Honeysuckle Rose (1980)

A married country and western singer (Willie Nelson) is struggling to break into the big leagues although he has a strong cult following. When his best friend and lead guitarist (Slim Pickens) retires, his friend's daughter (Amy Irving) temporarily takes his place. Their attraction to each other will cause much pain to their loved ones. Directed by Jerry Schatzberg (PANIC IN NEEDLE PARK), this is an amiable film with a threadbare plot derived from INTERMEZZO, an Ingrid Bergman film made twice, in Swedish in 1936 and in English in 1939. But its predictability doesn't work against it much. Nelson isn't much of an actor but he's affable and charming in his own way. The film really belongs to the two actresses, Irving and Dyan Cannon who's a powerhouse as Nelson's wife. Irving is saddled with a rather unlikable character but Cannon is magnificent here. This isn't a woman you take lightly or for granted! The songs are good and one of them, On The Road Again, received a best song Oscar nomination. The imposing cinematography is by Robby Muller (BREAKING THE WAVES). With Diana Scarwid, Emmylou Hariss, Joey Floyd and Priscilla Pointer.