Songwriter is a rollicking country comedy, not exactly what you'd expect from Alan Rudolph. Willie Nelson is wonderful in this picture, an actor of considerable great subtlety as well as the great singer you already knew he was. Rip Torn is hilariously hammy. If you have any fondness for the country (especially the Texas country) millieu, this is one to check out.
15 Reviews
not just for country music fans
mjneu594 January 2011
In Hollywood vernacular this would be the quintessential sleeper: a small gem straight out of left field forced to look after itself in a market geared more toward largely impersonal blockbusters. It isn't necessary to be a fan of country-western music to enjoy the film: a disarming comic fable about one man's clever attempt to buck the system, represented here by the music industry. The movie works (in part) because of its oblique, slightly skewed narrative style, courtesy of Bud Shrake's elliptical screenplay and director Alan Rudolph's eye for offhand detail. Some of the Southern accents are thick enough to almost require subtitles, but the film is a true original, with a photogenic performance by Willie Nelson as the roguish title character.
Willie Nelson, songwriter AND actor
Deacon19 March 2000
Willie Nelson turns in a surprisingly effective performance as Doc Jenkins, a travelling singer/songwriter whose dreams of greater success (primarily in financial terms) collide with his lack of business sense in Alan Rudolph's entertaining Songwriter. It's up to his friends, fellow performer, Blackie Buck (Kris Kristofferson) and rising star, Gilda (Lesley Ann Warren) to help him out of a bad deal made with Rodeo Rocky, played by Richard C. Sarafian.
I was delighted to see how effortlessly Nelson threw himself into the role of Doc. Did his inspiration come from the real life financial troubles he faced a while back? You decide. It's just a pleasure to see him using that golden voice and interacting with old pal, Kristofferson. I also enjoyed the trip that Rudolph takes us on the road and behind the stage of the country music scene.
Setbacks include the discovery of Gilda. Although possessed with a fine voice, I had trouble believing that she had enough talent to sweep Blackie and Doc off their feet. Showing a newcomer as "gifted" in film is always tough. The voice has to be right and the songs interesting. I just don't think it worked here. I also didn't agree with Rocky's character who came off as a little too slimy, although we are talking about the record industry.
I enjoyed it overall. The story keeps you watching and Nelson with his guitar is worth the price of the rental alone. Watching this songwriter was a pleasure.
I was delighted to see how effortlessly Nelson threw himself into the role of Doc. Did his inspiration come from the real life financial troubles he faced a while back? You decide. It's just a pleasure to see him using that golden voice and interacting with old pal, Kristofferson. I also enjoyed the trip that Rudolph takes us on the road and behind the stage of the country music scene.
Setbacks include the discovery of Gilda. Although possessed with a fine voice, I had trouble believing that she had enough talent to sweep Blackie and Doc off their feet. Showing a newcomer as "gifted" in film is always tough. The voice has to be right and the songs interesting. I just don't think it worked here. I also didn't agree with Rocky's character who came off as a little too slimy, although we are talking about the record industry.
I enjoyed it overall. The story keeps you watching and Nelson with his guitar is worth the price of the rental alone. Watching this songwriter was a pleasure.
I've literally seen this movie a hundred times
trucker-123 February 2001
Songwriter is absolutly one of the best movies I have ever seen. Willie and Kris play there parts as though it was there lives and I somewhat believe it was pretty close. The songs , (which I've never heard any in full length) are some of the finest country songs I've ever listened to. I personally know this movie word for word and can't wait to get a new one because I wore the old one out. Due to the wife I had to dig it from the garbage more than once. I couldn't get enough of kris's "Raspy" (He's workin on that raspy) voice or willie playing that guitar. And nothing compares to Blackie Bucks band , and the harmonizing . I recommend this movie to anyone with a flair for the old days or who (like myself} played in the honky tonks for peanuts. If you haven't seen it . GET IT.
Good Music And Vengeance
boblipton5 October 2021
Willie Nelson is a songwriter in the country/western genre and a very successful one -- artistically, anyway. Most of the money is taken by the producers, including Rip Torn. Eventually Wilson gets together with his old performing partner, Kris Kristofferson, Lesley Ann Warren, and Melinda Dillon to right old wrongs and get the rights to his song back.
Most of the pleasure in this movie is, of course, in the music; Kristofferson was nominated for the Best Score Oscar. There's fun, too, in watching the suits get worked over in their never-ending greed, and the Austin location shooting is excellent.
Most of the pleasure in this movie is, of course, in the music; Kristofferson was nominated for the Best Score Oscar. There's fun, too, in watching the suits get worked over in their never-ending greed, and the Austin location shooting is excellent.
Songwriting
sol-16 February 2017
Alan Rudolph always makes interesting films and this little-seen mid-80s effort is no exception. The plot involves a singer/songwriter who discovers that the record company who initially signed him up have screwed him over with a disadvantageous ironclad contract that he is unable to break. Not one to give up though, the music legend attempts to release his own songs using a female singer as a front, but will the record company eventually catch on? While this might sound very slim as far as plot lines go, 'Songwriter' is a film more about its characters than any story, with lots of memorable dialogue as lead actor Willie Nelson interacts with various associates who band together to help him out of the jam. "Everybody has to kill their own snakes," he philosophises at one point and a poolside treatment that one such associate gets from sleeping around leads to possibly the film's most memorable scene. The film takes a while to warm up though, and catchy as Kris Kristofferson's songs for the film may well be, the song performance scenes are never as interesting as the character drama, but generally speaking, this is a worthwhile experience. There is a lot of fun to be had in Nelson using the tricks of the trade that he has acquired over the years to get back at the record company and Lesley Ann Warren's internal dilemmas resonate as the young female singer fronting for Nelson. The title for the movie is really quite astute in this regard; it could apply equally to her and Nelson as the actual and fake songwriters of the film respectively.
An "ok" movie to watch!
Dragonlew27 October 2005
"He Lost Everything...Now Its Time To Get Even." Kick back and enjoy Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson as a pair of hard-living Texans in this funny, original and very real look at the country music business. It's Willie and Kris, on the road again, sharing music and raising hell! Melinda Dillon and Rip Torn give a great performance. This movie was pretty good to watch on VHS. I don't know if this movie has come out on DVD or not. The acting wasn't too well performed...but the music was. It's an "ok" movie to enjoy watching. My carpool buddy ride to work, Tommy McClure, told me to watch this movie. He was in the "Roarers Band" in this movie.
An uncelebrated gem of cinema!
chronwood1 May 2003
A film whose time has come. Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson essentially play themselves as a songwriter and a cock-of-the-walk country god, and do it perfectly. The plot concerns Willie's character, Doc Jenkins, attempting to liberate himself from a contract he committed to when he was younger, drunker and a little less immortal. The supporting players are top of the line aces, including a surly Rip Torn and the always-great Melinda Dillon. Lesley Ann Warren is the new singer who Doc hitches his stars to, and she's convincing enough. The dialogue is fast, funny and, I suspect, captures the inside angle of the Music Business to a tee. One of the most unheralded great, little movies of all time. A better version of all those other syrupy, sentimental inside music movies.
easy charms of Willie
SnoopyStyle5 January 2024
Doc Jenkins (Willie Nelson) is a broke songwriter and session musician. He had a hit song but all the money goes to his unscrupulous producer who owns all the rights. He still loves his ex-wife and former music star Honey Carder (Melinda Dillon). He only has managing his old singing partner Blackie Buck (Kris Kristofferson) who introduces him to new singer Gilda (Lesley Ann Warren). Dino McLeish (Rip Torn) is her money-grubbing manager who agrees to go 50-50.
The story is a little messy and meandering. It's scruffy like Willie Nelson himself. This almost feels like an Altman film if there is a few more crowded dialogue scenes. It did get an Oscar nomination for music. It also has the undeniable easy charms of Willie Nelson. That goes a long way.
The story is a little messy and meandering. It's scruffy like Willie Nelson himself. This almost feels like an Altman film if there is a few more crowded dialogue scenes. It did get an Oscar nomination for music. It also has the undeniable easy charms of Willie Nelson. That goes a long way.
Always hits the spot.
pmtelefon23 August 2019
"Songwriter" never fails to hit the spot. This may sound weird but watching this movie feels like hanging out with old friends. There's a lot of great dialogue and a lot of laughs. There's a lot of good music, too. "Songwriter" is filled with great characters and has a terrific villain. Everybody in the cast delivers a solid performance. "Honeysuckle Rose" may be a better movie but "Songwriter" is more fun to watch. Honorable mention: Rip Torn.
My music is rock 'n roll, but then there's Willie Nelson. . .
mycroft71726 May 2003
"Songwriter" was one of the 1st movies I bought when I got my 1st VCR. Basically, Willie and Kris Kristofferson are playing themselves - and that's not bad. This movie is both funny, and heart-warming. You can't fault the music, and the acting's not too bad for a couple of songwriters. The plot is actually very basic - the big bad record company thinks it owns Doc (Willie), but he refuses to play their way. So he enlists the help of his old partner Blackie (Kris) and proceeds to find ways to get around his contract with the bad guys. In the process, he realizes that his 1st wife was his true love, and works to get her back. If you have any liking at all of Willie Nelson, you should enjoy this movie. My tape's about worn out...but there's no one quite like Willie.
Hard living songwriter plots to get back his publishing rights
opsspecialist723 February 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Doc Jenkins (Willie Nelson)is a prolific Nashville songwriter, it's made him wealthy but bad business decisions and constant partying have left him broke. He then finds out that the rights to the songs he's written have been swindled from him by a Nashville mogul and former business partner (Rip Torn) that he'd signed a songwriting deal with (under the advice of the lawyer the mogul had recommended to Doc).
He quits working for the mogul and sets off on a scheme to get his music and money back. With the help of his best friend (Kris Kristofferson), a bank loan (a short term loan on a long term lie), and a beautiful music newcomer (portrayed by Leslie Ann Warren) he starts his own record label and sets off on the road with a record and no money. To make the girl a star he'll use all of the guile and tricks that he'd learned watching the Nashville moguls. He's gonna beat them at their own game.
Featuring a lot of great music including "Songwriter" a gem that Willie Nelson fans will love. With both sly and sophomoric humor, Nelson and Kristofferson lead a great cast in a caper-road picture and drag the viewer along for a fun ride.
He quits working for the mogul and sets off on a scheme to get his music and money back. With the help of his best friend (Kris Kristofferson), a bank loan (a short term loan on a long term lie), and a beautiful music newcomer (portrayed by Leslie Ann Warren) he starts his own record label and sets off on the road with a record and no money. To make the girl a star he'll use all of the guile and tricks that he'd learned watching the Nashville moguls. He's gonna beat them at their own game.
Featuring a lot of great music including "Songwriter" a gem that Willie Nelson fans will love. With both sly and sophomoric humor, Nelson and Kristofferson lead a great cast in a caper-road picture and drag the viewer along for a fun ride.
Very very very awesome on multiple levels!
lucius_42015 August 2010
Warning: Spoilers
There are different ways to look at this film. When I first saw it, I was a little indifferent at first, but I really loved the screenplay and the way it was delivered. I laughed my arse off and the ending with Kris ("Blackie") getting the loot from the guys holding up the ticket booth while Willie simultaneously double-crosses the evil record executive was very witty. The first thing you should think about is this: I can't say I've ever heard of a movie with the same plot where a songwriter becomes a producer in order to trick the evil record company producers and negotiate a trade for the contract of a girl performer he signed in order to regain the rights to publishing ownership of his songs which he previously lost because he previously didn't understand the contract he signed. It seems like excerpts from Willlie's personal journal about dealing with the record execs in Nashville who just stole his songs and his money and made him run home to Texas. Does anyone remember how he got sued not too long ago for over 20 million dollars for nearly everything he was worth for bad bookkeeping? Two years ago Austin and Texas mourned the double loss in the same year of two very important people that were in Willie's group for a long time: Stephen Bruton and Poodie Locke, both of whom are in this film. As a film it is pretty funny and the original music from Kris Kristofferson (he is not too an bad actor himself) got nominated for an Oscar. Rip Torn's character is really funny. The story is brilliant. Directing could have been better, but this is a really great movie.
Bobbie Nelson is Willie's sister and a very important member of the band, the piano player. How many TV ads have you seen that featured the unforgettable keyboard playing of Booker T. Jones on the Booker T. and the MGs' song 'Green Onions'? Probably dozens. This movie also has Mickey Raphael in it. In my mind, Mickey Raphael is one of the greatest country blues harmonica players ever. Did you ever just love the harmonica from the last 30 years of Willie Nelson? That was him. I'll have to watch again and look close to see if the part played by "Steve Fromholz" - 'Engineer' is THE Stephen Fromholz, Texas Poet Laureate and close friend to both Willie Nelson and Stephen Stills. Johnny Gimble is the - "fiddle player"!!! Johnny Gimble should be a household name (and he is in Texas -where I come from), but in case you didn't know, he started playing with Bob Wills band 'The Texas Playboys' in the late 1940s. Though he is not the only godfather of Texas fiddle music, he is definitely the most renowned of them all. He is credited with defining the fiddling of Western Swing music, which has its' foundation in Texas and Bob Wills. You might as well just call it Texas fiddle music, which is as different than the violin music of Europe as night and day. Texas fiddlers are renowned across the planet for versatility far surpassing any violinist. Some of you might not like fiddles I understand, but appreciation for the roots of American music is nice.
Bobbie Nelson is Willie's sister and a very important member of the band, the piano player. How many TV ads have you seen that featured the unforgettable keyboard playing of Booker T. Jones on the Booker T. and the MGs' song 'Green Onions'? Probably dozens. This movie also has Mickey Raphael in it. In my mind, Mickey Raphael is one of the greatest country blues harmonica players ever. Did you ever just love the harmonica from the last 30 years of Willie Nelson? That was him. I'll have to watch again and look close to see if the part played by "Steve Fromholz" - 'Engineer' is THE Stephen Fromholz, Texas Poet Laureate and close friend to both Willie Nelson and Stephen Stills. Johnny Gimble is the - "fiddle player"!!! Johnny Gimble should be a household name (and he is in Texas -where I come from), but in case you didn't know, he started playing with Bob Wills band 'The Texas Playboys' in the late 1940s. Though he is not the only godfather of Texas fiddle music, he is definitely the most renowned of them all. He is credited with defining the fiddling of Western Swing music, which has its' foundation in Texas and Bob Wills. You might as well just call it Texas fiddle music, which is as different than the violin music of Europe as night and day. Texas fiddlers are renowned across the planet for versatility far surpassing any violinist. Some of you might not like fiddles I understand, but appreciation for the roots of American music is nice.
Pros And Cons Of Songwriter
snorlax31119847 April 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Pros
1. Songwriter made history by joining "Purple Rain" and "Muppets Take Manhattan" as the last 3 films to be nominated for the Song Score Oscar. While I agree with the Academy that "Purple Rain" had the best Song Score, I nevertheless consider Songwriter's Song Score to be phenomenal. This is about a half an hour of wall to wall music and none of it is a dud. I'm a guy who usually doesn't even listen to country music and I loved it all. It's just a shame some songs in an early montage are just snippets, I'd love to hear them in their full version.
2. I'm really glad Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson were able to do this movie together. They have great chemistry and they're able to make their characters just ooze with charm. I especially like the scene where Nelson and Kristofferson take turns making statements so complex they can't properly say them again. Between this and Flashpoint, 1984 was a very good year for Kristofferson.
3. The main women in this film are so lovely and likable. Melinda Dillon is so charming she really lights up every scene she's in (it helps that she doesn't have to wash anybody's mouth with soap). I foremost associate Lesley Ann Warren with playing Katie Holmes' mother in "Teaching Miss Tingle" so it's a nice change of pace to see her in a good movie and she does a great cover of "Great Balls Of Fire". Doc's assistant, Corky is a real trooper: doing what needs to be done without a fuss. Even Doc's 2nd ex-wife isn't as annoying as I might have feared.
4. Beyond the music and the anti-corporate hi-jinks, the movie has a nice message about Doc needing to get beyond his years of partying and be a responsible intelligent adult.
5. This movie certainly has the right villain. It is such a joy when she gets the shaft at the end.
6. Kentucky-Fried German Food? Well it beats eating at Arby's.
7. Best Line
Honey: (Doc is posing as a vacuum cleaner salesman) Long time ago a vacuum cleaner salesman just like you came into my house and knocked me up!
Doc: Probably somebody from our service department.
Cons
1. In the beginning, Kris Kristofferson's character narrates the breakup of Doc and Honey. I wish they could have could have done it more visually instead of a character explaining it. Films should be about showing, not telling. After the beginning, Kris Kristofferson's character never narrates again. I wish movies would consistently narrate or don't do it at all.
2. Doc burns down a music studio he owns as part of a plan to get out of his contract with Rocky. He's lucky nobody got hurt. Why would he risk something that could cause him a lot of jail time and further separate him from his family?
3. I'm conflicted about Kris Kristofferson's character ending with Doc's assistant, Corky. It's certainly sweet but it comes at the end and kind of out of nowhere. I wish there had been more of a build-up so it doesn't seem to come out of nowhere
1. Songwriter made history by joining "Purple Rain" and "Muppets Take Manhattan" as the last 3 films to be nominated for the Song Score Oscar. While I agree with the Academy that "Purple Rain" had the best Song Score, I nevertheless consider Songwriter's Song Score to be phenomenal. This is about a half an hour of wall to wall music and none of it is a dud. I'm a guy who usually doesn't even listen to country music and I loved it all. It's just a shame some songs in an early montage are just snippets, I'd love to hear them in their full version.
2. I'm really glad Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson were able to do this movie together. They have great chemistry and they're able to make their characters just ooze with charm. I especially like the scene where Nelson and Kristofferson take turns making statements so complex they can't properly say them again. Between this and Flashpoint, 1984 was a very good year for Kristofferson.
3. The main women in this film are so lovely and likable. Melinda Dillon is so charming she really lights up every scene she's in (it helps that she doesn't have to wash anybody's mouth with soap). I foremost associate Lesley Ann Warren with playing Katie Holmes' mother in "Teaching Miss Tingle" so it's a nice change of pace to see her in a good movie and she does a great cover of "Great Balls Of Fire". Doc's assistant, Corky is a real trooper: doing what needs to be done without a fuss. Even Doc's 2nd ex-wife isn't as annoying as I might have feared.
4. Beyond the music and the anti-corporate hi-jinks, the movie has a nice message about Doc needing to get beyond his years of partying and be a responsible intelligent adult.
5. This movie certainly has the right villain. It is such a joy when she gets the shaft at the end.
6. Kentucky-Fried German Food? Well it beats eating at Arby's.
7. Best Line
Honey: (Doc is posing as a vacuum cleaner salesman) Long time ago a vacuum cleaner salesman just like you came into my house and knocked me up!
Doc: Probably somebody from our service department.
Cons
1. In the beginning, Kris Kristofferson's character narrates the breakup of Doc and Honey. I wish they could have could have done it more visually instead of a character explaining it. Films should be about showing, not telling. After the beginning, Kris Kristofferson's character never narrates again. I wish movies would consistently narrate or don't do it at all.
2. Doc burns down a music studio he owns as part of a plan to get out of his contract with Rocky. He's lucky nobody got hurt. Why would he risk something that could cause him a lot of jail time and further separate him from his family?
3. I'm conflicted about Kris Kristofferson's character ending with Doc's assistant, Corky. It's certainly sweet but it comes at the end and kind of out of nowhere. I wish there had been more of a build-up so it doesn't seem to come out of nowhere
A Little More Credit For Kristofferson, Please
anitaken16 February 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Yes, it's pretty much the story of Willie's life in Nashville, but Kristofferson is great in it (and wrote most of the songs, thank you very much). He's playing this on at least two levels: first, as a parody of his sex symbol image (with a sleep mask with eyelashes embroidered on it, and you don't think that's FUNNY, for cripes sake; and second, as the adult in the room trying to connect Doc to some reality. When fully informed about the wild scheme that Doc (Willie) has thought up to pry the legal ownership of his songs back from Rodeo Rocky, Blackie (Kris) -- recalling no doubt that (a) he had warned Doc about Rodeo Rocky, and (b) that the scheme involves utilizing Gilda, who is about as convincing as a successful songwriter as Doc is as a successful vacuum cleaner salesman, Blackie says sadly "you've been smokin' your running socks again, haven't you?" THAT is the best single line of dialogue in the film. When Doc tells Blackie he simply has to help him out, despite misgivings, because otherwise Doc will have no income at all, Blackie's response is "Jesus, Doc." Obviously, this is not the first time Doc has embroiled them in some loopy scheme. Later, just before he boards the bus to return to his regularly scheduled gig, he asks Doc ""Do you do stuff like this because you get bored, so you can stay interested?" Doc punts answering the question, and instead tells Blackie to get some rest because his voice is getting raspy. I think that was an adlibbed line out of the ongoing real-life Nelson-Kristofferson comraderie in which Nelson periodically needles Kristofferson about his singing voice. Kristofferson sasses right back "I'm workin' on that rasp; I think it makes me sound soulful." Greatly enjoyable film, but it requires both of them to carry it. It's not a solo tour-de-force for Willie.
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