leads don't really get their share of the jokes, and Parton always seems to be playing ringleader (with too many big entrances coming down the stairs). The sentiment at the ending turns the film into a love story (the stage show was a fired-up satire) and Parton's "I Will Always Love You" comes out of nowhere (she sings it to Reynolds, who doesn't hear a word she says!). The movie is a messy jumble of half-assed attempts at comedy, drama, heartbreak, old-fashioned musical (with garters), but hardly any commentary on the situation. Yes, the bordello was a civic-minded, conscientious, tax-paying establishment which did an awful lot for the community, but if prostitution is illegal than they are also law-breakers. There are no songs about that. ** from ****