Tender Mercies is a 1983 American drama film. Robert Duvall (pictured)
plays Mac Sledge, a recovering alcoholic country music singer who seeks
to turn his life around through his relationship with a young widow and
her son in rural Texas. Duvall, who sang his own songs in the film,
drove more than 600 miles (966 km) throughout the state, tape recording
local accents and playing in country music bands to prepare for the
role. He and director Bruce Beresford repeatedly clashed during
production, at one point prompting Beresford to walk off the set and
reportedly consider quitting. Themes include the importance of love and
family, the possibility of spiritual resurrection amid death, and the
concept of redemption through Mac Sledge's conversion to Christianity.
Following poor test screening results, distributor Universal Pictures
made little effort to publicize Tender Mercies, which Duvall attributed
to the studio's lack of understanding of country music. Although
unsuccessful at the box office, it was critically acclaimed and earned
five Academy Award nominations, including one for Best Picture. Tender
Mercies won Oscars for Best Original Screenplay for Horton Foote and
Best Actor for Duvall.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tender_Mercies>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1808:
Charles IV of Spain abdicated in favour of his son,
Ferdinand VII.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_IV_of_Spain>
1915:
Pluto was photographed for the first time, 15 years before it
was officially discovered by Clyde Tombaugh at the Lowell Observatory.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pluto>
1962:
Highly influential American musician Bob Dylan released his
eponymous debut album.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Dylan>
1978:
In response to the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, the United
Nations called on Israel to immediately withdraw its forces from
Lebanon, and established the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Security_Council_Resolution_425>
2011:
Libyan civil war: The French Air Force launched Opération
Harmattan, beginning foreign military intervention in Libya.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Op%C3%A9ration_Harmattan>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
vaguery:
1. (uncountable) Vagueness, the condition of being vague.
2. (countable) A vagueness, a thing which is vague, an example of
vagueness.
3. (countable, in the plural) An eggcorn for vagaries.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/vaguery>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
The humblest citizen in all the land, when clad in the armor of a
righteous cause, is stronger than all the hosts of error.
--William Jennings Bryan
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/William_Jennings_Bryan>