Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV News
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsCannes Film FestivalStar WarsAsian Pacific American Heritage MonthSummer Watch GuideSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • FAQ
IMDbPro

Back Roads

  • 1981
  • R
  • 1h 34m
IMDb RATING
5.6/10
1.1K
YOUR RATING
Tommy Lee Jones and Sally Field in Back Roads (1981)
AdventureComedyRomance

A prostitute and a drifter find themselves bound together as they make their way through the rural South, doing what they have to do to survive.A prostitute and a drifter find themselves bound together as they make their way through the rural South, doing what they have to do to survive.A prostitute and a drifter find themselves bound together as they make their way through the rural South, doing what they have to do to survive.

  • Director
    • Martin Ritt
  • Writer
    • Gary DeVore
  • Stars
    • Sally Field
    • Tommy Lee Jones
    • David Keith
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    5.6/10
    1.1K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Martin Ritt
    • Writer
      • Gary DeVore
    • Stars
      • Sally Field
      • Tommy Lee Jones
      • David Keith
    • 16User reviews
    • 17Critic reviews
    • 48Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos45

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 39
    View Poster

    Top cast54

    Edit
    Sally Field
    Sally Field
    • Amy Post
    Tommy Lee Jones
    Tommy Lee Jones
    • Elmore Pratt
    David Keith
    David Keith
    • Mason
    Miriam Colon
    Miriam Colon
    • Angel
    Michael V. Gazzo
    Michael V. Gazzo
    • Tazio
    • (as Michael Gazzo)
    Dan Shor
    Dan Shor
    • Spivey
    M. Emmet Walsh
    M. Emmet Walsh
    • Arthur
    Barbara Babcock
    Barbara Babcock
    • Rickey's Mom
    Nell Carter
    Nell Carter
    • Waitress
    Alex Colon
    Alex Colon
    • Enrique
    Lee de Broux
    Lee de Broux
    • Red
    Ralph Seymour
    Ralph Seymour
    • Gosler
    Royce D. Applegate
    Royce D. Applegate
    • The Father
    • (as Royce Applegate)
    Bruce M. Fischer
    Bruce M. Fischer
    • Ezra
    John Dennis Johnston
    John Dennis Johnston
    • Gilly
    Don 'Red' Barry
    Don 'Red' Barry
    • Pete
    Billy Jayne
    Billy Jayne
    • The Boy Thief
    • (as Billy Jacoby)
    Eric Laneuville
    Eric Laneuville
    • Pinball Wizard
    • Director
      • Martin Ritt
    • Writer
      • Gary DeVore
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    More like this

    Street People
    5.3
    Street People
    Certain Fury
    5.3
    Certain Fury
    All the Way Home
    7.2
    All the Way Home
    American Animals
    7.0
    American Animals
    They're Playing with Fire
    5.1
    They're Playing with Fire
    St. Elmo's Fire
    6.4
    St. Elmo's Fire
    Barn Burning
    6.0
    Barn Burning
    Kiss Me Goodbye
    5.9
    Kiss Me Goodbye
    Surrender
    5.4
    Surrender
    Bridger
    6.5
    Bridger
    Life Study
    7.2
    Life Study
    A Cooler Climate
    6.6
    A Cooler Climate

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Reportedly, Sally Field and Tommy Lee Jones disliked each other and did not get along during production.
    • Quotes

      Mason: When was your last fight?

      Elmore Pratt: I ain't had it yet!

    • Connections
      Featured in Sneak Previews: The Postman Always Rings Twice/All Night Long/Galaxina/Back Roads/Private Eyes (1981)
    • Soundtracks
      Ask Me No Questions (I'll Tell You No Lies)
      Written by Henry Mancini

      Lyrics by Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman

      Performed by Sue Raney

    User reviews16

    Featured review
    5/10

    romance lacks chemistry

    Amy Post (Sally Field) is a low rent prostitute in Alabama. She gets caught up with jobless drifter ex-boxer customer Elmore Pratt (Tommy Lee Jones) as they go off on a rambling road trip.

    Norma Rae director Martin Ritt reunites with Sally Field. I think it's intended as a grimy tough rom-com. Whether it's the script or the much rumored bad relationship between Field and Jones, the couple is plagued with bitter anger and the chemistry is never good. The movie is filmed in a low rent 70s style Grime-o-Vision. It works sometimes like playing pinball in a roadside bar but mostly it looks like a poorly made indie. In the end, the relationship never blossoms as it's suppose to. Sally Field does have a good breakdown, but Tommy Lee Jones have the acting range of a grumpy old man.
    • SnoopyStyle
    • Aug 1, 2013
    • Permalink

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    FAQ17

    • How long is Back Roads?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 13, 1981 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • Sporedni putevi
    • Filming locations
      • Brownsville, Texas, USA
    • Production companies
      • CBS Theatrical Films
      • Meta-Films Associates
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $7,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $11,809,387
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $3,046,339
      • Mar 15, 1981
    • Gross worldwide
      • $11,809,387
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 34 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Tommy Lee Jones and Sally Field in Back Roads (1981)
    Top Gap
    By what name was Back Roads (1981) officially released in India in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb app
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb app
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb app
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.