Product Details

• Actors: Jane Fonda, Christine Ebersole, Levon Helm, Geraldine Page, Dan Hedaya
• Directors: Daniel Petrie
• Format: Color, NTSC, HiFi Sound
• Language: English
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Playhouse Video
• VHS Release Date: June 11, 1992
• Run Time: 143 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6301802837
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #27,465 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

52 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Lesson In Following One's Dreams, May 27, 2001

By 

S. Kelley (Cleveland,Ohio United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Dollmaker [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I believe "The Dollmaker" was a made for television movie years ago. To this date, even tho it was made for television, "The Dollmaker" is one of my all time favorite movies. It is most inspiring to me, especially if I am at a low point in my life's journey.

In the movie we see the love and the struggles of an Appliachian Kentucky family. The Nevel family may lack in money and materialistic "things" but the family is rich with tradition, family, love and faith in God. From the outside they had little but really they had it all.

We see the Gertie (Jane Fonda) and her husband, Clovis (Levon Helm), move from their beloved Appalachia Kentucky to the chaotic Detroit. Clovis was to be called up to serve in WWII but went to Detroit where the family could be enrich by Clovis joining a union and working at a car assembly plant.

Gertie finds her whole family stuck in a crackerbox of a housing development in a world far away from Appalachia. How will she and the children adjust to Detroit? How will Clovis make it in the union? Will the Nevels ever see their beloved Appalachia Kentucky again?

It is a bittersweet struggle of survival for one woman, to beat all the odds stacked against her and her family and to follow that dream in life... "HOME". It proves one CAN go home again if they only have the dream and desire.

How will Gertie accomplish it? At what cost will it be to Gertie?

One word to the wise, have a box of tissue near by as you watch the movie.

I wish this movie would come out of print and more people could see it as it is most inspiring. It leaves the viewer with the motivation that they TOO can dream and reach that dream in life! It makes the viewer most grateful for what they have in life.

I cannot recommend this movie enough. I love this movie so much, that I bought a used copy of this video as a gift to a friend at a very high price. It's worth every penny and I treasure my own copy of "The Dollmaker".

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE BEST TV MOVIE EVER MADE, April 26, 2002

By 

Kathy Armijo (Pickens, S.C. United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Dollmaker [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This is without a doubt the best acting Jane Fonda has ever done. If this movie had been a theatrical release, her performance would have won her an oscar. This is the most moving and beautiful family film I have ever seen. The child actors in this film are amazing beyond words and Helms casting as the husband of Fondas character is perfect. The soundtrack alone I would pay a fortune to own. Lucky for me,I do own a copy of the video and have enjoyed it many times.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best!, January 14, 2005

By 

Writer (The South) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Dollmaker [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This is an all time favorite movie of mine! The entire cast was supremely talented. The story was very moving. It made me so glad I live the life I do. Theirs was such a hard life after they moved to Detroit. This one is a classic!