Torn is a fading country singer in this excellent, overlooked drama. The film chronicles the last 36 hours of Torn's life, as he travels from one honky-tonk to the next. Torn is a cruel, egotistical performer who knows his career is on the skids. Screenwriter Carpenter and director Duke
capture in unglamorized fashion the grind of being on the road, the groupies, the payoffs, and the drugs. The film has no heroes or villains, and every character is three-dimensional. Gwynne is Torn's ruthless manager, Capri is the singer's mistress, and Heilveil makes her debut as an innocent
groupie. Torn's brilliant performance deserves more recognition, as does the film, which e...
Released:
1972
Rated:
R
Length:
102 mins