US (1982): Comedy/Musical

This is an energetic, but ultimately mediocre adaptation of the play, directed on Broadway by Tommy Tune. Burt Reynolds is the town sheriff and a regular patron of a local bordello. He wages a public battle to keep it open after it is targeted as the devil's den by a television minister. Charles Durning won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, and there are some lively song and dance numbers featuring Dolly Parton as the madame of the Chicken Ranch. However, this becomes bogged down in too many serious moments for it to be more than a lightweight musical comedy. The cast also features Dom DeLuise, Jim Nabors, Robert Mandan, Lois Nettleton, Noah Beery, Jr. and Barry Corbin. Colin Higgins directs for RKO/MCA-Universal. (Rochelle O'Gorman, Amazon.com)

· Supporting Actor 1982: Charles Durning

1 nomination