TENDER MERCIES (1983)

Title: TENDER MERCIES

Year of Release: 1983

Director: Bruce Beresford

Genre: Drama

Synopsis: The personal, and professional lives of a former country music singer, who is now remarried, with a stepson.

Within a film history context: Movies which showcase a male country music singer were many times featured before TENDER MERCIES, mainly with a musical theme, and in other instances a more dramatic background. One of the first was Otto Brower and B. Reeves Eason's Western serial THE PHANTOM EMPIRE (1935). Starring Gene Autry as a singing cowboy, it was in twelve instalments, and combined music, adventure and science fiction. THE PHANTOM EMPIRE was later made into a feature film released in 1940, again with Mr Autry. In a lighter vein was THE OLD HOMESTEAD (1942), directed by Frank McDonald. A family of country music singers was the focus of this musical comedy movie, with the Vaudevillian Weaver troupe the leads. Many of the films in the period were mainly of this persuasion, being light entertainment vehicles with country music stars and tunes featured, such as NATIONAL BARN DANCE (1944), JAMBOREE (1944), and HOLLYWOOD BARN DANCE (1947). Into the 1950s and beyond, more varied depictions of country music singers began to appear on screens.

Hal Kanter's LOVING YOU (1957) starred Elvis Presley as Deke, a delivery man who becomes a country music singer. More intricate than the films of the 1940s with its complicated, well-drawn characters, such as the scheming Glenda, Deke's manager, it was a change from the home-spun films of the 1940s and before with their simpler plots. COUNTRY MUSIC HOLIDAY (1958), directed by Alvin Ganzer, was closer to the 1940s films in its execution, detailing the life of a country music singer with many tunes and some romance thrown in. The biography of country music star Hank Williams was the focus of Gene Nelson's YOUR CHEATIN' HEART (1964). Paying attention to both Mr Williams' career and personal life, it was a great role for George Hamilton in the lead part. Of a different tone was BABY THE RAIN MUST FALL (1965), directed by Robert Mulligan. In a small Texas town, a man returns home after being in jail, and tries to adjust to life, with strained results. It was notable as the main character performed several country music songs through the course of the movie, but the film itself was of a decidedly dramatic, rather than musical, orientation. 

Jay Sheridan's NASHVILLE REBEL (1966), presented country music singer Waylon Jennings in the main role of a young man just ending his stint in the army, and becoming involved in singing. COUNTRY BOY (1966), directed by Joseph Kane, was about a young man who becomes a country singer, but who is taken advantage of by his unscrupulous talent agent. Another take on country music singers was on view in Jean Yarbrough's HILLBILLYS IN A HAUNTED HOUSE (1967). Two country singers are en route to Nashville with their band, but become involved with spies when their car breakdown occurs at a spooky house. PAYDAY (1973), directed by Daryl Duke, was about a footloose and highly immoral country music singer, tracking all his activities in an utterly compelling manner. Similar in execution was Paul Lynch's THE HARD PART BEGINS (1973). It also dealt with a morally dubious country music singer, and his mangled life. 

Lighter in tone was HONEYSUCKLE ROSE (1980), directed by Jerry Schatzberg. Following the life of a married country singer with a family, he falls for a younger woman in this drama with Willie Nelson in the lead role. With Ronald Maxwell's THE NIGHT THE LIGHTS WENT OUT IN GEORGIA (1981), a country music singer enters Nashville hoping to hit it big, his sister as his manager, but their lives are affected by their involvements with others. HONKYTONK MAN (1983), directed by Clint Eastwood, centered around a terminally ill country singer wanting to visit Nashville's Grand Ole Spry music festival to become famous, with his nephew in tow, but life treats him to a bittersweet procession of events. TENDER MERCIES was one of the more serious, thoughtful examinations of a male country music singer in the genre.

The movie was far removed from the portrayals of country singers from the 1930s and 1940s, which had an emphasis on comedy, action, and musical set pieces. There was also an innocence to these films, and they did not as such probe deeper into their country singers' lives, keeping matters on a more one-dimensional manner. TENDER MERCIES had more in common with the films which appeared onscreen after the 1950s such as LOVING YOU, COUNTRY MUSIC HOLIDAY, YOUR CHEATIN' HEART, BABY THE RAIN MUST FALL, PAYDAY, THE HARD PART BEGINS, HONEYSUCKLE ROSE, and HONKYTONK MAN. In these movies, there is a dramatic background which supports the story of the particular country singer, which is something that TENDER MERCIES also exemplifies. TENDER MERCIES has affinities to both BABY THE RAIN MUST FALL, and THE HARD PART BEGINS in its similar country singer with a hard life, but with PAYDAY, the comparisons grow. 

TENDER MERCIES is akin to a family-oriented version of PAYDAY, also with a rough around the edges male country singer. Where TENDER MERCIES diverts is in its more upbeat presentation. Mac Sledge has a wife, and stepson, who help him with both his personal demons, and family issues. On the other hand, Maury Dann from PAYDAY is on an unending slippery slide of events, many of which he himself instigated. Mac in TENDER MERCIES is on the road to personal recovery, staying grounded with his family, while Maury in PAYDAY is on an irrevocable road to ruin. PAYDAY also presents certain situations, such as Maury's drug addiction, propensity for changing women, and coarse language, from which TENDER MERCIES shies away. TENDER MERCIES alludes to certain events within the course of its running time, but does not delve as sharply as PAYDAY into its protagonist's devils onscreen. This makes it a more subtle film which treats its protagonist as a more moral figure who wants a second chance at life. One of the best of the movies about a country music singer, TENDER MERCIES wins with its compelling presentation.

Overview: Bruce Beresford is an Australian director who has made films in his native country, Britain, and the United States. Presiding over thirty-three motion pictures in a forty-six year time span, he has tackled comedy, drama, period themes, coming of age, thrillers, and crime, to name a few genres. His first film, THE ADVENTURES OF BARRY MCKENZIE (1972), was a comedy about an Australian man who travels to the United Kingdom, and the humor which emerges from his reactions to being in unforeseen situations there. It was very successful at the Australian box office, and Mr Beresford also directed the sequel, BARRY MACKENZIE HOLDS HIS OWN, released in 1974. His next notable movie was DON'S PARTY (1976). Based upon a play by David Williamson, following the lives of characters during election night in 1969 Australia, its language and nudity distinguished it at the time for its uninhibitedness. THE GETTING OF WISDOM (1977), was another step forward for Bruce Beresford. The tale of a young woman in 1890s Australia, and her coming of age, was both a financial, and critical success. BREAKER MORANT (1980), was another prestigious production for the director. The tale of a court martial of three lieutenants in 1902, and the fallout of this event, was a triumph not only for its director but also its cast, including Jack Thompson, Edward Woodward, John Waters, and Bryan Brown. 

THE CLUB (1980), examined the machinations of an Australian football club, highlighting the personalities behind the hoopla. Bruce Beresford traversed into more youthful territory with PUBERTY BLUES (1981). Following the adventures of two surfer girls in Sydney, Australia, it was another success for the director in his realistic oeuvre. THE FRINGE DWELLERS (1986), was about an Aboriginal family, charting their difficulties in assimilating into white society. Although critically acclaimed, the movie was not a success at the Australian box office. Next came comedy-drama CRIMES OF THE HEART (1986). A showcase for actresses Sissy Spacek, Diane Keaton, and Jessica Lange, it was the story of three sisters, and how they handle the passing of their mother. HER ALIBI (1989), was a definite change of pace for Mr Beresford. An author of mystery novels falls for a Romanian woman suspected of murder in this enjoyable, underrated romantic comedy. DRIVING MISS DAISY (1989), was a different story altogether. The relationship between an elderly widow and her black chauffeur in the American South was a charming, unexpected box office success which won four Oscars, and had positive critical notices. Bruce Beresford then tackled another movie based on race issues, being MISTER JOHNSON (1990). In this film, a Nigerian man who works for the British strives to be seen as an equal by his colonial employers in 1920s Nigeria. 

BLACK ROBE (1991), was yet another sojourn into a past time for the director. This time around, it followed the journey of a missionary in Canada, with the many trials and travails he suffers considered. It was back to contemporary society with RICH IN LOVE (1992) for Mr Beresford, set in South Carolina. A wife and mother leaves her family, and how they cope with this predicament is the crux for the film, especially the daughter's reaction to this event. There was a move into more intense, psychological territory with SILENT FALL (1994). A young autistic boy witnesses the brutal murders of his parents, and a psychiatrist is assigned to uncover the truth from his recollections, but matters are more complicated than first meet the eye. War themes again came to the fore in PARADISE ROAD (1997). Set in World War II, a group of women from various countries are imprisoned by the Japanese, and set up a band to prop themselves up in light of their conditions. At the end of the decade DOUBLE JEOPARDY (1999), arrived on screen. A tale of murder and suspense, replete with a terrorized heroine, it rang the box office bell to a hearty tune. 

The new millennium brought BRIDE OF THE WIND (2001) from Bruce Beresford. A loose biographical account of the life of Alma Mahler, wife of composer Gustav Mahler, it was unsuccessful financially for its studio. EVELYN (2002), was another period piece from the director. Set in 1953 Ireland, it was based upon the true story of a troubled man who loses custody of his children when his wife abandons him, and their offspring. THE CONTRACT (2006), also explored family relationships, this time between a father and his son. A father and son team up to capture an assassin, but face opposition from the criminal's cohorts, who seek to stop them in their tracks. MAO'S LAST DANCER (2009), was another instance where the director looked at a real-life figure. The delineation of ballet dancer Li Cunxin's life in China, to his ballet triumphs in the United States, are all depicted in this biopic. MR. CHURCH (2016), was the inspirational story of an African American man who is employed by a white woman as a domestic cook, and the relationship which develops between the man, woman, and her daughter. Bruce Beresford's last film to date is LADIES IN BLACK (2018). It is the study of a number of employees in a Sydney department store in the late 1950s, concentrating upon their personal lives. TENDER MERCIES was Bruce Beresford's eleventh movie, first American picture, and one of his most notable works.

Bruce Beresford has made a beautiful, meditative work in TENDER MERCIES, in line with his other ruminative films. The story of a down on his luck country singer, his subsequent marriage to a widowed gas station owner with a young son, and his previous family, and professional entanglements, have been vividly portrayed by the director. It is a movie with a unique aura, tone, and mood, making everything clear to the audience about what makes the characters tick, and why do what they do. Narrative events are never rushed, and characters are all three-dimensional, their actions making sense. It is not a case of wild story decisions which disrupt the flow in TENDER MERCIES. The movie is one of the most character-driven ever captured on film, and this is one of its greatest strengths. The picture is winningly subtle, never banging viewers over the head with irrelevant information. While this sense of subtlety is something to be admired, it admittedly does impact upon some areas of the movie.

TENDER MERCIES is so understated in its presentation that it loses the opportunity at times to involve the audience even more in what is taking place. It has the characters, and the story which are both winners, but the inclusion of several key scenes would have added immeasurably to its power. A number of examples come to mind. Mac and Rosa Lee marry early in the movie, but one does not see the wedding. While the viewer witnesses their various marital issues throughout the film, it is a letdown that such an important event is never shown. Dixie is the mother of Sue Ann, but they do not share a single scene as mother and daughter. The reaction to her daughter's death is palpable, but not seeing them together is jarring. In addition, TENDER MERCIES lost out on a golden opportunity to bring both Rosa Lee and Dixie into the same room. Having the present, and former wives of Mac, being two strong, but very different women, share a scene would have been stunning, but this never occurs. It leaves one with the feeling that the movie is underdone in some areas when it should have been even more stellar. Nevertheless, despite these omissions, TENDER MERCIES is a great picture to which the director has given his keen eye in presenting a striking story.

Acting: TENDER MERCIES has a number of meaningful performances. As Mac Sledge, the hardened country music singer, Robert Duvall is in one of his best roles. An actor with a quiet edge who, in other parts, seems to disappear into the background, this movie is a proper showcase for his talents. Mac's wife Rosa Lee is given honesty and charm by Tess Harper. With her penetrating glare which shows that she means business, Miss Harper excels as Mac's wife, and mother of Sonny. Mac's vampy ex-wife, country singer Dixie, Rosa Lee's polar opposite, is made memorable by Betty Buckley. With her sudden and unexpected changes in mood and general volatility, Dixie is another distinctive character in TENDER MERCIES. Three other actors leave an indelible impact on TENDER MERCIES.

In his only screen role, Allan Hubbard makes his role as Rosa Lee's son Sonny memorable. As a young boy doing his best to adjust to having a stepfather, and teasing at school, Mr Hubbard's Sonny is a realistic portrait of a young boy in trying circumstances. Mac and Dixie's daughter Sue Anne is played with precision by Ellen Barkin. Speaking in a low tone for her appearances, and using her eyes to convey meaning, Miss Barkin wins in her part. The final acting of note in TENDER MERCIES was by Lenny von Dohlen as Robert, a young man in a country band who sees Mac as his idol. A handsome performer with an amiable pathos who many times took on unconventional roles in his career, here plays the aspiring musician with magnetism, and conviction.

Soundtrack: For a movie about a musician, TENDER MERCIES takes a pleasingly spare, natural approach to its soundtrack. The film does not feature non-stop tunes which can become grating in other instances; instead employing a cleaner presentation in this respect. There are many scenes scattered throughout the film where Man practices his music on the guitar, which gives a nice insight into the workings of its musician character. Aside from this, TENDER MERCIES has other diegetic music in the form of Mac's public performances with the band, and Dixie's at the concert hall. In terms of non-diegetic music, it is also utilized occasionally, but never punctuates scenes, only enhancing their muted emotional effect for viewers.

Mise-en-scene: The onscreen experience is one of the best features of TENDER MERCIES. The rugged, beautiful landscapes which the movie spotlights so well are indeed one of the stars of the movie. Rosa Lee's gas station and home, in particular, cast a non-verbal comment upon the difficult lives of the characters, which are at the same time satisfying, and well-lived. Interiors such as Rosa Lee's home, the elaborate excesses of Dixie's mansion, her dressing room at the venue, to name just a few, are all true to life, courtesy of set decorator Daniel Loren May. Russell Boyd's cinematography has an orangey tone, providing not only a feel of comfort and earthiness but also, in keeping with the film's solemn tone.

Notable Acting Performances: Robert Duvall, Tess Harper, Betty Buckley, Allan Hubbard, Ellen Barkin, Lenny von Dohlen. 

Suitability for young viewers: Parental discretion advised. Adult themes.

Overall Grade: B

Link: IMDB Page

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COOL BREEZE (1972)

Title: COOL BREEZE

Year of Release: 1972

Director: Barry Pollack

Genre: Blaxploitation, Drama

Synopsis: A group of people gather to pull off a bank heist in Los Angeles.

Within a film history context: The early to mid-1970s saw a great number of films, coined as Blaxploitation movies, with African American protagonists in central roles, often supported by Caucasian actors in smaller parts. These films continue to be made to the present day. There were many notable movies which explored the Blaxploitation theme in vastly different ways. One of the first with an African American actor in the lead was Robert Downey Sr.'s PUTNEY SWOPE (1969). Arnold Johnson was the main character, the eponymous Putney Swope, being an advertising executive, in a sharply satirical film that was shot in stark black and white. COTTON COMES TO HARLEM (1970), directed by Ossie Davis, was another influential film. With its colorful characters and presentation, a sequel was produced in 1972, COME BACK CHARLESTON BLUE, that was not as warmly received as the original. COTTON COMES TO HARLEM's humor, and spurts of violence, became a feature of other films in the Blaxploitation genre. 

Paul Bogart's HALLS OF ANGER (1970), was utterly different in style and tone from other movies in the genre. Centering around the arrival of white students in a predominately black school, igniting racial tensions, with the return of a black teacher there. It was a thoughtful film that offered no easy answers to race relations, but opened the door to further discourse about these. More exploitative was SOUL SOLDIER (1970), directed by John Cardos. Set during the Civil War, it was the story of a black man in a regiment managed by a white man, and whose cast included actors such as Barbara Hale and Cesar Romero. Topical in nature was Ralph Nelson's TICK, TICK, TICK (1970). With Jim Brown as the black sheriff of a small town simmering with racial tensions, it was a film that traded less in violence than others in the genre, and  with more of a solid storyline than most. A comical take on race relations was on view in WATERMELON MAN (1970), directed by Melvin Van Peebles. With a mainly black cast, it was a fish out of water story with a white insurance man finding himself to be black after waking up one morning. It is remembered mainly for its comic atmosphere, witty asides, and the strength of the performances. 1971 brought more films that explored the Blaxploitation angle in various ways.

One of the rarest of these was Wendell Franklin's THE BUS IS COMING (1971). A young black Vietnam veteran returns home and discovers his brother was murdered by racist police officers, with revenge on the soldier's mind. A subdued, serious examination of racism in a small town, it was a well-made, convincing story that eschewed violence and sex, and made up for this in sheer story. Unlike other movies, HONKY (1971), directed by William A. Graham, had romance on its mind. The story of an interracial love that involved narcotics, it was a change of pace for the Blaxploitation genre. The arrival on screen in 1971 of one of the most influential films in the genre stood out - Gordon Parks' SHAFT. The story of a black detective, and the special case for which he was hired, it made a star of its lead actor Richard Roundtree, and its fashionable blend of violence, sex and salty language spawned several sequels, and a television series. Another breakout film in the genre also appeared in cinemas in 1971 - SWEET SWEETBACK'S BAADASSSSS SONG, directed by Melvin Van Peebles. Notorious for its sex, nudity, language and violence, it was a film that pushed many buttons in the day, and was 'X' rated upon its initial release. A groundbreaking film in 1971, it is still powerful today, time not diminishing its potency. COOL BREEZE was one of the most convoluted of the blaxploitation movies, despite featuring a hive of activity onscreen.

Although it showcased many African American actors and actresses in major roles, COOL BREEZE did not have the grace of a compelling storyline. It followed the release of a criminal from jail, and how he and his cohorts seek to establish a community bank with the funds of a jewel heist. Unlike examples such as THE BUS IS COMING and SWEET SWEETBACK'S BAADASSSSS SONG, which were telling examinations of crime and punishment, COOL BREEZE was too diffuse in this regard to make a proper impact. It was observant of people and events, as with PUTNEY SWOPE and COTTON COMES TO HARLEM, but lacked the humor which made those movies particularly notable. It rambled to a great degree, and had too many stories, and characters, which eroded the picture as a whole. There was an abundance of action in COOL BREEZE, but very little that was emotionally palpable.

Other facets of the movie are worthy of dissection in comparison to other Blaxploitation pictures. In terms of violence, it was surprisingly tame, although one scene did showcase a character's death which was shocking to witness. COOL BREEZE was also quite spare in its sexual themes in comparison to SWEET SWEETBACK'S BAADASSSSS SONG and SHAFT. There was a prolonged bed scene between the preacher and his wife in the movie, but the other scenes were shorter in duration. The scenes of female nudity also recalled notions of African American female sexuality present in COTTON COMES TO HARLEM and SWEET SWEETBACK'S BAADASSSSS SONG for their explicit attention to detail. COOL BREEZE had several female characters, and the contrast between these was interesting to witness. In particular, the differences between Bill Mercer's wife Emma, and his mistress, gave the movie a slight melancholic feel of reality which worked on a more subtle level. This adultery subplot was one of the film's best moments, giving it an air of reality among all the derring-do. An interesting but failed Blaxploitation movie, COOL BREEZE was a frustrating viewing experience.

Overview: Barry Pollack is an American director who has helmed three motion pictures in his career, making his debut in 1972, and, after a long break, his third movie in 2014. Between he changed careers and became an emergency room physician, contributing as a medical advisor to various prime time television shows in the 1980s. Mr Pollack's second film, THIS IS A HIJACK (1973), was a crime picture about a man in serious debt due to gambling, who aims to hijack a plane to collect a ransom, but life treats him to more than a few surprises in the process. Barry Pollack's most recent effort was IT'S NOT A DATE (2014). A black comedy of a romance between a man and a woman which sours, it featured Eric Roberts, and wife Eliza Roberts in roles. COOL BREEZE is Barry Pollack's most-recognized film, but not one of his best movies.

With COOL BREEZE, Barry Pollack has, unfortunately, made an uneven motion picture. The story of a jewel heist arranged by a number of people, seeking to fund a community bank, and various other activities, it is a watchable, but flawed motion picture. There are a number of reasons why this is so. One of the main issues with COOL BREEZE is that it has too many characters, and consequently, an abundance of stories taking place. It does not have a central core character with whom the audience can identify, and this precipitates in a vast number of people swimming around in the narrative. While multi-character narratives do exist and have been done well in other films, it is not the case here. There is just too much going on to conjure a real sense of excitement, or involvement, in COOL BREEZE. Events just occur in a pedestrian manner one after the other, without fanfare. If it concentrated on a character such as crime kingpin Bill Mercer, for example, with a more limited set of characters revolving around him, it would have worked better. Other liabilities are evident when watching COOL BREEZE.

The movie does have a realism and grittiness about it which is one of its best qualities. One could easily picture the action taking place as it does possess a vividness in its choice of locations and backgrounds. The attention to sexual matters, and female nudity, though, is one of the features which feels forced. One of the most risible sequences in COOL BREEZE is that of the preacher in bed with his wife, which reeks of exploitation. It takes up time unnecessarily when other stories were starving for attention. The best thread in the movie is that of gangster Bill Mercer, and his bitter, wheelchair-bound wife Emma. Her blasting of him, and his extramarital affair in a great scene, was an eye-opening moment, but they were not shown together enough. Likewise engrossing were Bill's scenes with his mistress, and his gunning down by the police. Unfortunately, his mistress' reaction to his killing is not shown, only her oral cries and whimpering which are effective, but insubstantial. The viewer is robbed by not seeing certain scenes which would have added considerably to the film. Meaty scenes are discarded to the advantage of less compelling material. An ambitious if unbalanced movie, COOL BREEZE is one of the most disappointing examples in the blaxploitation genre.

Acting: There are several excellent acting contributions in COOL BREEZE which stand out. As Bill Mercer, businessman with his finger in a number of pies, Raymond St. Jacques makes his gangster character human despite his illicit activities. An actor with a relaxed but world-weary aura, he makes Bill a compelling figure in the movie. Bill's wife Emma is made memorable by Royce Wallace. Miss Wallace is on fire as the wheelchair-bound Emma, chewing up her husband for his life and extra-marital affair, but ensuring that her pain is evident for all viewer to see. The other party in this merry go round, Lark, Bill's mistress, is given sympathetic treatment by Margaret Avery. Not one's typical cunning cinematic other woman, Miss Avery provides Lark with a passion and cuteness which is in contrast to Emma's cattiness, with Lark's love for the older Bill understandable. The final acting of note in COOL BREEZE is by John Lupton as Lieutenant Holster. In the limited time he has on screen, Mr Lupton scores as the handsome policeman with his dry, seen it all before attitude, which gives Bill's final scene a real-world perspective.

Soundtrack: Solomon Burke's insistent theme song, from the opening credits, highlights COOL BREEZE's action-packed orientation. Incidental music is played at various times in the movie, generally during the moments of crime and pandemonium but also, the quieter scenes such Lark massaging Bill's hands. The closing credits features 'Get Up and Do Something for Yourself' which is another funky tune that suitably sums up the action in COOL BREEZE.

Mise-en-scene: Due attention has been made in creating a convincing visual experience for viewers in COOL BREEZE. Cinematography by Andrew Davis captures the various indoor, and outdoor locations with finesse, keeping the color stock on an even, naturalistic keel, and never upstaging the action. This is not a film steeped in glamour, and the photography emphasizes this well. Art direction by Jack Fisk is impressive, creating a story world that looks and feels real, as if actual people utilize these places. Examples such as the diner, backrooms, church, and Bill Mercer's home, to name a few, ooze authenticity. These also make valid comments upon the socioeconomic positions of its many characters in a subtle, metaphoric manner.

Notable Acting Performances: Raymond St. Jacques, Royce Wallace, Margaret Avery, John Lupton.

Suitability for young viewers: No. Infrequent coarse language, female nudity, adult themes, high-level violence.

Overall Grade: D

Link: IMDB Page

Trailer