I also saw this movie over a decade ago, and enjoyed it very much. I knew very little about Hank Sr. before this movie and feel as though I know about a very talented and self destructive person, who was not really an alcoholic, but rather due to his spinabifida was addicted to morphine and drank heavily. Either way Hank Sr. drove around the country from town to town performing his songs even though he was in a great deal of pain. Then he died tragically in the back seat of car (I think) many years to early. This story does tell about the show behind the scenes but doesn't get to bogged down in the addiction but rather weaves that part of Hank Sr.'s life into the story. The story did not glamorize his problems. Hank Williams Sr is a piece of Americana to be cherished right or wrong.
18 Reviews
Best by far of the three Hank Williams dramas, but still not definitive
joachimokeefe17 October 2012
There's 'Lost Highway', which isn't actually a very good play at all, there's 'Your Cheatin' Heart' (an Elvis movie with no Elvis because Tom Parker wanted royalties) starring George Hamilton who does his best with a truly atrocious script, and there's this, which is the one to see. Sneezy Waters depicts Hank doing the best bar gig in the history of music anywhere, of any genre. It's atmospheric, authentic and well staged, and Sneezy's Hank impression is very good - though Sneezy's far too old and his voice, while he gets the yodels OK, is not strong in the lower end. You can hear him struggling at times, which makes the audience's constant ecstatic reaction a bit strange. But not many actors can sing and vice versa.
I found the quality of the video on the Echo Bridge DVD to be barely acceptable - played on a MacBook, it looked like it had been videoed off a TV screen. The scenes in the car are only just watchable, and the audio is somewhat muffled. That said, in a way this helps with the authentic atmosphere.
I found the quality of the video on the Echo Bridge DVD to be barely acceptable - played on a MacBook, it looked like it had been videoed off a TV screen. The scenes in the car are only just watchable, and the audio is somewhat muffled. That said, in a way this helps with the authentic atmosphere.
the end of an era in front of and behind the camera
lee_eisenberg26 September 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Before his death at 29, Hank Williams revolutionized country music. Many of his songs dealt with sorrow and heartbreak. David Acomba's "Hank Williams: The Show He Never Gave" depicts Williams in the back seat of a car imagining performing in a small restaurant. He talks with the people in the restaurant, both the customers and the employees, and makes sure to give everyone a great time. Back in the car, he wonders how much longer he'll survive.
Obviously this movie depicts the end of an era. Since filming started on December 8, 1980 (the day of John Lennon's murder), it was also the end of an era behind the camera. What a world. I wonder what path Hank Williams's or John Lennon's music would've taken had either one lived longer.
Worth seeing, hypothetical though it is.
Obviously this movie depicts the end of an era. Since filming started on December 8, 1980 (the day of John Lennon's murder), it was also the end of an era behind the camera. What a world. I wonder what path Hank Williams's or John Lennon's music would've taken had either one lived longer.
Worth seeing, hypothetical though it is.
Portrait of a lonely, famous man
TomReed1 July 2003
I saw this about a decade ago, at Christmas, on HBO. I don't follow country music, but I knew of Williams from my sister. The story is almost a "Twilight Zone" tale; even as Williams, dying in his alcoholic haze, imagined an ideal concert, his fantasy is plagued by the demons that haunted his real life. The demons include the casual racism of country music of that time (although black music and country were intertwined), the celebrity-hungry fan who wants to seduce a famous person, and (as I recall) the basic despair of the audience, who have no other way to spend Christmas than to go to a bar and get drunk. The end of the fantasy, with Williams's haunting song about being deserted even by God, was devastating. I knew country music was nearly always sad, but I never thought it could approach existential despair. An unforgettable character portrait.
If You Love Hank, You'll Love the Film
skolto13 March 2002
I've loved the songs and the singing of Hank Williams for many years. When I saw this film I felt as though I were watching Hank himself. The actor who portrays him is excellent, the songs wonderful. My only criticism is that the film could have been an hour or two longer, with a lot more songs. Any Hank Williams fan would have to love this movie.
Worked on this film
media-576-2166408 January 2013
I am the guy in the doorway, bar patron Lonnie Jewks, having a cigarette in the opening shot and patting Hank on the back as he enters the bar. I had a great view of Hank's performance as the director positioned me directly behind the bandstand. Say what you will about his lack of resemblance to Williams, Sneezy was channelling Hank. The director allowed us to improvise our movements. My buddies, actors John Corbett (Pee-Wee Hupple) and John Novak (Soldier) scuffled and I attempted to intervene and break them up. They handed out unfiltered Camels and the beer was real, folks. I also appear, with my back to the camera, coming out of the bathroom and getting in the way of my dear, departed friend, singer-actor Tex Konig, O"H. Most of us were hired for the entire shoot, which not only helped pay the rent, but made for some memorable after-parties at John Corbett and John Novak's place on Oxford Street (affectionately known as The Baths) in Kensington Market ( Toronto, Canada). The director and Sneezy were professional and friendly; no "star" nonsense. I was there when the shoot wrapped and the producers presented Sneezy with his costume as a gift; he accepted it with sincere gratitude and humility. (The janitor) Jackie Washington's guitar-playing, beautifully recorded in a studio and over-dubbed, sparkles and forges a true-to-life link between Williams and his childhood teacher, Montgomery street- musician, Tee-Tot. Peace and Love, Wolf Krakowski www.kamea.com
@ lechuguilla: Williams was on his way to Canton, Ohio.
@ lechuguilla: Williams was on his way to Canton, Ohio.
The Way They Were
futurethot25 October 2005
This movie takes you far away from the abstract "cat's whisker" sound of the Hank Williams of your youth. It lays an opera of humanity around his songs. It's the songs, the stories, the hypnotic weaving of emotion, but most of all, it's the way the fans were shot. They were real, everyday, unadorned people with all of their own foibles yet the camera catches their private moments of brilliance, an occasional graceful twirl on the dance floor, their unbounded exuberance and glimpses of their facial waves of enthusiasm. The camera shows us the impact of the yarn of music that Hank spins. You can listen and you can watch and you can feel and you can do all of those things and the enjoyment just piles up.
Sometimes a movie just catches you off guard...
runamokprods29 April 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Maybe I overreacted because my expectations were low, but I thought this was a very impressive, touching and original piece of tiny-budget indie filmmaking.
As a drug-sick, alcoholic Williams takes a last limo ride, he imagines a concert in a small time honk-tonk, reaching out and touching people one on one in a way his fame had long made impossible.
Corny at moments, but with a terrific heart, and a wonderful leading performance by Sneezy Waters I found myself ready to forgive its shortcomings, and embrace its strengths.
I'll be curious to see it again, and see if I have as strong a reaction. Certainly I loved the music far more than I expected, and I am no big country music fan.
As a drug-sick, alcoholic Williams takes a last limo ride, he imagines a concert in a small time honk-tonk, reaching out and touching people one on one in a way his fame had long made impossible.
Corny at moments, but with a terrific heart, and a wonderful leading performance by Sneezy Waters I found myself ready to forgive its shortcomings, and embrace its strengths.
I'll be curious to see it again, and see if I have as strong a reaction. Certainly I loved the music far more than I expected, and I am no big country music fan.
Miraculous Biography of Country Music's Greatest Star
vitaleralphlouis25 July 2005
People who know Hank Williams know that he wasn't just the greatest star of country music who ever lived, he was the greatest who ever will live. With license on personal loan from God himself, Hank reached into the hearts of many of us when we were in a dark corner of our lives and helped pull us back. This miraculous film originated in London as a stage play and now comes to us as a video from Canada. The entire action takes place within a two hour time frame on the New Years Eve when Hank died. It envisions his going into a smoky bar and playing a show for the folks. The story is told through his songs and remarks. Important to know is that the show's creator fully understood Hank's legacy and thereby touches all the right buttons. This is the most emotional movie I've ever seen and I'm personally on a diet allowing no more than one screening every two years for the emotional drain of watching it. On the other hand, I've seen people watch it and simply enjoy the ample good music, with no trace of the buckets of tears that one might observe if they watched with me.
if you like music, you'll like this film
yapmaster6930 June 2008
I saw this movie years ago on TV in Canada and remembered it as being really great, with a superb performance by the lead actor, even tho at the time I was more into the Ramones than Hank Williams. I recently purchased the DVD based on this 25 year old memory, and what a pleasant surprise to see that the movie was even better now as viewed thru my middle aged eyes, and the performance by Sneezy Waters as Hank is one of those rare things where the actor transcends the medium and becomes the character he is playing. Amazing! You really do feel like you are watching a show by Hank himself, warts and all. The relatively poor quality of the DVD transfer even adds to the authenticity, and the art direction really evokes the period. I think if you are a music fan, a history fan, or a Hank fan, you will enjoy this film. I couldn't recommend it more highly.
walking on waters
sl7lg2512 July 2006
This is a movie that should be in the Smithsonian. It's a profound reflection of a time period that produced some of the best American music ever. I was very surprised to read at the end of the film that Hank Williams was only 29 when he died and that he had written over 700 songs many of them classic. I was born in '48 so he was not of my generation but after the 60's rock and roll died I came to appreciate the greats of the past like Hank and Bill Monroe. I think Sneezy Waters did an incredible job of acting. The writing was right on target for humor and the soulful journey that Williams must have experienced. He seems to be searching for a peace that eludes him. I didn't know he had written "I saw the light", which he sings here.
Truest of Biographies
Hollywood_Yoda24 September 2018
This made for television film is a chilling recount of the final hours and death of singer Hank Williams. In The Show He Never Gave, Sneezy Waters plays Hank, and it is not a bad performance. This is no lighthearted fare, very true to the last hours of Hank's life.
Some of the filming techniques and lighting are aged, as one could tell. Although not the best as it was a television film made in 1980, it makes the story that much darker and sincere. A tribute to the life and death of Hank.
If you are a fan of Hank Williams Sr., then this is a must see. I promise you won't be disappointed. The soundtrack is mostly Hank's music, sung by Sneezy Waters.
Some of the filming techniques and lighting are aged, as one could tell. Although not the best as it was a television film made in 1980, it makes the story that much darker and sincere. A tribute to the life and death of Hank.
If you are a fan of Hank Williams Sr., then this is a must see. I promise you won't be disappointed. The soundtrack is mostly Hank's music, sung by Sneezy Waters.
Gritty realism makes for brilliant fantasy
zerobeat25 December 2008
I could have given this 10/10 if the version I saw wasn't so dark (some of the scenes were virtually all blackened out).
I recognize the older Canadian production values here, which reminds me of "Going Down The Road" and various other CBC or NFB productions. There's a kind of unglamorous and unadorned realism that makes it all so wonderfully poignant.
If I didn't know any better, I could have assumed an actual live show was being filmed with multiple cameras if I only saw a few minutes here or a few minutes there. Sneezy Waters is absolutely brilliant, both as a musician and as an actor. Loved the old guy doing the cagean dancing!
I recognize the older Canadian production values here, which reminds me of "Going Down The Road" and various other CBC or NFB productions. There's a kind of unglamorous and unadorned realism that makes it all so wonderfully poignant.
If I didn't know any better, I could have assumed an actual live show was being filmed with multiple cameras if I only saw a few minutes here or a few minutes there. Sneezy Waters is absolutely brilliant, both as a musician and as an actor. Loved the old guy doing the cagean dancing!
One of the best music films I have ever seen
pekka.hallikainen14 June 2000
I saw this film on the Finnish TV in the late 1980´s and haven´t seen it since. Sneezy Waters don´t look much like Hank Williams, but when the film was over, I almost believed, that I had seen Hank himself acting and singing (and not just play back). The story begins as Hank sleeps in the back seat of his Cadillac on the way to Canton, Ohio, and dreams of a gig that would be perfect for the audience and for himself. That dream reflects his severe problems in real life. Sadly, that gig never came true. Hank died that night, on New Year´s Eve 1953. This little film is a beautiful tribute to the Late Great Hank Williams.
Heartfelt Down-home Spirit
Lechuguilla21 November 2011
Strumming his guitar and singing the songs he made famous, Hank Williams (Sneezy Waters), together with his band, entertains an audience at a typical roadside bar in this fictional account of what might have been, if the night of December 31, 1952 had been a little different. On that night in real life, Williams traveled by car from Montgomery, Alabama to perform a show in Charleston, West Virginia. He died en route.
Director David Acomba uses that cold, snowy nighttime road trip as a structural frame, with Williams in the backseat talking about his life, his problems, his dreams, and his regrets. These brief interludes punctuate the fantasy performance at the bar, wherein individual songs introduce new sequences, in lieu of standard script plot points.
Aside from the terrific music, what's really striking is the excellent cinematography. My best guess is that the DP used 16mm, low saturation film stock, resulting in grainy visuals, combined with sepia-toned hues of mostly browns, tans, and grays. There's little variation in the color palette. The photography creates a melancholy, almost depressing mood, and implies a dreamlike journey back in time.
The film's costumes and prod design reflect the reality that the Great Depression had not completely gone away. Threadbare clothes, a wooden floor, plain overhead lights and other props imply hard times. Even Williams' outfit, though countrified, is not flashy.
One would be hard pressed to find a better actor than Sneezy Waters for the role of Williams. His looks and that Southern vocal delivery scream Hank Williams.
Minor complaints include my understanding that the film was not shot in the American South. I think it should have been. Second, I could have done without the little monologues Williams imparts to the audience. And the film's ending is a tad too doleful for my taste.
The early 1950s were tough for working folks. Hank Williams, with his heartfelt, down-home songs came along at just the right time with just the right music for the common man and woman. This film captures not only the Hank Williams persona but also an era that is gone forever.
Director David Acomba uses that cold, snowy nighttime road trip as a structural frame, with Williams in the backseat talking about his life, his problems, his dreams, and his regrets. These brief interludes punctuate the fantasy performance at the bar, wherein individual songs introduce new sequences, in lieu of standard script plot points.
Aside from the terrific music, what's really striking is the excellent cinematography. My best guess is that the DP used 16mm, low saturation film stock, resulting in grainy visuals, combined with sepia-toned hues of mostly browns, tans, and grays. There's little variation in the color palette. The photography creates a melancholy, almost depressing mood, and implies a dreamlike journey back in time.
The film's costumes and prod design reflect the reality that the Great Depression had not completely gone away. Threadbare clothes, a wooden floor, plain overhead lights and other props imply hard times. Even Williams' outfit, though countrified, is not flashy.
One would be hard pressed to find a better actor than Sneezy Waters for the role of Williams. His looks and that Southern vocal delivery scream Hank Williams.
Minor complaints include my understanding that the film was not shot in the American South. I think it should have been. Second, I could have done without the little monologues Williams imparts to the audience. And the film's ending is a tad too doleful for my taste.
The early 1950s were tough for working folks. Hank Williams, with his heartfelt, down-home songs came along at just the right time with just the right music for the common man and woman. This film captures not only the Hank Williams persona but also an era that is gone forever.
A Big yes
teanorth11 May 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Like the other reviewer stated watching this movie is gut wrenching. It goes so deep. You can feel some of the pain this man Hank Williams was tormented with. He won the Pulitzer Prize this year because his songs went that deep. That deep dark space in our hearts where we hide stuff. The void space where we keep the darkness at bay. It seems with Hank he could not keep the blackness isolated it tormented him, it was painful for him. No one seemed to reach him, maybe it is better said no one seen him for what and who he was. The movie is excellent if you listen you can hear it, you will be moved by it. I highly recommend this movie but I don't know if I want my sister who suffers from depression to see it. Tea McCormick
Real country
garfield-0961322 December 2017
Damn son! You done it! Whoever's responsible for this movie, you done it! I been drinking and listening to Hank for 50 years. And this is the real deal. Forget all them hats you hear on the radio today. They ain't. That's all I'll say about that. They just ain't. My mama listened to Hank on a battery powered radio cause they didn't have no electricity. But he pulled more heart and more soul out of that $10 radio than all these wannabes today who spend $10K on the clothes they wear onstage trying to make you believe they're country. Like hell. If they don't got an Academy Award for getting the most out of an audience, they ought to. And the interplay between 'Hank' and the audience in this film speaks volumes about a time and a place and a people that are just about gone. This is real country. Give it a look-see.
A touching look at Hank Williams.
Blueghost19 August 2012
A fairly touching film about a man that I knew very little about, and whom quite frankly I had only heard a few tunes from my boyhood in the rural part of the United States. It was another HBO afternoon airing that caught my attention for this film. I gave it a chance because it seemed to be of some quality.
It's a bit of a sleeper that also has some fire in it. We see summation of a man's life in a performance that is fictional, but brings to both audience and characters the reflections of ups and downs of life's challenges. Hank Williams, as brilliant as he was as a musician, musical orator, and musical philosopher, was, after all, merely mortal-- as are we all.
But it's Hank Williams that we're interested in. He seems to know more about life than we do, and gives us messages on how to live better, or, when down, how to slug through the mire of life's toughs by telling us how he knows that life can be cruel, but that we're not the only ones by virtue of his singing.
The film itself has a kind of raw cinema veritae, almost documentary like quality to it. It's classic film making from the late 70s, on the cusp of the 80s. Who or what was Hank Williams? He was a man with a physical ailment that perhaps put him in tune a little better than most people with the pain that infects everyone. Sneazy Waters may not strictly resemble Hank Williams, but he does give us a good mimicry of Hank Williams energy in performances that Williams would have been proud of.
A Canadian film touching on an American icon, and telling of American ideals, the independent quality, as has been mentioned in other reviews, is something that actually helps deliver the film's story. Even so it doesn't quite translate to DVD, as the print seems to be somewhat battered.
Yet the film itself shines. Waters' performance is superb, the supporting cast do a fine job, even if the technical merits are a little on the rough side. A fresh print from an original negative would be welcome, but that may have to wait for another generation to rediscover this film.
If you can forgive the technical marks of the DVD, then you should be able to enjoy a touching character study of a brilliant mind with a heart.
Give it a whirl.
It's a bit of a sleeper that also has some fire in it. We see summation of a man's life in a performance that is fictional, but brings to both audience and characters the reflections of ups and downs of life's challenges. Hank Williams, as brilliant as he was as a musician, musical orator, and musical philosopher, was, after all, merely mortal-- as are we all.
But it's Hank Williams that we're interested in. He seems to know more about life than we do, and gives us messages on how to live better, or, when down, how to slug through the mire of life's toughs by telling us how he knows that life can be cruel, but that we're not the only ones by virtue of his singing.
The film itself has a kind of raw cinema veritae, almost documentary like quality to it. It's classic film making from the late 70s, on the cusp of the 80s. Who or what was Hank Williams? He was a man with a physical ailment that perhaps put him in tune a little better than most people with the pain that infects everyone. Sneazy Waters may not strictly resemble Hank Williams, but he does give us a good mimicry of Hank Williams energy in performances that Williams would have been proud of.
A Canadian film touching on an American icon, and telling of American ideals, the independent quality, as has been mentioned in other reviews, is something that actually helps deliver the film's story. Even so it doesn't quite translate to DVD, as the print seems to be somewhat battered.
Yet the film itself shines. Waters' performance is superb, the supporting cast do a fine job, even if the technical merits are a little on the rough side. A fresh print from an original negative would be welcome, but that may have to wait for another generation to rediscover this film.
If you can forgive the technical marks of the DVD, then you should be able to enjoy a touching character study of a brilliant mind with a heart.
Give it a whirl.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
