THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS

US, 1982, 114 minutes, Colour.
Burt Reynolds, Dolly Parton, Dom DeLuise?, Charles Durning, Jim Nabors, Lois Nettleton.
Directed by Colin Higgins.

The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas was a popular Broadway musical based on a real brothel in Texas. The musical has all the style of the popular Broadway show and tongue in cheek reticent presentation of the reality of the brothel and Miss Mona and the girls there. This ambiguous style is continued in the film version with the casting of Dolly Parton in the role of Miss Mona and in the dialogue she partly sends up her image (and reality)! She is a vigorous Miss Mona in the country and western style. Burt Reynolds is pleasantly laconic and humorous in the role of the sheriff. They have a pleasant song together, "Sneakin' Around".

The supporting cast is both good and bad: Charles Durning excellent as the sitting on the fence Governor with his excellent song and dance routine: "Dance a Little Sidestep"; bad in Dom DeLuise's mugging as the self centred television watchdog. Jim Nabors and Lois Nettleton have quite good supporting roles. The film in many ways has its cake and eats it, presenting all the vulgarity of the Chicken Ranch, especially with the dance routine of the footballers ending their match and moving towards the whorehouse to Burt and Dolly sitting by the river, reminiscing about their ambitions and quoting the Old Testament, Jesus at Cana and his forgiveness of Mary Magdalene. The film is quite colourful, but not on the level of so many adaptations of successful Broadway musicals.

1. The popularity of the musical on stage? The film being one of the main box office successes in the U.S. in 1982? The film as a star vehicle for Burt Reynolds and Dolly Parton? The film echoing the musical comedy styles of the '70s and '80s?

2. The title and the Texas legend? The blend of the bawdy and the innocent, the clean and the nice and the dirty? The emphasis of the prologue, Miss Mona's comments on her house, the lyrics of the songs indicating this ambiguity?

3. Panavision colour photography? The Texas setting, the Chicken Ranch, the town, Austin? The contrast with the artificial TV world? Atmosphere of the film, its lavish style?

4. The songs and the choreography in comparison with other musicals? Dolly Parton and her contribution, especially with the songs "I Will Always Love You" and "Sneakin' Around"? Her sending up of her own image? Burt Reynolds and his comic style, song? The staging of the songs: Texas, the whorehouse songs, the footballers, the girls themselves? The choreography and film editing for the Governor's songs? Bright tone, satiric tone?

5. The information given in the prologue and its tone, the foundation of the Chicken Ranch, its function and explanation. the owner and her style over many years, a capsule summary of the early 20th century in Texas and the generations going to the chicken Ranch? The payment in chickens and the support of the house? The discussion about the places of such whorehouses in society, pro and con?

6. The tone of the film: Miss Mona and her niceness. the house and the sense of fun? The moral watchdogs and their exploitation and sensationalism? Public opinion and its fickleness - support in private, respectable in public? The ambiguity of politics? The fact that the Chicken Ranch is closed at the end? The possibility of having the cake and eating it?

7. Ed Earl as hero: Burt Reynolds and his laconic style. comic touches, his role as sheriff in the town, his relationship with Dulcie Mae and her son, with his deputy Fred? The relationship with Miss Mona over the years, "Sneakin' Around"and the comedy about the black briefs? The problem and his discussion with the Mayor and Senator? Their double standards? His visit to Houston to see Melvin P. Thorpe and his discussion with him as he dressed for his show, the denunciation on television and Ed Earl's attack? The filming of his attacking Thorpe in the town and his language being 'bleeped'? His closing down the Chicken Ranch against his will and asking for Miss Mona's word? His disappointment in opening the house for the footballers? The argument with her? His going to Austin to plead with the Governor for her? The importance of the sequences with Miss Mona, in the house and their east with one another, jokes? The river discussion and her attitude towards the Bible and religion and God's forgiveness (even though people don't)? His discussion about his ambitions to be in politics? The long talk with the Governor and the ironic fulfilment of his dreams as he takes Miss Mona from the closed house and enters politics? Marrying her? An American hero?

8. Dolly Parton's style as Miss Mona, her self satire, the songs and their place, her relationship with the girls, with Ed Earl? Her not wanting the place to be closed? Her giving her word and breaking it for a previous word for the footballers? The elaborate merrymaking and the raid? Thorpe and his photographers? Her relationship with Julie and her support from her, the discussion at the end? Her not knowing Ed Earl went to Austin? The happy ending?

9. The importance of the talk by the river giving some kind of moral support to the film: love, sex, work in the whorehouse, the variety of viewpoints? Romance with Ed Earl? The Bible and the quotation from Ezekiel, the discussion about Jesus and if he walked in, Cana and parties, Mary Magdalene, God forgives.. people don't, people are not godlike enough .. etc.?

10. The background of the town: the narrative device of Deputy Fred explaining what went on - Jim Nabors' laconic and humorous commentary? The deputy and his function in the town, his helping Ed Earl? The role of Dulcie Mae and her support of Ed Earl? The Mayor and the Senator and their fears and the photographs of them?

11. Thorpe and his programme, coming from the East? Dom DeLuise's exaggerated performance? The satire on Legions of Decency etc.? His getting dressed and his palaver - and his compensating in all ways (especially in virility) for what he was attacking? His show and the influence of television, as watched all over the united States? The religious revival technique? The sensationalism and exploitation, for his own ratings? Rousing at the audience? His attack? His visit to the town and the swearing? The photography of his being expelled? The raid and the photos? The pressure on the Governor in Austin? Ed Earl's flooring him ? literally? The crusading type, motivation, compensation? The lack of morality in his approach?

12. The various sequences with the Governor - watching television. with his advisers? In the Capitol? His caution? The humour of his press interview and their conclusion that he had give a "possible maybe"? His decision and his "Dance a Little Sidestep" routine? His supporting Thorpe and advising Ed Earl to go into politics?

13. The chorography in the Chicken Ranch? With the girls? The football routine and the transition from the end of the match, through the locker rooms, showers and changing. getting dressed, the trip to the Chicken Ranch and their arrival ? the song and dance with the girls, to the bedrooms? How effective as a set piece and centrepiece?

14. The focus on the girls, their style, characters, Miss Mona's regime?

15. A fluffy musical, a star vehicle, a bawdy musical, a musical confronting standards and values?