To say that, with Dolly Parton's passing, the world has lost the closest thing we've ever had to a real angel would be the understatement of the century. Very few individuals will ever be able to claim the success of the humanitarian endeavors the Tennessee native attempted and achieved, including:
- Sending more than 300 million books to children around the world
- Creating programs to lower dropout rates in her hometown from 35% to 6%
- Donating $1 million to the development of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine
- Supporting families devastated by the 2016 Great Smoky Mountain fires with $12.5 million
- Preserving endangered American eagles through the American Eagle Foundation and its sanctuary at "Dollywood"
- Paying tuition for the employees of her theme park, "Dollywood"
And so, so much more.
That being said, Dolly Parton was more than just a philanthropist or a musician. She was a storyteller. Although Dolly's voice became an instantly recognizable comfort on the radio, she became an icon through her film and television performances.
While the world mourns the loss of its best butterfly, here are the best Dolly films to watch to introduce her to the next generation of Dolly fans.
8. Rhinestone (1984)
Rhinestone, directed by Bob Clark from a screenplay by Sylvester Stallone and Phil Alden Robinson, stars a young Stallone and Dolly Parton in a 1984 musical romantic comedy. Based on the song "Rhinestone Cowboy" (1975), written by Larry Weiss, it has an entertaining premise, if not questionable execution. Following a down-on-her-luck country singer trapped in a long-term contract at a dingy dive bar in NYC, Rhinestone is a film that can't quite figure out whether it's a comedy, a romance, or a dark and gritty piece. The direction, as well as the script, is messy, dated, and hard to believe. It certainly became a project that many of the people involved distanced themselves from after the fact. That being said, it did provide Dolly with two top-10 country singles: "Tennessee Homesick Blues" and "God Won't Get You."
Why it's great for schools and libraries: There is something to be said about going against the grain and learning to roll with the punches. Made early enough in Dolly's career that she was still learning which directions she could pull her weight, it is clunky and a little out there. It is also a little more adult than might be appropriate for most classrooms, but if you're building a Rolodex of Dolly's films, this does provide some nice fodder to remind students and community members that even Dolly had a couple of losses and kept on trucking along. Also, for students of film history and media growth, this piece showcases two stars early in their careers and the risks they still took before truly finding their stride. It also has a very unique, true-to-its-time production history that really dives into what filmmaking in the 1980s was like. What better discussion pieces are there than those?
7. Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square (2020)
Oh, boy. This straight-to-Netflix original starring Dolly Parton and the illustrious Christine Baranski had all the makings of another beautiful Christmas classic, but the story and world it built were about as real as the rhinestones on Dolly's outfits. Directed by Debbie Allen with a screenplay by Maria S. Schlatter, Christmas on the Square has about the same emotional depth as a Hallmark Christmas film, with about the same budget. People have been calling Dolly Parton "an angel" for decades, but in this particular iteration, her wings do their best but still can't exactly lift the clumsy heavy-handedness of the plot. For brevity, the plot hinges on Dolly as the head angel, attempting to guide another angel-in-training in giving this town's Mr. Potter the It's a Wonderful Life treatment. Apart from critical film theory and script analysis, Christmas on the Square is cute, campy, and self-aware, and honestly, it's just something nice to have on in the background of any holiday get-together. Either way, it is hard not to be at least partially fond of Baranski's devolution from loving a Grinch to becoming one.
Why it's great for schools and libraries: There are certainly some Christian undertones and overtones in this piece, which might make it perfect viewing for more religious education programs, but it also still highlights the need for compassion, community, and care for everyone around us: a lesson we all, including children, need to hear. When devising a holiday lineup, Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square is great for discussing the success of a limited-budget piece, as well as how to build an inclusive plot around a handful of major players in the same story. It is safe, easy to watch, and undeniably joyful, regardless of its critical worth. (No matter what my opinion of the piece, it still won two 2021 Emmy Awards: Outstanding Television Movie and Outstanding Choreography for Scripted Programming!)
6. Joyful Noise (2012)
When one looks at the poster for Joyful Noise, they know that there is going to be a considerable amount of musical talent bestowed upon them. And they would be right! That being said, the script itself (written and directed by Todd Graff) doesn't truly allow any character to show much sincerity or struggle to overcome, so much of it feels saccharine in nature. Regardless, with powerhouses of song such as Dolly Parton, Queen Latifah, Keke Palmer, and Jeremy Jordan, it's hard not to find something to enjoy in this Pitch Perfect-esque plot about community, family, and challenging tradition. The "food fight scene" is still the silliest and cattiest on-screen argument I've ever seen, and as someone who enjoys a good drag-queen read, it's hard not to find some comfort in this film. What the plot lacks in depth and variety, it makes up for in soft, silly charm and sheer musical prowess.
Why it's great for schools and libraries: Unsurprisingly, for Dolly, who was a devout Christian her entire life, this film, which hovers around a church and its inner congregation, does sway toward the preachy and religious side. Like A Walk to Remember, this fluff piece is a great meeting place between religious and secular communities. It is also a beautiful piece for choir or chorus students to truly appreciate the power of song and music creation while also learning how contemporary pieces stand on the shoulders of traditional giants. It showcases family dynamics in single-parent households and intergenerational care, as well as what it takes to build a village.
Click here to stream Joyful Noise on Prime Video.
5. Straight Talk (1992)
To say that Dolly can charm the pants off anyone is probably an understatement, but this film really dives into just how far charm can get a girl. In this sort of Cinderella story, an ex-dance instructor uproots her entire life and moves to the big city for an entirely new start, finding pretty quickly that it won't be as easy as she thought. Definitely a movie of the '90s, Straight Talk marries Dolly's inherent charisma with a little inspiration from Good Morning, Vietnam and creates a film with a world that is about as real as Dolly's wigs, but still fun and easy to watch. The film does not even address the legality of what the script asks Dolly's character, Shirlee, to do for the radio station that hires her "accidentally." There are meet-cutes that are nigh impossible to imagine occurring in a city as large as Chicago and some convoluted goals that muddy the plot a bit toward the end. Regardless, like many of Dolly's films, it is an easy, fun watch and speaks to the soft nostalgia that many have for the '80s and '90s.
Why it's great for schools and libraries: This film is great for students studying how to build a script that includes conflicting plots and characters whose goals are contradictory. It is also a great class in acting for students of theatre. For libraries and community centers wanting to host evenings of romantic comedies, this should absolutely be included in the lineup as a feel-good piece with a little extra fluff.
Click here to stream Straight Talk on Prime Video.
4. Gnomeo & Juliet (2011)
I know, I know. Why is this #4? Because it's silly and fun and very Dolly-coded. Dolly has little more than a cameo in this piece, but it is still a relatively true reinterpretation of the beloved Shakespeare classic, Romeo and Juliet. Animation is a beautifully underrated medium for storytelling, and this piece makes a rather dense and difficult-to-navigate text accessible for those first attempting to engage with Shakespeare's works. Again, Dolly wasn't super involved in the production of this piece outside of her impossible-not-to-recognize Southern drawl, but in terms of the film's quality, accessibility, and sheer enjoyability, it's hard not to include Gnomeo & Juliet near the top.
Why it's great for schools and libraries: Animated films are always a go-to for students, but this one actually provides some contextual understanding of classic material, as well as education on social dynamics and conflicts, cause and effect, and character development for younger viewers. For libraries and community spaces that want to host family-friendly viewings or Shakespeare-themed nights, this film would be an ideal addition to the lineup.
Click here to stream Gnomeo & Juliet on Prime Video.
3. Steel Magnolias (1989)
The top three in this lineup were a real toss-up for me, but I stand by the final rankings. Steel Magnolias is only third because Dolly is more of a tertiary character than a plot-mover, but regardless, this film is a story that has moved and broken the hearts of millions. Based on the stage play of the same name by Robert Harling, who then devised the screenplay as well, Steel Magnolias has one of the most recognizable character lineups in film history. This ensemble cast is rife with powerhouse talent, including Sally Field, Julia Roberts, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah, Olympia Dukakis, and, of course, Dolly Parton. Its look at the goings-on of a small town through the lens of its hair salon is one of the most poignant pieces about the feminine communities of the South, as well as the pressures and expectations of womanhood. It is real, it is raw, and it twists the heart inside out and back again. The script is clever and aggressively Southern, marrying the sharp wit of Southern belles with the devastation of ordinary dangers out of our control. Women in the American South are raised to be gentle, soft, and perfect like magnolia petals, but often must develop spines of steel to deal with the world around them. In the same way that Alice Walker's The Color Purple dives into the strength of women where men fail, this film is critically acclaimed for all the right reasons and is a masterpiece of "girl power," community, and unadulterated love. Dolly's big hair and heart are perfectly at home in this brilliant piece of media.
Why it's great for schools and libraries: The story structure and character development of Steel Magnolias have been studied in both theatre and film programs since its inception for good reason. Sally Field's graveyard scene is a masterclass in acting for those studying the profession and also for those developing scripts that marry emotional severity with reality and Southern graciousness. For those who grew up in the South, like me, it was practically required viewing. For libraries and teachers across the American South, there is nothing that showcases the true strength of Southern Americana grit better than Steel Magnolias.
Click here to stream Steel Magnolias on Prime Video.
2. The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982)
It is fun, it is brash, and it is a magnificent social commentary on puritanical and theological communities destroying themselves. There is so much joy in the music and dancing that fill the soundstage, but the story and script are biting and poignant. Written by Colin Higgins, Larry L. King, and Peter Masterson and directed by Higgins, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, based on the stage play of the same name (written by King, Masterson, and Carol Hall), takes on the debate over morality versus legality and drives it to its absolute harshest end. The social dynamics grate against the characters' goals, while the extreme moments of sexism and hypocrisy have mirrors shone upon their naked ills. All in all, it is one of the greatest and Dolly-est pieces ever made, and it even marked the film debut of arguably her most famous song, "I Will Always Love You" (which has such a wealth of history in itself). Her rendition of "Hard Candy Christmas" toward the end of the film has been the song that has dragged me and many, many others out of the sorrow of tragedy, poverty, and misery. For someone who came from the depths of Tennessean poverty herself, this film speaks to all the facets of Dolly and her indomitable spirit.
Why it's great for schools and libraries: There might certainly be some scenes that are a little more mature than the general classroom might allow, but this piece has so much to offer in terms of studying dance and choreography, cultural cause and effect, law and order, and what happens when mob mentality overrides reason.
Click here to stream The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas on Prime Video.
1. 9 to 5 (1980)
It was her first blockbuster film and, in my opinion, her absolute best. 9 to 5 has, since its inception, been a fantastic tool in the argument against the grind of capitalism, sexism, and workplace inequality. Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin shine in this piece, no doubt, and the buddy-comedy effect of the trio wouldn't be nearly as successful without them. That being said, Dolly came out swinging and used the same charm, self-effacing humor, and subversion of her own stereotypes that made the entire nation and world fall in love with her. She could have easily fallen into the same typecast trap that befell Marilyn Monroe, but Dolly cleverly took every expectation placed on her due to her looks, voice, and Southern accent and, with her five-inch heels, kicked them right on out the window. 9 to 5 is a delightfully humorous piece of social commentary and feminist media and also provides the greatest snapshot of what a world could be like if ladies (especially those who concern themselves with true equality regardless of ability, gender, race, parental status, education level, or otherwise) truly ran the world.
Why it's great for schools and libraries: This script, written by Colin Higgins and Patricia Resnick, is quick, snappy, well-developed, and ahead of its time in terms of subject matter. Not only does 9 to 5 batter against the strict confines of the "chick flick" genre, but it also includes a scene showcasing the closest thing to utopia that might ever be achieved for the working class. Showcasing this possibility to students and community members will allow them to see that anything is possible, so long as they fight (and forcibly restrain) "the man."
Click here to stream 9 to 5 on Prime Video.
We will miss you, Dolly, and more than that—
We Will Always Love You.
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