Honeysuckle Rose
Warner Bros. (1980)
Music, Romance
In Collection
#6235
0*
Seen ItYes
IMDB   6.1
1 hr 59 mins USA / English
DVD  Region 1   PG
Willie Nelson Buck Bonham
Dyan Cannon Viv Bonham
Amy Irving Lily Ramsey
Slim Pickens Garland Ramsey
Joey Floyd Jamie Bonham
Charles Levin Sid
Mickey Rooney Jr. Cotton Roberts
Lane Smith Brag
Pepe Serna Rooster
Priscilla Pointer Rosella Ramsey
Director
Jerry Schatzberg
Producer Sydney Pollack
Gene Taft
Writer Gustaf Molander
John Binder

One of the feel-good movies of the 80s, "Honeysuckle Rose" wears well. Willie Nelson plays Buck Bonham, a country superstar (surprise!) who's about to go out on tour when he loses a key member of the band. No problem. Buck's loyal, loving wife (Dyan Cannon), herself a former superstar and now Buck's business manager, books the young, attractive, and professionally untried daughter of a longtime family friend (Slim Pickens) to temporarily join the tour until a seasoned replacement can be found. It turns out the girl (Amy Irving, young, sexy, and beautiful) can really belt out a tune. And that's not all.

Before you can say "broken heart," Buck and the girl are in bed together, and their mutual passion is there for all to see as they sing together on stage (by the way, Irving has one heck of a voice, and her duets with Nelson are sweet and lovely). How long will it take for the Missus to find out?

Despite the open disapproval of his band members and country friends such as Amy Harris (who has a couple of solos as well), Buck continues the dangerous affair--until somebody tips off his wife and she appears unexpectedly at one of the concert venues. There ensues a great deal of melodrama, most of it played out in song, like the classic "You Were Always On My Mind." Unfortunately, Cannon, who is supposed to be a country great in this movie, sings as well, and her flat, untrained and grating voice is just awful.

The plot sidesteps into a silly trip to Mexico with Slim Pickens, the outraged father and friend, during which Bonham comes to his senses. All works out just fine in the end, and the viewer ends up smiling, humming country songs, and rewinding the tape to start it up all over again.
Edition Details
No. of Disks/Tapes 1