There's no doubt that GEORGE HAMILTON does one of the best acting jobs of his career as Hank Williams, lip-syncing the country music star's lyrics with a voice supplied by Hank Williams, Jr. SUSAN OLIVER is fine as the woman he marries, the woman who finds it a struggle to manage his career when he adopts a drinking pattern to forestall going on stage at concerts.
The screenplay has taken liberties to stray somewhat from all of the actual events surrounding Williams' life and his early demise. In doing so, they haven't avoided the usual clichés about celebrity and fame and fortune destroying the soul of the artist. Williams obviously had deep-seated fears in connection with performing and was never able to fully resolve them.
The musical selections include most of his most famous songs and credit must be given to Hank Williams, Jr. for effectively singing them. One has to wonder why the filmmakers couldn't have used the actual Hank Williams voice from his own recordings, unless there were legal issues to overcome.
Summing up: Decent biography of the country singer is given a lift by his great songs.
The screenplay has taken liberties to stray somewhat from all of the actual events surrounding Williams' life and his early demise. In doing so, they haven't avoided the usual clichés about celebrity and fame and fortune destroying the soul of the artist. Williams obviously had deep-seated fears in connection with performing and was never able to fully resolve them.
The musical selections include most of his most famous songs and credit must be given to Hank Williams, Jr. for effectively singing them. One has to wonder why the filmmakers couldn't have used the actual Hank Williams voice from his own recordings, unless there were legal issues to overcome.
Summing up: Decent biography of the country singer is given a lift by his great songs.