Sweet Dreams (1985 film)

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Sweet Dreams

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Karel Reisz
Produced by Bernard Schwartz
Written by Robert Getchell
Starring Jessica Lange
Ed Harris
Music by Charles Gross
Cinematography Robbie Greenberg
Editing by Malcolm Cooke
Distributed by TriStar Pictures
Release date(s) October 2, 1985
Running time 115 min.
Country United States
Language English
Allmovie profile
IMDb profile

Sweet Dreams is a 1985 biographical film which tells the life story of country music singer Patsy Cline.

The movie was written by Robert Getchell and directed by Karel Reisz. It stars Jessica Lange, Ed Harris, Ann Wedgeworth, David Clennon, James Staley, Gary Basaraba and John Goodman.

The movie was nominated for Academy Award for Best Actress (Jessica Lange). For all the musical sequences, Lange lip-synced to the original Patsy Cline recordings.

Contents

[edit] Plot summary

Patsy Cline is unhappily married and playing small-time gigs in West Virginia when she meets Charlie Dick, whose charm and aggressive self-confidence catch her attention. In time, Cline leaves her husband to marry Dick, and she gives up music to focus on raising their children. But after Dick goes into the United States Army, Cline begins singing again, and after joining forces with manager Randy Hughes, Cline becomes a rising star on the country music scene.

However, Cline's success fuels her self-confidence, much to Dick's annoyance, and he becomes increasingly abusive (both physically and emotionally) as she attempts to assert her independence. Cline was at the peak of her popularity as one of the first great female stars of country music when she died in a plane crash on March 5, 1963 at the age of 30.

[edit] Trivia

Many of the sequences depicted in the film were inaccurate:

  • Cline and her brother were not on their way to pick up beer when she nearly lost her life in a 1961 car crash. They were on their way to pick up material for her mother, a seamstress, to make her new stage clothes.
  • Cline's husband, Charlie Dick, and their daughter, Julie, have both stated that Dick never hit Cline in front of their daughter. In fact, Dick states that he only slapped Cline once for becoming hysterical. Those related to Cline state that, in the scenes, Cline was portrayed more as a victim than she actually was. "Their fights were always interesting to watch because you always knew Patsy would win" claimed friend Dottie West.
  • Cline's plane crashed in the early evening hours into a forest, (not a mountain), in Camden, Tennessee, due to bad weather. Her manager/pilot was not air plane instrument trained and lost control in the weather.
  • Cline's mother, the late Hilda Hensely, once stated: "They (the producers) told me that they were going to make a love story. I saw the film once. That was enough."

[edit] Main cast

Actor Role
Jessica Lange Patsy Cline
Ed Harris Charlie Dick
Ann Wedgeworth Hilda Hensley
David Clennon Randy Hughes
James Staley Gerard Cline
Gary Basaraba Woodhouse
John Goodman Otis
P. J. Soles Wanda


[edit] External links

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