US (1984): Drama
This socially conscious family farm drama from director Mark Rydell was his follow up to the Oscar-winning On Golden Pond (1981). Mel Gibson and Sissy Spacek star as Tom and Mae Garvey, struggling Tennessee farmers constantly one step away from foreclosing. Their farm sits next to a river that both nourishes their land and constantly threatens to overflow its banks and destroy their crops. The Garveys sell some of their equipment for obscenely low prices at a foreclosure auction, at which some of their neighbors are forced to give up everything they own. The stoic Tom takes a job as a scab at a mill where the union workers are striking. Meanwhile, Mae has a platonic flirtation with local bank manager Joe (Scott Glenn), who saves her life when she's trapped under a heavy piece of farm equipment. Tom's homecoming is cut short by a flood, but the raging waters allow him to become a hero to his family again. The River was the third in a trio of dramas depicting the plight of the American family farmer released that same year. (Universal) All Movie Guide)
4 nominations, 1 Special Achievement Award
· Special Achievement Award 1984: Kay Rose - Sound Effects Editing
· Actress 1984: Sissy Spacek
· Cinematography 1984: Vilmos Zsigmond
· Music Scoring Awards (Best Original Score) 1984: John Williams
· Sound 1984: Nick Alphin, Robert M. Thirlwell, Richard Portman, David Ronne
