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IMDbPro

Sweet Dreams

  • 19851985
  • PG-13PG-13
  • 1h 55m
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
4.8K
YOUR RATING
Ed Harris and Jessica Lange in 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.
Play trailer1:31
1 Video
28 Photos
  • Biography
  • Drama
  • Music
The story of Patsy Cline, the velvet-voiced country music singer who died in a tragic plane crash at the height of her fame.The story of Patsy Cline, the velvet-voiced country music singer who died in a tragic plane crash at the height of her fame.The story of Patsy Cline, the velvet-voiced country music singer who died in a tragic plane crash at the height of her fame.
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
4.8K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Karel Reisz
  • Writer
    • Robert Getchell
  • Stars
    • Jessica Lange
    • Ed Harris
    • Ann Wedgeworth
Top credits
  • Director
    • Karel Reisz
  • Writer
    • Robert Getchell
  • Stars
    • Jessica Lange
    • Ed Harris
    • Ann Wedgeworth
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 55User reviews
    • 12Critic reviews
    • 65Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 3 nominations total

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 1:31
    Official Trailer

    Photos28

    Jessica Lange in Sweet Dreams (1985)
    Sweet Dreams in Sweet Dreams (1985)
    Jessica Lange in Sweet Dreams (1985)
    Jessica Lange in Sweet Dreams (1985)
    Ed Harris and Jessica Lange in Sweet Dreams (1985)
    Jessica Lange in Sweet Dreams (1985)
    Ed Harris and Jessica Lange in Sweet Dreams (1985)
    Ed Harris and Jessica Lange in Sweet Dreams (1985)
    Ed Harris and Jessica Lange in Sweet Dreams (1985)
    Jessica Lange, Irv Cook, Peter Robert Grant, and Jim Kipman in Sweet Dreams (1985)
    Jessica Lange and Ann Wedgeworth in Sweet Dreams (1985)
    Ed Harris and Jessica Lange in Sweet Dreams (1985)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jessica Lange
    Jessica Lange
    • Patsy Clineas Patsy Cline
    Ed Harris
    Ed Harris
    • Charlie Dickas Charlie Dick
    Ann Wedgeworth
    Ann Wedgeworth
    • Hilda Hensleyas Hilda Hensley
    David Clennon
    David Clennon
    • Randy Hughesas Randy Hughes
    James Staley
    James Staley
    • Gerald Clineas Gerald Cline
    Gary Basaraba
    Gary Basaraba
    • Woodhouseas Woodhouse
    John Goodman
    John Goodman
    • Otisas Otis
    P.J. Soles
    P.J. Soles
    • Wandaas Wanda
    Terri Gardner
    • Old Singeras Old Singer
    Caitlin Kelch
    • Sylviaas Sylvia
    Robert L. Dasch
    • Johnas John
    Courtney Parker
    • Older Julieas Older Julie
    Coulton Edwards
    • Baby Randyas Baby Randy
    Holly Filler
    • Madrineas Madrine
    Bruce Kirby
    Bruce Kirby
    • Arthur Godfreyas Arthur Godfrey
    Jerry Haynes
    Jerry Haynes
    • Owen Bradleyas Owen Bradley
    Kenneth White
    • Big Bill Shakeyas Big Bill Shakey
    Stonewall Jackson
    • Announcer at Opryas Announcer at Opry
    • Director
      • Karel Reisz
    • Writer
      • Robert Getchell
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      References to Patsy Cline's friendship with Loretta Lynn were left out of Sweet Dreams (1985), as producers felt their relationship was already covered in Coal Miner's Daughter (1980), where Patsy is played by Beverly D'Angelo. Both films were produced by Bernard Schwartz.
    • Goofs
      The movie shows the car her brother was driving being broadsided by a truck, when in fact it was a head-on collision with a car coming the other direction. Patsy was thrown through the windshield, not pulled from the wreck by her brother.
    • Quotes

      Charlie Dick: Hey, I want you to get your coat. I want to drive you some place for a drink. I want us to dance awhile, then I want us to get to know each other a lot better.

      Patsy Cline: You want a lot don't you?

      Charlie Dick: Yeah I do baby.

      Patsy Cline: Well people in hell want ice water - that don't mean they get it.

    • Connections
      Edited into Josie and the Pussycats (2001)
    • Soundtracks
      Wabash Cannonball
      Written by J.A. Roff

      Performed by Benny Martin

      Published by Silverhill Music

      Courtesy of C.M.H. Records

    User reviews55

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    Memorable Performances Off-Set A Soaper Script
    Reality is generally more complicated than any motion picture can possibly convey--and such is the case with SWEET DREAMS, the 1985 bio-pic of singer Patsy Cline, which ran into a firestorm of criticism at the time of its release. For Patsy Cline was not a figure from the remote past. She and her life were extremely well recalled by family, friends, and co-workers, and one and all attacked the film as an extremely inaccurate portrait of her, her husband Charlie, and her life and career.

    To a certain extent, the validity of these complaints about the film are a matter of opinion. But it does seem likely that the script softened Cline's harder edges and over-emphasized the stormy nature of her marriage in order to cast her in the role of victim. What isn't opinion is the way the film treats her career: it didn't happen like that, and while the film presents her as a great star at the time of her death in truth she had released only a handful of widely distributed records by 1963--and while some of them were big hits, they weren't quite as big as you might think. Even the celebrated "Sweet Dreams" never made it to the top spot on any music chart, and it was not until well after her death that she received full recognition for her remarkable work.

    So instead of truth, or even a good approximation of it, SWEET DREAMS gives us the legend, the folk tale of the rough-and-tumble girl with the big, emotional voice who came from no where, married an abusive husband, and leaped into stardom that was cut short by an untimely death. And as legend, the film works very well.

    The weak point of the film is the script, which plays largely to a "domestic drama" aspect and tends to smooth out the characters in a "santized for your protection" sort of way. The direction and cinematography are no great shakes either, and ultimately SWEET DREAMS looks very much like a made-for-television movie. But the cast carries it off in fine style. Jessica Lang looks no more like Patsy Cline than I do, and her lip-scynchs to Cline's work is rather hit-and-miss, but she gives a truly memorable performance; Ed Harris equals her in the role of husband Charlie, and together they create a synergy that has tremendous power. The supporting cast is also quite good, with Ann Wedgeworth a standout in the role of Cline's mother Hilda.

    And then there is that soundtrack. Even if you've heard all these songs a thousand times, they're still worth hearing again. Patsy Cline was truly an amazing artist. But the film does something odd with them: the bulk of the story is set during the 1950s, but there is not a 1950s-era Cline vocal to be heard in the entire film, everything is taken from her glory years at MCA between 1960 and 1963. And very often it seemed to me that the original scoring of Cline's songs had been replaced with new arrangements.

    And that, ultimately, is rather typical of the film as a whole. Just a little change here, just a little inaccuracy there, and while they all seem slight individually, they add up to a fairly significant distortion collectively. The performances make it worth watching, and they bring it in at a solid four stars. But if you're expecting anything more than the glossy legend of Patsy Cline, you won't find it here.

    Gary F. Taylor, aka GFT, Amazon Reviewer
    helpful•30
    3
    • gftbiloxi
    • Apr 8, 2005

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 11, 1985 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Der süße Traum vom Glück
    • Filming locations
      • Winter Street Elementary School, 59 Winter Street, Hagerstown, Maryland, USA
    • Production companies
      • HBO Pictures
      • Silver Screen Partners
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $9,085,049
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $2,161,284
      • Oct 14, 1985
    • Gross worldwide
      • $9,085,049
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 55 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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