Songwriter [Blu-ray]

Director: Alan Rudolph Alan Rudolph

Overview

A good ol' boy comedy-drama, Songwriter flashes enough substance between the songs and the hijinks to qualify as a sometimes astute look into the darker areas of the music business. Willie Nelson plays Doc Jenkins, the title character, who conspires with longtime pal Blackie Buck (Kris Kristofferson) to turn the tables on a shady promoter, Rodeo Rocky (Richard Sarafian), who has Doc signed to a contract that is one step short of indentured servitude. Lesley Ann Warren plays Gilda, an up-and-coming country chanteuse whom Doc is tutoring. The rest of the supporting cast is a mix of veteran character players (Rip Torn, Melinda Dillon) and musicians associated with Nelson (Mickey Raphael, Bee Spears, Jody Payne, Johnny Gimble). There are also plenty of musical numbers featuring Nelson and Kristofferson (solo and duets). The musicians/actors went on to co-star in two TV movies, A Pair of Aces and Another Pair of Aces, essentially playing the same kind of good ol' boy characters, though as detectives, not songwriters.

Product Details

Release Date:	03/26/2019
UPC:	0683904633521
Original Release:	1984
Rating:	R
Source:	Sony Pictures Home
Region Code:	A
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Language:	English
Time:	1:34:00
Sales rank:	3,787

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Willie Nelson	Doc Jenkins,Piano, Gilda's Band
Kris Kristofferson	Blackie Buck
Melinda Dillon	Honey Carder
Rip Torn	Dino McLeish
Lesley Ann Warren	Gilda
Mickey Raphael	Arly and Harmonica, Gilda's Band
Rhonda Dotson	Corkie
Richard C. Sarafian	Rodeo Rocky
Robert Gould	Ralph,Ralph
Sage Parker	Pattie McLeish
Shannon Wilcox	Anita
Jeff MacKay	Hogan
Gailard Sartain	Mulreaux
Stephen Bruton	Sam and Roarers Band
Cleve Dupin	Road Manager
B.C. Cooper	Cooper
Poodie Locke	Purvis
Joe Keyes	Eddie
Amanda Bishop	Daughter
Kristin Renfro	Daughter
Sam Allred	Disc Jockey
William Boyd	Blind Tommy's Brother
Steve Fromholtz	Engineer
Johnny Gimble	Fiddle Player
Eloise Schmitt	Girl on Bus
Kate Cadenhead	Groupie
Christi Carafano	Girl in Bed
Joe Gallien	Electronics Engineer
Gates Moore	1st Concert Hall Manager
Larry Gorham	2nd Concert Hall Manager
Jackie King	Guitar Player
Catherine Molloy	Doc's Girl Friend
Bobby Rambo	Party Guest
Michael Reesburg	Roarer Roadie
John Shaw	Cashier
Pete Stauber	Vacuum Cleaner Salesman
Larry Trader	Golf Roadie
Priscilla Dougherty	Incredulous Woman
Paul English	Drums, Gilda's Band
Bee Spears	Bass, Gilda's Band
Jody Payne	Guitar, Gilda's Band
Grady Martin	Guitar, Gilda's Band
Booker T. Jones	Keyboard, Gilda's Band
Billy Swann	Roarers Band
Donnie Fritts	Roarers Band
Sammy Creason	Roarers Band
Tommy McClure	Roarers Band
Glen Clark	Roarers Band
Steve Fromholz	Engineer

Technical Credits

Edwin Shrake

Mike Moder	Executive Producer
Sydney Pollack	Producer
Alan Rudolph	Director
Edwin Shrake	Screenwriter

Editorial Reviews

Though not the surprise hit that Honeysuckle Rose, Willie Nelson's first starring vehicle, turned out to be, Songwriter serves as a scruffy, but in surprising ways, more substantial companion piece. Nelson essentially plays himself in both films, a country musician who'd rather play and sing than worry about messy details in life like marital fidelity (Honeysuckle Rose) or the details of contracts (Songwriter). The value of this film, aside from watching Nelson and Kris Kristofferson try to out-cool one another, is its insight into the music business. Bud Shrake's script doesn't stint on the musical numbers and the horseplay, but it also deftly weaves a story of betrayal among the rowdier moments. The way Shrake (and presumably, Nelson and Kristofferson) see it, businessmen take the lion's share of the booty by manipulating naïve or simply powerless recording artists into unfair long-term contracts. If it weren't for the generally gregarious personalities of the stars, this film might have had an even sharper edge. One wonders what the same story starring a harder case like Waylon Jennings might have turned out to be.

All Movie Guide - Tom Wiener