COUNTRY GOLD
US, 1982, 96 minutes, Colour.
Loni Anderson, Earl Holliman, Denis Dugan, Linda Hamilton, Cooper Huckabee, Lee Richardson, Robert Keith.
Directed by Gilbert Cates.
Country Gold is designed for country and western music fans. However, it is an entertaining melodrama about human relationships.
It is strongly based on All About Eve with Loni Anderson in the Bette Davis role and Linda Hamilton, very effective in the Ann Baxter role. Dennis Dugan, as Loni Anderson's costumier and make-up man, has some of the acidic lines associated with George Sanders in the original.
The setting is Nashville, the awards for country and western music, Loni Anderson as a rather tired star, Earl Holliman her husband. Newcomer Linda Hamilton infiltrates her way into the competition - and betrays everyone with whom she comes in contact.
Direction is-by Gilbert Cates (I Never Sang for My Father, To All My Friends on Shore and many other telemovies).
1. Entertaining melodrama? The musical scene in Nashville? Country and western? The basis of the screenplay in All About Eve? The correspondence of the characters? Situations?
2. The use of Nashville locations, the city of Nashville, the buildings, the music world? The range of country and western songs included? The concerts, competitions, awards?
3. The title and the focus on country and western? The winning of awards?
4. The focus on Loni Anderson as Molly Dean? Her appearance, the Dolly Parton touch, her wigs, her folksy way of speaking? Her background, Wade and his having made a success of her? The relationship between Molly Dean and Wade? The story of the child, the adoption, her blaming Wade? Her tiring of the
limelight, wanting to go away? The encounter with Josie, the initial friendship, the day out together, shopping, Josie ingratiating herself into Molly Dean's company?
5. Daryl and his suspicions and comments? The rehearsals and concerts? Josie doing the messages, Molly Dean aware of what was happening? The concert and her interrupting, singing her hit song and belittling Josie? The humiliation by the newspaper reporters, Wade telling his story to Josie? The decision to go away, back to the country, the farm? Daryl and his pleading? Wade and his coming back, her forgiveness? The decision to go back to the awards, winning the award? Defeating Josie? A sketch of country and western star? The complications of business? Treading over people? Manipulation?
6. Wade, his background, manager, love for Molly Dean, exasperation with her, drugs? His using Josie without realising it? Relying on her, impressed by her singing, sending messages? Believing her? The clash with Molly Dean, the confrontation, tantrums? Josie and her seduction of Wade, getting him to tell his story, the night together? Using the story? Wide coming to his senses? Going to Molly Dean, the reconciliation by the finale?
6. Linda Hamilton as Josie, her coming on to the scene, her Nashville, getting the drink, her record, her ambitions, going with Molly Dean, the introduction to the guitar player, her liaison with him? taking with Molly Dean to the interview, the radio interview and her telling her story? Taking Molly Dean for the outing? Ingratiating herself into her friendship? Becoming reliable, doing the messages? The decision to lie about the timing and the concert? Her getting out of the situation, going on stage and singing? Upstaged by Molly Dean? Her use of Riley and betraying him? The seduction of Wade? Getting the story, telling it, showing the prescription to
the newspaper reporter? Her lack of scruple? The scenes with the former boyfriend seeing her? The truth? The contract and the big businessman using her - and the story about her Pennsylvania background, education, marriage, stealing her husband's song? Her hoping to win? The blend of ingenuous with calculating? Her ultimate defeat?
7. Daryl, his camp style, rousing on Molly Dean, attentive to her, the many years, wise advice, reconciliation?
8. Riley and his place in the band, attracted by Josie, with her, used by her, disillusioned, spoiling her recording?
9. The publicity people, the reporters, their wanting stories, interviews, parties, the awards?
10. The real-life stars and their roles in the film, the awards, competing, singing? The world of Nashville and country gold?
11. The film as a piece of Americana? American music? Relationships, show business, ambition, lack of scruples?
