Customer Reviews

The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas

5 star:		(65)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I was in college when this movie came out and I missed it back then. I didn't think it was going to be any good.

I ended up buying it, as I'm collecting every movie that's ever been nominated or has won an Oscar, that's available on DVD. I was reluctant to purchase this one, but the price was excellent, and grabbed it.

What made this movie such a treat is the quality of the photography by William Fraker, the musical numbers, especially "Hard Candy Christmas" (fabulous!)and "I'll Always Love You" (which I cannot understand why it wasn't nominated for an Oscar as best song, since Dolly Parton wrote it, to my knowledge, for this film and it is great!); the dancing, superb; the whole tongue-in-cheek approach (albeit for adults--this is not a movie for kids) works; and they way they got away with all the whole thing, is astonishing. Granted, it's based on a very popular Broadway musical, but they seldom translate well to the screen...and with Burt and Dolly in the leading roles? Well, they're fabulous! Dolly is simply magical, and everything about her is perfect for her role as the madam Miss Mona.

Charles Durning as the governor of Texas does a brief but smashing job--it's a brilliant sequence, and now I understand why he was nominated as best supporting actor for this movie.

Overall, if you want to have a good time, light fun, listen to some good tunes, and ultimately feel strangely satisfied and happy, I recommend this film. It's actually excellent and hasn't aged a bit in 20 years...it's more fresh today than probably back when I was in college and thought it was "trash".

Now I think it's a pleasure. Not for kids, however. But adults who aren't as snobbish as some college students can be at times, will get a kick out of this surprising delight!

This movie is incredibly entertaining from beginning to end and goes through a wide range of emotions and human trials and tribulations - humor & sadness, triumph and failure, loyalty and hypocrisy, etc.

I think that most people watching this movie miss, what is to me, the most important point of the entire movie.

You have a small town with a whorehouse that has been in existence for over 100 years. The people in the town have no problem whatsoever with the whorehouse. In fact, many of residents talk about why they support it.

It's the people elsewhere that have a problem with the whorehouse. It's something that they don't condone and they want to force their beliefs on the people in the town, disregarding completely how the people in the town itself feel.

It's a problem that exists in America and is one that I personally think is brought to light in this cleverly written musical. People are busy worrying about what their neighbors are doing rather than focusing on their own lives. Most of it comes from religious wackos like the one portrayed by Dom Deluise.

The serious commentary is cleverly hidden within the dancing, singing and action, but it's still there. Taking this into consideration adds a new dimension to the film and the viewing experience.

I have been waiting for The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas to be released on DVD for a few years now and finally it has arrived! It sure was worth the wait! The picture transfer is fantastic. Great clear images and a remastered soundtrack. The widescreen opens the picture up and gives audiences glimpses of things that were never able to be seen on the video. But the most exciting part of the DVD are the great bonus features: a short behind the scenes documentry (featuring interviews with Parton, Reynolds, Higgins and even Edna Milton, whom the character of Mona is based upon), outakes (hilarious bloopers from the set), and the original theatrical trailer (using an original song sung by Dolly about the premise of the movie). I only wish that Burt Reynolds deleted musical number had been included but I guess we can't have everything! I consider this DVD a MUST HAVE for any of the following people: Theater lovers, Dolly fans, Texans, Whores.... EVERYONE! Do yourself a favor and buy, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas... Its a howling good time!

Miss Mona (Dolly Parton) runs a whorehouse that has served generations of Texans. Yes, viewers, Texas has a whorehouse in it! A narcissistic TV news watchdog (Dom DeLuise) executes an expose that everyone in the county already knows about. The Sheriff (Burt Reynolds) loves Miss Mona, and tries to save the whorehouse. The Governor of Texas (Charles Durning) dances the two-step around the whole affair.

Great Broadway songs. Great Cast. A couple of new songs added by Dolly Parton. Funny situations and plenty of parody. Adult humor and fun.

Basically, for me, Dolly Parton was the best part of watching this movie. Of course, she's wearing her cleavage-baring dresses and big hair. She and Burt Reynolds have a great, "Love 'em, hate 'em" relationship, and they can scream at eachother really well. The songs are catchy enough to where you flip around for the songs just to watch them over and over again. At any rate, not the best movie, but Dolly makes it GRRREAT!

I can understand all of the comments about this movie being mediocre. But come on can you honestly say that when you picked the Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, you were expecting say An American in Paris. I was satisifed. It was a nice way to waste an afternoon. My only complaint would be Burt Reynolds was in the majority of the movie and this explains why the movie comes across as slow. Another actor should have been chosen. What gives this movie three stars is Dolly Parton. She was adorable in it and had such charisma. The governor's number is a must also.

I ordered this for my wife, but I knew of it as a kid. I was surprised how entertaining it ended up being. Burt and Dolly really have a chemistry, and for a real church-going country girl, she seems to have an open mind for taking such a risque role. Moments that harken to "true" women's rights, the safety of a whorehouse opposed to the street walker/pimp scenario, even a quip on how un Christian most Christians are. (When Burt is asked why more people are not forgiving like God is, he replies,"Well, I guess most people aren't very God-like." So damned true. I dig this film.

OK...before you think I'm vapid by picking BLWIT as one of my favorite movies, don't watch it for intriguing plot lines, deep character development, or a message...just watch it for the fun of it! It's a great little movie that takes you away for a little while. The songs are almost all memorable, although the scenes can be a little long (the Sneaking Around scene and the one at the lake) but the dancing is fun, the supporting cast (who couldn't love Charles Durning) is good, and the music will have you tapping your foot. What other movie/musical can use the words pissant and piddley-squattin' in song?

This movie is based on real life characters and a real life conflict that came from a television reporter exposing Texas' oldest bordello. Having said that, this movie is pure fiction in its handling of both its subject matter and characterizations. Nevertheless it's an endurable piece of lighthearted fiction. There's lots of music, fun and a tad hint of nudity that makes the whole affair naughty but nice. It's amazing how one can actually feel sorry for a bunch of whores forced to vacate their old haunt for some new digs. Universal has done a very nice job on the transfer. The film's elements are remarkably clean. There is no aliasing, shimmering or color and contrast separation to speak of. Images are sometimes soft but only briefly. For the most part the overall image is one of vibrant, sharp clarity, very uncharacteristic of most 80's movies that have been transfered to DVD. The soundtrack too is appealing. Though it doesn't hold up to today's technologies, the songs are well represented with a nice bass and power that comes across with great integration. Extras include a making of featurette that's pretty succint and interesting, some hilarious outtakes in which the cast lets loose with the four letter words and a darling little trailer that features a song not included in the film, Dolly Parton singing "Down at the Chick-chick-Chicken Ranch". After a couple of hours of homespun, sexy good fun like this, you'll have a strong desire to go for a ride in the country. No puns intended.

THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS is one of those fun little films that are nothing but harmless fluff. Based on the popular and long-running Off-Broadway musical, the toe-tapping musical tells the tale of back-woods bordello The Chicken Ranch - "where history and randy boys get laid"!!!

The Chicken Ranch is owned by the busty Miss Mona (Dolly Parton); and Sheriff Ed Earl Dodd (Burt Reynolds) who is in love with Mona sees to it that the bordello is not discovered by the powers that be.

However, television consumer reporter Melvin P. Thorpe (Dom DeLuise) is out to expose and close down this most sacred state treasure.

A very endearing musical comedy which reunited Dolly Parton with her NINE TO FIVE director Colin Higgins. Parton also contributed to the score of the film, which was altered significantly from the stage version.