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Despite having four children by the age of twenty Loretta's
husband pushes her into a singing career in hillbilly country.
She works her way around the honky-tonk music circuit and
eventually reaches the big time, The Grand Ole Opry. There,
Loretta forms a close relationship with the reigning country
music star Patsy Cline (Beverly D'Angelo).
When Patsy dies in an air crash Loretta is 'Queen Of Country'.
It's a title she doesn't want and husband Doolittle can't
handle her fame.
Coal Miner's Daughter portrays a bittersweet 'rags to riches'
story.
English director, Michael Apted (Agatha, Gorillas in the
Mist, Nell) treats the Appalachian Mountain area with the
realism one expects from Newcastle or Birmingham. And the
script is right for the subject.
"If you born in the mountains, you got three choices;
coal mine, moonshine, or moving on down the line".
"This pie ain't the only thing salty about you".
This film captures the magic of Country & Western assisted
by a guest appearance by the legendary Ernest Tubbs. The leading
ladies are outstanding, using their own voices to sing the
works of such famous stars and display the talent that won
an Oscar for Cissy Spacek and the film a raft of nominations.
Casting and performances of the support actors is excellent;
so good, only one can be singled out… Tommy Lee Jones
plays a complex character in an odd personal relationship
with empathy.
A good story, well-acted and with toe-tapping music, what
more do you want?
Conclusion: Movie 90% Extras 20%
Continued:
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