By Melissa Antoinette Garza
Dolly Parton is definitely one of the earliest girl crushes I had. Between this and 9 TO 5 (1980), I was very smitten! Show me a bad girl with a good soul and I’m hooked every time. She’s just gorgeous inside and out, a true American treasure that will forever be idolized and revered.
THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS (1982) is based on the 1978 Broadway play. The film surrounds a whorehouse in Gilbert, Texas known as the Chicken Ranch. The brothel had been around for generations without complaint.
It isn’t until scumbag TV show host Melvin. P Thorpe (Dom DeLuise), who is a mix of TMZ and an evangelist, exposes the Chicken Ranch on his program that trouble brews. The Sheriff Ed Earl Dodd (Burt Reynolds) wants to shelter the ranch from Thorpe’s wrath. It’s important to him because he’s in love with the Madam, Mona Stangley (Dolly Parton) who he’s had a relationship with for some time.
Thorpe is relentless and pressure mounts on the local politicians. The cowardly but adorable Governor (Charles Durning) does his best to side-step the issue. Sadly, he folds like a blanket when the pressure mounts. Still, if he was running for president, I’d vote for him. At least when he lies to the people, he does it with a song, a dance and maximum amounts of cuteness.
This leaves all the women of the night out of job. Thanks Obama! I kid! I kid! This was 1982 and I like to think Obama would be cool with women doing whatever the hell they want to do.
BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS is a fantastic, fun musical that is a tame sort of naughty that even the most vanilla among us can enjoy, given that they have taste.
The music is phenomenal. The most silly among them are Burt and Dolly’s duet SNEAKIN’ AROUND, the Governor’s DOING THE SIDESTEP and Thorpe’s TEXAS HAS A WHOREHOUSE IN IT. They’re all fun, whimsical numbers that keep the pace and flow perfect.
My favorite two numbers are HARD CANDY CHRISTMAS and I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU. I fully admit that I’m a mark and cry like a baby when those melodies begin. I like Whitney Houston fine, but no one can match Dolly’s emotion in that song.
Beyond the music the story is a great one too. There’s a love triangle between Mona, Dodd and waitress Dulcie Mae (Lois Nettleton). I love that Dulcie is a good girl through and through. She’s not mean to Mona nor does she look down upon her like some others do. She just happens to love the same man as her. Both women have respect and adoration for one another, but in the end, it’s clear Dodd belongs with Mona.
Parton portrays Mona as an assertive and independent badass with a gun. She has no interest in conforming to the rules of society, but also is gracious enough to donate to causes. Beyond that, she’s a rock-star in the bedroom who orders Dodd to get into lingerie she purchased. He refuses and she threatens to leave. No one pushes Mona around and when in a relationship she demands the man give as good as they get. Anyone who doesn’t look as Mona Stangley as a superstar feminist doesn’t understand equality.
Everyone was so great in this. Jim Nabors was hilarious as the bumbling Deputy. Likewise, Dom DeLuise is zany and such a delight as the fraud Thorpe. Charles Durning makes me laugh every time. I love that as the politician, he takes enjoyment in the runaround game he plays with the press. It makes me laugh aloud every time I watch it.
Burt Reynolds is fantastic in the role of male lead. His genuine arrogance and swagger sells every moment. I was sad to learn he recently passed away. I like to think he’s brought a bit more grandeur to whatever cloud he’s sitting upon.
And then, there’s Dolly. She owns the show from start-to-finish. This is her baby.! She is fiery yet sensitive, giving but demanding, lenient though in charge; and she wears it so well.
This is one of those movies that I constantly recommend and always suggest at parties. It’s wild enough to make the night interesting, but tame enough to not offend the most conservative among us.
Scared Stiff Rating: 9/10
