Blue Valley Songbird (1999)

This thoroughly enjoyable 1999 television movie is an appropriately understated vehicle for country superstar Dolly Parton. Though a limited actress, Parton's key role as a saloon singer with suppressed ambitions makes for a perfect fit, neither overextending her lean thespian gifts nor inadvertently mocking her range. Parton sings, of course, yet even the hillbilly angel within yields to the script's focused tale of a love triangle involving underrated singer-songwriter Leanna (Parton), her longtime manager and boyfriend Hank (an outstanding performance by John Terry), and a restless musician (Billy Dean). Veteran director Richard A. Colla (Fuzz, Battlestar Galactica) approaches the material with grown-up sensitivity and understanding. As Jean Renoir said, everyone has their reasons, and that's certainly the case with these good people on screen. A subplot concerning Leanna's psychological mistreatment in youth by a wacked-out father is an unnecessary and redundant character note, but other than that misstep, Blue Valley Songbird is a pure pleasure. --Tom Keogh Amazon.com

Dolly is the best!!

I love everything with Dolly in it!! I had trouble with this movie the first time I watched it, but the more I watch it the more I love it. September 30, 2007

not what it seems

This is actually not a movie. It is a concert strung together with glimpses of a tyranical father and scenes with a controlling boyfriend. After 30 minutes of having these scenes repeated, we have got the idea. There is an urge to say, "Okay, okay, now move on to something else!" But no. It's another 55 minutes of the same scenes and glimpses telling us the same things. There is one event only, after 85 minutes of film, in which she finally sees what the audience has seen ages ago: that her boyfriend is like her father. She sings for a record company and then--bang--another concert as a star.

As a movie, this has to rate two stars.

For Dolly fans and for people who like rockabilly, this will be worth the price.

So, know what you're getting and be sure what you want. For Dolly AND a movie, I recommend "Unlikely Angel" or "Straight Talk" or even "Rhinestone".
July 21, 2007

Campy in the country

Like a drag queen,this movie is melodramatic,wears too much make-up&is over-the-top.Watching this movie before going to work at 4 in the morning,I found this a hoot.(If this movie were in theaters,people would be in tears---from laughing so hard!!)

One of the gems is when Dolly's controlling boyfriend drawls,"A man is supposed to go after the younger ones,not the woooman!" Put on a fake Texas accent&it works.

There's the Sappy Sequence in which Dolly meets with her mother,looks at photographs of herself,then gets a heart-to-heart with her pastor.Awwwwww...Did Thomas Kinkade ever get directing credits?

Of course,one must suspend disbelief when the Handsome Young Guitarist falls for Dolly.For someone somewhere,they're an archetypal couple.I haven't found that someone.The movie has a hilarious love triange,enough melodrama for 10 Lifetime films--and songs to tie in with the plot,no less!It's country-fried soap opera!Come 'an get it! July 28, 2006

INSIRATIONAL @ FULFILLING

I THINK THIS MOVIE HAS A LOT TO DO WITH MAKING A LOT OF PERSONAL LIFE DECICIONS AND CAREER DECISIONS.I THINK IT WAS A REAL DOWN TO EARTH SYORY OF WHAT REALLY HAPPENS IN OUR LIVES AND HARD THINGS WE FACE AND HAVE TO CHALLENGE EACH DAY AND IN OUR LIFE AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER.I BELIEVE THEY COULDNT HAVE PICKED A BETTER CAST FOR THIS DVD-ESPECIALLY--DOLLY PARTON,SHE IS ALWAYS HERSELF EVEN THOUGH ALL THE FAME AND GLORY IN HER LIFE --THATS WHAT MADE THAT PROGRAM-----YOU GO DOLLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!THEY NEED TO MAKE MORE MOVIES CONCERNING REAL LIFE ISSUES JUST AS THAT WAS!!IT WAS REALLY GREAT I NEVER GET TIRED OF WATCHING IT -IT GETS BETTER EACH TIME AND I HAVE LEARNED SOMETHING NEW EACH TIME IVE WATCHED IT.THANK YOU FOR RELEASING THIS MOVIE ON VIDEO AND DVD February 27, 2006

dolly's valley aint blue!

this movie was on lifetime and i thought it was great. then i bought the dvd and it's super-spectacular. she does a nice accoustic version of "wildflowers" and there's this weird easter egg where if you hilite her eyes and press enter then you hear only the music and the soundeffects. pretty strange. September 29, 2003

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