I used to call this the "Who-House" because I couldn't believe that there would be a musical with the "offending" word in its title. It is what it is, however, an apparently true story of something that happened in Texas many years ago, and I can't help but go back and look at it for what works and what didn't.
Dolly Parton goes down Mae West territory here as Mona, the madame of the Chicken Ranch, and if both women have a tendency to come off as drag queens with real female body parts blatantly threaten to pop off the screen, it is not their fault. If there had to be a movie version of this long-running but somewhat odd late 1970's Broadway musical, then who better to play the female lead than Dolly Parton. Burt Reynolds seems to be an overabundance of ego here as the sheriff, played on stage by character actors rather than a leading man type. "As the World Turns" actor Henderson Forsythe originated the role, and on tour, none other than "All My Children's" Ray Gardner (Gil Rogers) played the part. But in Hollywood, glamor is the key, Burt was box-office king, so to cast someone less glamorous in the role would be an offense to the money men.
Actually, the two of them do share an amazing chemistry, but Burt's "I'm too sexy for myself" attitude always irritated me, and here it is blatantly obvious. Only in a few sentimental scenes does any sort of humbleness come out. Dolly really rocks the house with "Nothin' Dirty Going On", and even gets to sing a bit of her own real-life hit "I Will Always Love You" (long before Whitney Houston took it over). "Hard Candy Christmas" is a real heart-breaker.
I've always loved Charles Durning's "Side Step", a perfect song about political evasiveness still felt today, and his dancing and singing are picture perfect for his Oscar Nominated cameo. Dom De Luise is the epitome of creepiness for his "Watch Dog" reporter, and I just love to see him taken down a peg after declaring "Texas Has a Whorehouse In It!" The gay cult "Aggie Song" sometimes seems to just go on and on (and many of the football players seem truly uninterested in visiting the who-house!) and there are a few of the Broadway songs I truly miss, most notably "Dulcie Mae", sung on stage by the waitress character here played by Lois Nettleton. Stage and TV star Robert Mandan is amusing as another politician caught with his drawers down, and the wonderful Theresa Merrit is one of those character actresses that you just want to jump through the screen and hug.
I can't praise this movie, but neither can I praise the source it came from. The results are mixed on all sides, but there's much to love. You just have to sometimes dig deep to find it.
Dolly Parton goes down Mae West territory here as Mona, the madame of the Chicken Ranch, and if both women have a tendency to come off as drag queens with real female body parts blatantly threaten to pop off the screen, it is not their fault. If there had to be a movie version of this long-running but somewhat odd late 1970's Broadway musical, then who better to play the female lead than Dolly Parton. Burt Reynolds seems to be an overabundance of ego here as the sheriff, played on stage by character actors rather than a leading man type. "As the World Turns" actor Henderson Forsythe originated the role, and on tour, none other than "All My Children's" Ray Gardner (Gil Rogers) played the part. But in Hollywood, glamor is the key, Burt was box-office king, so to cast someone less glamorous in the role would be an offense to the money men.
Actually, the two of them do share an amazing chemistry, but Burt's "I'm too sexy for myself" attitude always irritated me, and here it is blatantly obvious. Only in a few sentimental scenes does any sort of humbleness come out. Dolly really rocks the house with "Nothin' Dirty Going On", and even gets to sing a bit of her own real-life hit "I Will Always Love You" (long before Whitney Houston took it over). "Hard Candy Christmas" is a real heart-breaker.
I've always loved Charles Durning's "Side Step", a perfect song about political evasiveness still felt today, and his dancing and singing are picture perfect for his Oscar Nominated cameo. Dom De Luise is the epitome of creepiness for his "Watch Dog" reporter, and I just love to see him taken down a peg after declaring "Texas Has a Whorehouse In It!" The gay cult "Aggie Song" sometimes seems to just go on and on (and many of the football players seem truly uninterested in visiting the who-house!) and there are a few of the Broadway songs I truly miss, most notably "Dulcie Mae", sung on stage by the waitress character here played by Lois Nettleton. Stage and TV star Robert Mandan is amusing as another politician caught with his drawers down, and the wonderful Theresa Merrit is one of those character actresses that you just want to jump through the screen and hug.
I can't praise this movie, but neither can I praise the source it came from. The results are mixed on all sides, but there's much to love. You just have to sometimes dig deep to find it.