Simple, heartwarming tale of much loved country singer/songwriter Loretta Lynn and her life from poor "Coal Miner's Daughter" to the world's biggest country and western female since Patsy Clein.
What makes the film such a winner is the infectious, homely screenplay from Tom Rickman, the down to earth direction from Michael Apted and the strong central performance from Sissy Spacek.
Tom Rickman's balanced adaptation of the autobiographical novel by Loretta Lynn and George Vecsey makes the astute direction of Apted look all the more impressive with its ability to tell a plain old, grass roots story and give it real warmth and humanity.
But really, top marks to Spacek who won an Academy Award for her portrayal of the simple, back woods hillbilly from Butcher Holler, Kentucky who took the world by storm with "Honky Tonk Girl", "You Ain't Woman Enough" and many other fine country hits. Credit also to the support cast, including Tommy Lee Jones as DoLittle Lynn, the young soldier who married the thirteen year old Loretta, and after rather lacking understanding for her needs, discovered her raw talent for singing and strumming a guitar. Beverly D'Angelo pops in as the late, great Patsy Clein who befriends young Loretta and takes her under wing.
Ralf D. Bode captures Kentucky and Tennessee with skill, editor Arthur Schmidt is on the ball while those tunes come from you know who.
P.S. Spacek and D'Angelo sang the songs themselves. Incredible!
Wednesday, December 4, 1996 - Video
What makes the film such a winner is the infectious, homely screenplay from Tom Rickman, the down to earth direction from Michael Apted and the strong central performance from Sissy Spacek.
Tom Rickman's balanced adaptation of the autobiographical novel by Loretta Lynn and George Vecsey makes the astute direction of Apted look all the more impressive with its ability to tell a plain old, grass roots story and give it real warmth and humanity.
But really, top marks to Spacek who won an Academy Award for her portrayal of the simple, back woods hillbilly from Butcher Holler, Kentucky who took the world by storm with "Honky Tonk Girl", "You Ain't Woman Enough" and many other fine country hits. Credit also to the support cast, including Tommy Lee Jones as DoLittle Lynn, the young soldier who married the thirteen year old Loretta, and after rather lacking understanding for her needs, discovered her raw talent for singing and strumming a guitar. Beverly D'Angelo pops in as the late, great Patsy Clein who befriends young Loretta and takes her under wing.
Ralf D. Bode captures Kentucky and Tennessee with skill, editor Arthur Schmidt is on the ball while those tunes come from you know who.
P.S. Spacek and D'Angelo sang the songs themselves. Incredible!
Wednesday, December 4, 1996 - Video