Songwriter

1984
R
1h 34m

IMDb RATING

6.2/10

936

YOUR RATING

Doc Jenkins (Willie Nelson) is a singer/songwriter who tries to leave his singer/songwriter roots to be a music "mogul," and gets tangled up in a bad publishing deal. He enlists a team of cronies, including a young singer and his former singing partner, Blackie Buck (Kris Kristofferson), and together they execute his plan to get out of the deal. He gets help from a stereotypical small-time concert promoter. Honey Carder (Melinda Dillon) is the love interest/ex-wife.

Play trailer2:15

1 Video

55 Photos

Drama Music

Doc Jenkins is a country music star who's become fed up with the industry. With some help from an old friend he attempts to right some wrongs and get back at the ruthless promoter who's swin... Read allDoc Jenkins is a country music star who's become fed up with the industry. With some help from an old friend he attempts to right some wrongs and get back at the ruthless promoter who's swindled him.Doc Jenkins is a country music star who's become fed up with the industry. With some help from an old friend he attempts to right some wrongs and get back at the ruthless promoter who's swindled him.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.2/10

936

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 1 win & 2 nominations total

Videos1

Trailer 2:15

Watch Official Trailer

Photos55

+ 50

More like this

6.7

6.3

6.5

7.1

6.3

6.3

7.1

5.3

5.9

The Stranger Wore a Gun

6.3

Barbarosa

7.6

Caged

7.5

The Traveler

Storyline

Edit

Did you know

Edit

Trivia
Back in the 1970, Willie Nelson had grown discontented with the role that those in the music industry in Nashville had tried to impose upon him. He left the country music capitol and moved back to his native Texas. Sitting around in a hotel room in Austin with longtime friend Edwin "Bud" Shrake [Bud Shrake], the two devised a story about a songwriter who was going through hard times, trying to find himself. That discussion, and several others following it, would be the beginning of the script of "Songwriter." In fact, the very hotel in which the two first spoke, would later serve to lodge the cast and crew of the film.

Goofs
When Gilda shows up at Doc's hotel room she told him that "Doc" told her where he was.

Quotes
Blackie Buck: Do you suppose a mans got to be a miserable son of a bitch all the time, just to write a good song every now & then? That's a terrible thought.

Connections
Featured in At the Movies: Songwriter/Nineteen Eighty-Four/Witness/Mrs. Soffel (1985)

Soundtracks
How Do You Feel About Fooling Around
Written by
Kris Kristofferson, Stephen Bruton,
and Mike Utley

User reviews15

Review

Featured review

6/10

Willie Nelson, songwriter AND actor

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.