TENDER MERCIES
A film review by Walter Frith
Copyright 1997 Walter Frith
There have been many redemption stories put through a camera lens in film history. The 1980's had some obvious and often talked about winners such as 'The Verdict' (1982) in which most film gossipers felt Paul Newman was robbed by not winning the Best Actor Oscar as an alcoholic lawyer struggling with the biggest case of his life. The Oscar most deservingly went to Ben Kingsley that year for 'Gandhi', respectively. 'Amadeus', which in part was about a man (F. Murray Abraham in an Oscar winning role) observing the realization of what his fate in eternity might be by absolving himself in confession of his sins to a priest and then on a lighter note there was 'Tootsie' (1982) which most people don't think about as a story of redemption but it is since its leading star (Dustin Hoffman) finds out through a gender exchange done with make-up and women's clothes that he was a better person as a woman in the short time he faked it than he ever was as a man.
1983 saw a small, little seen film entitled 'Tender Mercies' receive exceptional notices from the critic's circle and from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as it was nominated for 5 Academy Awards; Best Picture, Best Actor (Robert Duvall), Best Director (Bruce Beresford), Best Screenplay Written Directly For the Screen (Horton Foote who was a previous winner for 1962's 'To Kill a Mockingbird') and Best Original Song ('Over You' written by Austin Roberts and Bobby Hart). Both Duvall and Foote came out winners that year for their efforts. As an actor it was Duvall's fourth nomination after 'The Godfather' (1972 nominee for Best Supporting Actor), 'Apocalypse Now' (1979 nominee for Best Supporting Actor) and 'The Great Santini' (1980 nominee as Best Actor). If any American actor can hold his own and can stir up conversation among film historians for all time it is Robert Duvall.
In 'Tender Mercies' Duvall emerged with a stunning characterization by portraying a country and western singer well past the middle age of life struggling with alcoholism and the demons of misery concerning an ex-wife who won custody of their only child, a daughter, whom Duvall hasn't seen in many years. In the opening scene of the film we glance upon a country road motel room window at night in which two figures in silhouette fashion can be seen and rumblings are heard from the room with the repetitive chant of 'Give me the bottle!' ringing out. The motel's young and widowed owner, (Tess Harper) and her young son step out on to the porch of the office and listen while trying to watch the scene play out through the window The scene abruptly shifts to the room itself as Duvall is shoved to the floor by the other man in a pathetic struggle over a bottle of alcohol. The man with Duvall is never seen on camera making this scene one of clever duplicity. The next morning Duvall awakes from his drunken cloudiness and the film's credits begin to appear and the picture's tone and protagonist are established.
As the film progresses Duvall works off what he owes for the motel since he is flat broke and asks to stay on and work as he is attracted to Harper and sees a chance for redemption with his new surroundings. He stops drinking and is paid a visit by a persistent journalist (Paul Gleason) who asks Duvall if he's a famous country and western singer from yesteryear that he's planning to do a story on. Duvall is naturally publicity shy and the journalist informs him that his ex-wife (Betty Buckley) who is a world famous c+w singing sensation is having a concert nearby. Duvall then takes an interest as it will give him an opportunity to see his only daughter. Upon seeing his ex-wife they immediately go for each other's throats verbally and the spat is broken up by Buckley's manager (Wilford Brimley).
A short time later Duvall is paid a visit by his now adult daughter (Ellen Barkin) and the two of them are glad to see each other although sentimental feelings never surface giving the film a dimension of stability by avoiding any pretentious qualities. Also in the course of the film, Harper and Duvall get married and Duvall treats his new wife and stepson with dignity and respect and they are paid constant visits by a group of young musicians who idolize Duvall and they help him back on the road to success. He makes a recording that seems to do well but then an event occurs in his life which reminds him of one of life's most staggering tragedies and he explains to his wife in a heartfelt moment the he never did trust happiness. It was that key scene which won Duvall the Oscar more than any other point in the film. Duvall also wrote and sang his own songs in the film. In fact, the entire cast shines and Tess Harper's performance was overlooked that year by the Academy and she would go on to be a nominee in 1986 as Best Supporting Actress for 'Crimes of the Heart' which was good work but significantly less than her work in 'Tender Mercies'.
'Tender Mercies' is a series of short scenes that make a short film with a running length of only 89 minutes but the enormous power that shines gracefully on the audience comes from the film's monumental simplicity started by Horton Foote's script and carried out by director Bruce Beresford and is a testament to Beresford's talent as a director. In 1989, his film 'Driving Miss Daisy' would go on to win the Best Picture Academy Award but Beresford would find himself not receiving a Best Director nomination that year. 'Tender Mercies' is a solid film classic that is free from the trappings of Hollywood's often too obvious visual style of fake emotion and is proof that smaller films can sometimes be the backbone that keeps the entire motion picture industry alive.
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