A Tallahesche Bridge...to nowhere. An Ode to a dvd that never was (1 Viewer)

[Louis Letizia]

Warner Brothers has so few 70s/80s films in their library not on DVD. I'm surprised the once announced Ode to Billy Joe has yet made it. Not even for its 35th anni last year.
This was a hit in the Summer of 76 and played HBO incessantly. Glynnis O'Connor won raves . If 1976 didnt have such a strong Supporting Actress Oscar category (Piper Laurie, Jane Alexander , Lee Grant)-she might of slipped in.
This is on Amazon Prime-and was briefly part of Netflix streaming-but has neveer even made it to the Archives.
Robby Bensons other films -except for this and Die Laughing (Walk Proud never evenn made it to vhs-has hit DVD.
This is one of the first movies i remember based on a song.
ANY IDEAS?

 

[Mark Edward Heuck]

You may have just answered your own question. Remember that Warner Archive likes to do releases in waves, or common threads - a bunch of 30's movies here, '70's movies there, Blake Edwards reissues...
Maybe we'll get a whole slew of Robby Benson flicks in a few months. BILLY JOE, DIE LAUGHING, another push for ONE ON ONE...not sure what else they have with the eternally handsome one.

 

[ahollis]

Ready for this one too. And DIE LAUGHING.

 

[Jeffrey:K]

Glynnis O'Connor for Best Supporting Actress? She had the lead role! She had more screen time than Robby Benson.

You may be right about this being the first film based on a pop song. It was followed by Convoy and Harper Valley PTA. There were films before that were titled after a pop song but none that I can think of that were based on the song itself.

 

[Richard V]

Glynnis O'Connor for Best Supporting Actress?  She had the lead role! She had more screen time than Robby Benson.
You may be right about this being the first film based on a pop song. It was followed by Convoy and Harper Valley PTA. There were films before that were titled after a pop song but none that I can think of that were based on the song itself.

Which came first, the song "Because They're Young" or the movie?

 

[Louis Letizia]

This was actually based on a novel called HARRISON HIGH. The song , much like WHERE THE BOYS ARE -came later

 

[Mark Edward Heuck]

Someone asked about this at Warner Archive's Facebook page, and they replied there were issues holding up a release. Probably having to clear the song rights from either the record company or the publishers.

 

[Louis Letizia]

I suspected the dreaded song writes issue was the culprit. I'm sure that's also prohibiting THE NIGHT THE LIGHTS WENT OUT IN GA from its release. Whoever may own that.

 

[Steve Armbrust]

Glynnis O'Connor. I had all but forgotten about her (even though IMDB shows she's been working fairly steadily all along). She was one of my favorite heartthrobs of the era, along with Susan Blakely and, of course, Hayley Mills.

 

[Jon Hertzberg]

Glynnis O'Connor for Best Supporting Actress?  She had the lead role! She had more screen time than Robby Benson.
You may be right about this being the first film based on a pop song. It was followed by Convoy and Harper Valley PTA. There were films before that were titled after a pop song but none that I can think of that were based on the song itself.

Love Glynnis and wrote about her here.
I like ODE TO BILLY JOE, though my favorite teaming of these two was in JEREMY.
As for movies based on or inspired by pop songs, that inspired this fun little post a few years back.

 

[KathyBeck]

Speaking of Hayley Mills, I've been waiting for The Truth About Spring forever. Don't know who owns it though.

 

[Louis Letizia]

Speaking of Hayley Mills, I've been waiting for The Truth About Spring forever. Don't know who owns it though.

Universal released this to theaters but it was a Rank picture. I saw this on TCM not too long ago -great little movie-and do not remember the Universal logo-so this may lie with VCI . They have done a great job with the Rank library - Guinevere, The Riddle of the Sands, Ferry to Hong Kong were hard to find on vhs-VCI did some nice work for DVD.

 

[KathyBeck]

Universal Vault Series finally released Truth About Spring. Widescreen too. You can get it on Amazon.

 

[Brent Reid]

What's "A Tallahesche Bridge"?

 

[Steve Armbrust]

What's "A Tallahesche Bridge"?

I believe it's actually spelled Talahatchie Bridge, and it's the bridge that Billy Joe jumped off in the song that inspired the movie.

 

[Brent Reid]

Thanks Steve, I was just having a playful dig. I'm a huge Bobbie Gentry fan – and it's "Tallahatchie Bridge".

 

[Steve Armbrust]

Thanks Steve, I was just having a playful dig. I'm a huge Bobbie Gentry fan – and it's "Tallahatchie Bridge".

Sorry, I meant to type the two l's. Me too about Bobby Gentry.

 

[JoeDoakes]

I believe it's actually spelled Talahatchie Bridge, and it's the bridge that Billy Joe jumped off in the song that inspired the movie.

I get the part about Billy Joe, but what exactly were they throwing off the bridge?

 

[Steve Armbrust]

I get the part about Billy Joe, but what exactly were they throwing off the bridge?

That's still an unanswered question, as far as I know.

 

[Steve_Pannell]

I've thrown a few things off the Tallahatchie bridge myself, but I'll never tell.