Burt Reynolds .... Sheriff Ed Earl Dodd, Lanville Co. Texas
Dolly Parton .... Miss Mona Stangley, Madam of Chicken Ranch
Dom DeLuise .... Melvin P. Thorpe, Watchdog Report
Charles Durning .... Governor
Jim Nabors .... Deputy Fred/Narrator
Robert Mandan .... Senator Charles Wingwood
Lois Nettleton .... Dulcie Mae, Cafe Owner/Ed Earl's live-in Girlfriend
Theresa Merritt .... Jewel, Chicken Ranch Maid
Noah Beery Jr. .... Edsel, Gilbert Newspaper Editor
Barry Corbin .... C.J.
Ken Magee .... Mansel
Mary Jo Catlett .... Rita Crowell, Town Clerk
Mary Louise Wilson .... Miss Modene
Howard K. Smith .... Himself, ABC News Commentator

Harvey Christiansen .... Old Farmer
Donald F. Colson .... Jeff Gerald, On-scene Reporter ABC News
Helen Kleeb .... Dora
Mickey Jones .... Henry
Bobby Fite .... Dulcie Mae's Son
Paula Shaw .... Wulla Jean, Original Madam of Chicken Ranch
Kenneth White .... Sheriff Jack Roy Wallace
Ted Gehring .... Sheriff Chapman
Wayne Heffley .... TV Station Manager
Verne Lundquist .... Football Announcer
Lee Grosscup .... Football Color Man
Lee Ritchey .... Governor's Aide
Alice Drummond .... Governor's Secretary
Karyn Harrison .... Chicken Girl
Randy Bennett .... Privates Boy
Willie T. Neely .... Nester
Harold Offer .... Nester
Kenneth Threadgill .... Nester
John Edson .... Male Reporter
Robert Ginnaven .... Male Reporter
Sharon Ammann .... Female Reporter
Claudette Gardner .... Female Reporter
Suzi McLaughlin .... Female Reporter
Raleigh Bond .... Rufus, Mayor of Gilbert Texas
Mary Louise Smith .... Modene

The Chicken Ranch Girls
Gail Benedict
Valerie Leigh Bixler
Leslie Cook
Carol Culver
Lorraine Fields
Trish Garland
Sandi Johnson
Lee Lund
Paula Lynn
Lily Mariye
Andrea Pike
Terri Robinson
Jennifer Nairn-Smith
Terri Treas
Melanie Winter

The Aggies
Stephen Bray
Brian Bullard
Jeff Calhoun
Gary Chapman
John Dolf
David Engel
Ed Forsyth
Mark Fotopoulos
Michael Fullington
David Warren Gibson
Joe Hart
Jeffrey Hornaday
Patrick Maguire
Ted Marriot
Jerry Mitchell
Steven Moore
Douglas Robb
Kevin Ryan
Tim Topper
Marvin Tunney
Randy Val Cupp
Robert Warners

The Dogettes
Robin Lynn Funk
Larry Kenton
Mark Thomas McGee
Karen McLain
Benjamin Taylor
Arnetia Walker
Ty Whitney

Melvin's Crew
Robert Briscoe
John Walter Davis
Gregory Itzin
Timothy Stack
Larry B. Williams

 

 



Directed by
Colin Higgins

Written by
Larry L. King &
Peter Masterson
Colin Higgins

Produced by
Robert L. Boyett
Colin Higgins
Edward K. Milkis
Thomas L. Miller


Original music by
Carol Hall
Dolly Parton
Patrick Williams


Cinematography by
William A. Fraker

Film Editing by
David Bretherton
Nicholas Eliopoulos
Pembroke J. Herring
Jack Hofstra


Costume Design by
Theadora Van Runkle

Makeup
Brad Wilder

Art Department
Greg C. Jensen
Curtis A. Schnell
Robert A. Sturtevant


Sound
Dan Wallin

Visual Effects
Albert Whitlock

Stunts
Eddie Hice

Choreographer
Tony Stevens

 

 

 


20 Fans
The film opens with the narrator Deputy Fred offering up the history of the "Chicken Ranch." It turns out that it's been in existence since the late 1800s and since has become quite a cornerstone of the community. The song itself, referring to the comfortable ceiling fans turning in each room is sung only in underscore. Meanwhile we see a montage of the changing life and style over the years. We watch the girls at work and their... uh... customers come and go.

 

A Little Ole
Bitty Pissant
Country Place
We've caught up to the stories present day and we are introduced to the new madam, Miss Mona. In this song she shares her thoughts on the Chicken ranch and reiterates the rules of the house. We see from the girls participation that Mona is more than just their boss, she is a mother figure. And with Dolly Parton in the role, the mother figure is a full one... something not lost on the films director who exhibits low necklines throughout the film. Dolly's singing voice works well with the material but the dance movement seems to come from theme park production rather than the Broadway stage. There's nothing dirty goin' on.

 

Sneaking
Around
Sheriff Ed Earl meets Miss Mona for their occasional weekday liaison. This duet allows them to express how much they enjoy the sessions. Once again, Dolly's Mona sings up a storm and her character is certainly coming across as adorable. Burt Reynolds certainly looks good in his uniform and has a likable arrogance about him, but his performance during this number seems to come from insecurity rather then professionalism. He spends the song applying gimmicks to distract from his sufficient singing voice. The song was written for the film and has a lighter tone than many of the other numbers.

 

Watchdog
Report
The self-proclaimed consumer advocate Melvin P. Thorpe has a hit program on his hands. Not only does he have an anxious audience hanging on his every word,but he also has a theme song performed by a dancing chorus in Western Wear.

 

Texas has a
Whorehouse
in it
And on tonight's show, melvin exposes the existence of Miss Mona's brothel to the chagrin of most of the citizens of Gilbert, Texas. Why, he even exposes Sheriff Ed Earl's complacent attitude as evil. Dom DeLuise is very funny in the role of Melvin P. Thorpe. He has horrible wardrobe, a terrible hairpiece and a commitment to making the character work. It is appreciated. I find this number to be as close to the stage plays spirit up to this point in the movie.

 

The Aggie
Song
the Texas A & M Football team win the big game and their prize is an evening at Miss Mona's. They are unaware that she has promised to close-up for a couple months until Melvin P disappears. So, they sing from the locker room all the way to the chicken house on the team bus... and even in the back of a pickup after the bus loses a tire. Almost an hour into the film we get the first big dance number and it is impressive work by the boys.

 

Courtyard
Shag
When the "Aggies" finally arrive they are escorted out back where they meet their... err... escort. This is another big dance number high on the skin content as the girls strip to their skivvies mid-song. But, like the "Little Ole Pissant Country Place" choreography, much of it seems convoluted.

 

The Sidestep
All throughout this Chicken ranch controversy, the Governor of Texas is nowhere to be found. Always the Politician, his scarcity isn't surprising. But, when he can't hide in the shadows any longer, he avoids the topic in a new way, by sidestepping the issue. Charles Durning's performance as the governor is the strongest single element in the entire film, even earning him an Oscar nomination. The song is of great fun and utilized some camera magic to keep the tone.

 

Hard Candy
Christmas
Falling to the controversy, The Chicken Ranch is forced to close. And with that, the girls are without work and must move on. This song wonderfully captures their strength and easily creates the most beautiful sound in the film. With better construction earlier on in the film, this number could have been a tearjerker but we are currently left with a feeling of "Where did this come from?" Incredible vocals by Ms parton.

 

I Will Always
Love You
Ed Earl and Miss Mona finally share there love, but it is too late. Mona cannot see their relationship working. Through tears she sings to him. This is a beautiful song written by Ms Parton that saw even greater success when Whitney Houston recorded it for THE BODYGUARD. But, she couldn't handle the emotional output Dolly showed. This song is one of the best in the entire show. And so, the movie comes to an end, but not before Ed Earl grabs Miss Mona's luggage and throws it in the back of his truck. The narrator tells us they lived happily ever after.

 

 



The Best Little Whorehouse had a very bumpy transfer from stage to screen. The show itself was a Broadway success but the show failed miserably in overseas ventures. The main money behind the stage show was Universal studios so it was only natural that they would bring the show to the screen. They attached Burt Reynolds and Dolly Parton to the cast which seemed like a real score. But, they did an awful lot of reworking. Enough to make the story lose its cohesion and heart. Most of the songs were cut and Ms Parton and Patrick Williams composed 2 new songs. The film was not well received, with only Charles Durning receiving positive notices. Much of the fault lies in the new story ideas. Gone were subplots involving the girls at the Chicken ranch which showed such promise on stage. Even Ed Earl and Miss Mona's personalities were softened as the story suddenly revolved solely around their relationship. Many other shows have suffered a similar fate but have faired better by offering up new or expanded dance routines and musical numbers. But, we have no such luck here. The musical numbers are few and far between. A solo song with Burt Reynolds singing was cut making it even that much shorter. So, the film is not one of the best transfers but, in most cases, it's all we got. Enjoy it the best you can. Ain't nothin' dirty goin' on.

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