Set in rural Texas in 1944, this drama of a divorced mother raising two young boys doesn't exactly offer a nostalgic looks back at a simpler time. Sissy Spacek centers the film as Nita Longley, abandoned by her philandering husband (Sam Shepard, seen briefly in the pre-credits sequence) and supporting her two boys while working full time as the telephone operator in a small Texas town. She's "frozen" in her position thanks to wartime demands, explains her boss, and is forced to monitor the switchboard day and night while her boys (Henry Thomas, just before he became a star in E.T., and Carey Hollis Jr.) run around like banshees in the dusty yard outside. Meanwhile she's looked down upon by the townsfolk, harassed by the bullying, ex-con Triplett brothers (William Sanderson and Tracey Walter), and stalked by a mysterious "raggedy man" who watches her place by night. Her life is briefly brightened by the arrival of a younger sailor on leave (a gentle, protective Eric Roberts) who has just been jilted by his girl. With nowhere to go, he sticks around, playing with the attention-starved boys and falling for Nita while the town gossip goes into overdrive. It's the directorial debut of Jack Fisk, a former production designer and Spacek's husband, and he beautifully creates the sense of time and place with the spare, evocative setting and sunbaked photography. The film takes a dark, violent turn in the third act, turning into a woman in peril thriller with an attempted sexual assault, and it reveals the identity of the raggedy man of the title. The shift clashes with the low-key critique of the town's hypocrisy and small-mindedness, the gentleness of the romantic story, and the portrait of a young mother who slowly learns to stand up for herself. But it is skillfully directed by Fisk, who helps Spacek and Roberts deliver rich characters and draws superb performances from the two young boys. He captures the pace of life in a place where phone lines are the only connection to the rest of the world and gives Spacek one of her best roles (she was nominated for a Golden Globe). Though not well known, this is a tender, compassionate, well-made drama and a tremendous evocation of a time and place. The new Blu-ray release features commentary by film historians Howard S. Berger and Nathaniel Thompson. Previously available on DVD without commentary. Recommended. (S. Axmaker)