Robert Duvall stars in this touching story of a down-and-out country singer named Mac and the young widow (Tess Harper) he meets in a small Texas town.  Their relationship blossoms, but Mac’s years of hard living resurface when his music star ex-wife (Betty Buckley) appears in a nearby town and with her, his estranged daughter (Ellen Barkin).  A warm, persuasive tale of love and redemption, Tender Mercies won 1983 Oscars for Best Actor (Duvall) and for Best Original Screenplay (Horton Foote, who also wrote the screenplays for To Kill a Mockingbird and The Trip to Bountiful).  Country music is featured throughout Tender Mercies, and there are brief scenes that include prayer and baptism.  The film carries a “parental guidance” rating.

“Produced in 1983, Tender Mercies is one of those films so understated that it slips under many a radar.  And yet it’s a movie I’ll always refer to when people ask me about my favorites.  It’s simply told yet gracefully nuanced, with powerful scenes between superb actors so realistic that incidents like the scenes could happen right next door.  If you’re looking for an inspiring movie that has an unusual sense of authenticity, heartfelt drama, and a good splash of romance, you can do no better than Tender Mercies.”  (Review in Epoch Times, by Ian Kane)

The 2nd Floor Party Room opens at 7:00 pm, with fresh popcorn for early arrivers.  (Discreet English subtitles for those who sit close.)  The Movie starts promptly at 7:30 pm, with an “Apple pie à la mode” (ie, with ice cream) at Intermission.  Then back to the movie, and ending by 9:30 pm.

Free, of course, for Park Tower residents and their families.