Sweet Dreams (1985)

The story of Patsy Cline, the velvet-voiced country music singer who died in a tragic plane crash at the height of her fame.

Director:

Karel Reisz

Writer:

Robert Getchell

Stars:

Jessica Lange, Ed Harris, Ann Wedgeworth

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jessica Lange	...	Patsy Cline
Ed Harris	...	Charlie Dick
Ann Wedgeworth	...	Hilda Hensley
David Clennon	...	Randy Hughes
James Staley	...	Gerald Cline
Gary Basaraba	...	Woodhouse
John Goodman	...	Otis
P.J. Soles	...	Wanda
Terri Gardner	...	Old Singer
Caitlin Kelch	...	Sylvia
Robert L. Dasch	...	John
Courtney Parker	...	Older Julie
Coulton Edwards	...	Baby Randy
Holly Filler	...	Madrine
Bruce Kirby	...	Arthur Godfrey

Storyline

Patsy Cline was the first female solo artist to be elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame. Thirty-two years after her untimely death in a plane crash in Tennessee, her "Greatest Hits" album sold over six million copies. Loved by her fans today as much - if not more - than she was at the height of her fame, the life, the loves and most of all the voice of Patsy Cline is legendary. This film tells the story of the passionate, fun-loving, soft-spoken, loud-living life of one of country music's - and one of popular music's - greatest singing stars. This film covers the years 1956 through 1963, from her rise to fame and the top of the charts through TB talent shows and country bars - through her turbulent marriage to Charlie Dick and the demands of touring which would lead to the fatal plane crash.

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Plot Keywords:

fame | country music | singing | bar | year 1956 | 

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | Music | Musical

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Certificate:

PG-13

Did You Know?

Trivia

Patsy Cline previously appeared as a character in Coal Miner's Daughter. Sissy Spacek won Best Actress for her role as Loretta Lynn, and her husband was played by Tommy Lee Jones. Jessica Lange was nominated for Best Actress for this film, but did not win until Blue Sky, in which her character's husband is also played by Jones. Both films paired Jones with one of his Lonesome Dove castmates: William Sanderson and Timothy Scott. Spacek later appeared in the sequel, Streets of Laredo, in which her character's husband; previously played by Timothy Scott; was now played by Lange's real-life partner, Sam Shepard.

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Goofs

Charlie's green Army service coat lacks the required black plastic name plate.

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Quotes

Charlie Dick: I want to get to know you better.
Patsy Cline: Ok, now what does that mean?
Charlie Dick: Means I want to get to know you better.
Patsy Cline: See, I figure when you say you want to get to know me better - what you really mean is you want a ten minute screw in the back seat of your car.
Charlie Dick: Son of a bitch. You must think that thing between your legs is lined with gold. I can get tail any time I want, I don't have to come crawling after some mean mouthed woman who got a cob crossways. Hell, if I just want to bump uglies with somebody, I got ...
[...]

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Connections

Referenced in Mike & Mike: Episode dated 20 December 2013 (2013)

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Soundtracks

That'll Be the Day
Written by Jerry Allison, Buddy Holly and Norman Petty
Published by MPL Communications Inc./Wren Music Co. Inc.

User Reviews

"The Best One Yet"

For those of you that thought "Sweet Dreams" was a stupid movie, well that's fine, but not in my opinion. "Sweet Dreams" tells a story, one of the greatest stories imaginable, I mean yeah it's not no fairy tale, but the life of The Legendary Patsy Cline is a very warm-hearted story to tell. I just saw the movie on VH1 about 3 months ago, I was messing with some things around the house and could not watch a lot of it. But, then about a mounth later it came on CMT and I finally watch it in it's entirity. I loved it so much I ordered it on DVD. It's just very neat how are these stars like Roy Rogers, Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Barbra Mandrell, and Patsy Cline can pave the way to stardom easy for new country stars like Martina Mcbride, Jo Dee Messina, and Kenny Chesney, and to make a movie like "Sweet Dreams" that tells a story about one of these people is very Sweet and I give an applause to Hollywood for making it. I also give "Sweet Dreams" two thumbs up, I mean I'm not no Roger Ebert, but, I know a good movie when I see one, and this one is to good not to miss. Jessica Lange gives a awesome performance of Patsy Cline, not to mention Ed Harris as her dim-witted husband Charlie Dick. With all the crap that Patsy has to put up with, like her car crash, or that she's pregnant, she stll makes it to stardom with her hit song "Crazy". Also, speaking of songs Jessica Lange did an awesome jod of lip-syncing them. Out of "Great Balls of Fire", "La Bamba", and, "Coal Miner's Daughter", "Sweet Dreams"- (Jessica Lange & Ed Harris)The Legendary Story OF Patsy Cline is, The Best one Yet.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 October 1985 (USA)

Also Known As:

Sweet Dreams

Filming Locations:

Winter Street Elementary School, 59 Winter Street, Hagerstown, Maryland, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$2,161,284, 14 October 1985

Gross USA:

$9,085,049

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$9,085,049

Company Credits

Production Co:

HBO Pictures, Silver Screen Partners

Technical Specs

Runtime:

115 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1