Tender Mercies (1983)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Bruce Beresford

Writer:

Horton Foote (written by)

Release Date:

10 June 1983 (Australia)

Genre:

Drama | Music

Tagline:

Robert Duvall is Mac Sledge, down and out country singer. His struggle for fame was over. His fight for respect was just beginning

Plot:

A broken-down, middle-aged country singer gets a new wife, reaches out to his long-lost daughter, and tries to put his troubled life back together.

Plot Keywords:

Singer | Widow | Songwriter | Guitar | Behind The Scenes

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 6 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Robert Duvall	...	Mac Sledge
Tess Harper	...	Rosa Lee
Betty Buckley	...	Dixie
Wilford Brimley	...	Harry
Ellen Barkin	...	Sue Anne
Allan Hubbard	...	Sonny
Lenny von Dohlen	...	Robert (as Lenny Von Dohlen)
Paul Gleason	...	Reporter
Michael Crabtree	...	Lewis Menefee
Norman Bennett	...	Reverend Hotchkiss
Andrew Scott Hollon	...	Larue
Rick Murray	...	Jake - Slater Mill Boys Member
Stephen Funchess	...	Bertie - Slater Mill Boys Member
Glen Fleming	...	Steve - Slater Mill Boys Member
James Aaron	...	Henry - Slater Mill Boys Member
Jerry Biggs	...	Man in Bar
Sheila Bird	...	Concessionaire
Robert E. Blackburn III	...	Boy at Dance
Eli Cummins	...	Doorman
Tony Frank	...	Man at Motel
Berkley Garrett	...	Man at Dixie's House (as Berkley H. Garrett)
Helena Humann	...	Woman with Groceries
Suzanne Jacobs	...	Nurse
Barbara Jones	...	Country Woman
Jerry Jones	...	Country Man
Harlan Jordan	...	Waiter
Robert P. Kelley	...	Choirmaster
Ray LePere	...	Man in Bar / Restaurant
Pat Minter	...	Man at Dixie's Douse
Terry Schoolcraft	...	Ada - Dixie's Driver
Oliver Seale	...	Man at Dixie's House
Denise Simek	...	Concessionaire
Robert Stewart	...	Concessionaire
Susan Aston	...	Woman at Dance
Vicki Neff	...	Woman at Dance
Pamela Putnam	...	Woman at Dance
Jerry Abbot	...	Piano - Country Blues Band Member
Bobby Hibbitts	...	Drums - Country Blues Band Member
Buddie Hrabal	...	Steel Guitar - Country Blues Band Member
Jerry Matheny	...	Guitar - Country Blues Band Member
Wayne Milligan	...	Bass - Country Blues Band Member
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Don 'Tex' Clark	...	Bar Patron (uncredited)

Directed by
Bruce Beresford

Writing credits
Horton Foote		(written by)

Produced by
Robert Duvall	....	co-producer
Horton Foote	....	co-producer
Mary-Ann Hobel	....	associate producer
Philip Hobel	....	produced by (as Philip S. Hobel)

Original Music by
George Dreyfus		(music by)

Cinematography by
Russell Boyd		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
William M. Anderson		(as William Anderson)

Art Direction by
Jeannine Claudia Oppewall		(as Jeannine Oppewall)

Set Decoration by
Daniel Loren May		(as Daniel L. May)

Makeup Department
Lynn Decker	....	hairstylist
Paul Huntley	....	wig maker: Betty Buckley
Michael J. Randall	....	assistant hair stylist
Carla Rulien	....	assistant make-up
Jimi White	....	make-up artist

Production Management
Tom Joyner	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Richard Luke Rothschild	....	first assistant director
Kelly Wimberly	....	second assistant director

Art Department
E.W. Bradford	....	construction coordinator (as Bill Bradford)
James R. Cox	....	swing man
Glenn Dunn	....	lead man
Johnny Gutierrez	....	construction assistant (as Johnny L. Guiterrez)
Mike Parsons	....	property master
Roy W. Wahlstrom	....	painter
William Vance White	....	assistant props

Sound Department
Stan Bochner	....	sound editor
Angelo Corrao	....	assistant sound editor
Jay Dranch	....	sound editor
Bruce Kitzmeyer	....	assistant sound editor
Stuart Lieberman	....	assistant sound editor
Dan Lieberstein	....	sound editor
Dennis Maitland II	....	boom man (as Dennis L. Maitland II)
Christopher Newman	....	sound mixer (as Chris Newman)
Maurice Schell	....	supervising sound editor
Magdaline Volaitis	....	assistant sound editor
Dick Vorisek	....	rerecording supervisor
Maurice Schell	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Stunts
Randy Fife	....	stunt double
Ben Loggins	....	utility stunts (as Ben E. Loggins)
Russell Towery	....	utility stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Thomas Alcala	....	electrician
Mike Apsey	....	playback operator
Curtis Bingham	....	grip (as Curt Bingham)
Don Broughton	....	playback operator
Jerry G. Callaway	....	camera operator
Murray K. Campbell	....	gaffer
Michael P. Henning	....	electrician (as Michael Henning)
John Knight	....	best boy grip
Leo MacWilliam	....	electrician
J. Michael McClary	....	first assistant camera
Fred L. McLane	....	second assistant camera (as Frederick L. McLane)
Ron Phillips	....	still photographer
Tony Poston	....	dolly grip
Kerry Rike	....	key grip
Dave Roberts	....	electrician
Johnny Smith	....	grip
Darrel D. Tawney	....	best boy (as Darrel Tawney)
Philip C. Pfeiffer	....	second camera operator (uncredited)

Casting Department
Robin Boehme	....	extras casting
Shari Rhodes	....	casting: Texas

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jane Greenwood	....	costumes: Betty Buckley's
Elizabeth McBride	....	costumer
Joan Thomas	....	costume assistant

Editorial Department
Norman Buckley	....	second assistant editor
Emily Paine	....	first assistant editor
Charles Simmons	....	location assistant editor (as Charles A. Simmons)
Mary Sweeney	....	apprentice editor

Music Department
Craig Bickhardt	....	composer: "You Are What Love Means to Me"
Sara Busby	....	composer: "If You'll Hold the Ladder" (as Sara B.)
Charlie Craig	....	composer: "The Best Bedroom in Town"
Johnny Cymbal	....	composer: "I'm Drinkin' Canada Dry"
Charles Feldman	....	country music advisor
Bob Ferguson	....	composer: "Wings of a Dove"
Tommy Oliver	....	arranger: country music
Priscilla Owens	....	lyricist: "We Have Heard the Joyful Sound"
Buzz Rabin	....	composer: "If You'll Hold the Ladder"

Other crew
Billy Barnes	....	craft service (as Billy E. Barnes)
Linda Barnes	....	craft service
Dominique Bruballa	....	assistant accountant
Betty A. Buckley	....	production coordinator
Kathleen Caton	....	assistant to producer
Stan Cohen	....	caterer (as Stanley J. Cohen)
Dawn Easterling	....	production assistant
Nick Felix	....	dance instructor
Max Ferris	....	security
Danette Goss Alberts	....	location manager (as Danette Goss)
Karen Hall	....	production secretary
Sandra K. Jantzen	....	production assistant (as Sandy Jantzen)
Charles N. Johnson	....	caterer
John Kane	....	unit publicist
Janet Lucas Lawler	....	first aid (as Janet L. Lawler)
Kathleen McGill	....	production accountant (as Kathy McGill)
Don Miller	....	production accountant
Anne Rapp	....	script supervisor
Erica Rogalla	....	production assistant
Earlane Simpson	....	tutor
Diane Smith	....	assistant to producer

Production Companies

• Antron Media Production
• EMI Films (copyright holder)

Distributors

• EMI Films (1983) (USA) (theatrical) (as EMI) (a member of the Thorn EMI Group)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (USA) (VHS)
• Associated Film Distribution (AFD)
• IDA films (2009) (Spain) (DVD)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• Lumiere Home Video
• Republic Pictures Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• Thorn EMI Video Australia
• Universal Pictures
• VTI Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video

Other Companies

• A&R Recording Inc.  post production services
• Magno Sound  post production services (as Magno Sound, Inc.)
• Optical House, The  titles and optical effects by (as The Optical House, N.Y.)
• Trans / Audio  post production services (as Trans Audio, Inc.)

Runtime:

100 min | 92 min (TCM print)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Singapore:PG | Iceland:L | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Chile:TE | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | USA:PG (PCA #26678) | UK:PG

Filming Locations:

Palmer, Texas, USA

Company:

Antron Media Production

Trivia:

The film was originally released on March 4, 1983 in only three movie theaters in New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago. This was due perhaps in part to poor test screenings - which had caused Universal executives to lose faith in the film - but also because Universal had released the far more expensive and anticipated Scarface (1983) the same year, and was spending most of its advertising budget to promote that film instead. Country music star Willie Nelson was nonetheless one of several country performers who were impressed by the authenticity of Robert Duvall's performance and offered to help promote it, however, studio executives told Duvall that they did not understand how someone like Nelson could help publicize it. Duvall later reflected that this was indicative of the studio's lack of understanding about both the genre and the film.

Quotes:

Woman with Groceries: Hey, mister, were you really Mac Sledge?
Mac Sledge: Yes, ma'm, I guess I was.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Martin Short: Concert for the North Americas (1985) (TV)

Soundtrack:

The Best Bedroom in Town

A Good Film Carried by Robert Duvall's Oscar-Winning Performance

"Tender Mercies" is a strong character study about a washed-up country singer (Robert Duvall, in his Oscar-winning role) who finds the will to live and makes the most of his life. After spending a drunken night at a small motel in Texas, he meets the woman (Tess Harper) who can change his life for the better. She owns the motel and after allowing Duvall to stay for a while by doing odd jobs, she marries him and he starts his transformation. Duvall still has songs to sing, but his heart is just not in it any more. His ex-wife has become a singing star, partly by using the songs that Duvall wrote himself. She has also kept their daughter away from him because she was afraid he might do something in a drunken rage. Duvall comes to terms with everything and shows that he is a changed man. He meets his now-grown daughter (Ellen Barkin) and realizes that everything that has happened has occurred for the right reason. However, tragedy will strike and Duvall will have to show how great a person he really is. "Tender Mercies" is a film that works due to quiet performances, subtle direction, and a smart screenplay. The film runs a crisp 89 minutes, but never feels rushed. Robert Duvall finally got the chance to showcase his acting ability and he does not disappoint. His performance is the greatest attribute here, but this does not mean that everything else is not impressive. 4.5 out of 5 stars.