| Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors | |
|---|---|
 Promotional poster | |
| Genre | Drama |
| Screenplay by | Pamela K. Long |
| Directed by | Stephen Herek |
| Starring | |
| Narrated by | Dolly Parton |
| Composers | |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Producers |
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| Cinematography | Brian J. Reynolds |
| Editor | Maysie Hoy |
| Running time | 120 minutes |
| Production companies |
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| Original release | |
| Network | NBC |
| Release | December 10, 2015 (2015-12-10) |
| Related | |
Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors is a 2015 Americanmade-for-televisiondrama film based on the life ofDolly Parton, written byPamela K. Long and directed byStephen Herek.[1] The film premiered onNBC on December 10, 2015.[2] The film received generally positive reviews from critics.
Coat of Many Colors details Dolly Parton's upbringing in 1955 as her family struggles to live inTennessee'sGreat Smoky Mountains, putting a strain on love and faith. Dolly aspires to be something greater but must cope with family troubles, including the premature birth and death of a baby brother. Dolly's mother, Avie Lee Parton uses the baby's blanket to make Dolly her patchwork coat of many colors. Although Dolly is at first proud of it, she changes her mind after school bullies make fun of her. Meanwhile, Dolly's father, Lee Parton suffers a personal crisis brought about by the baby's death combined with the depression of his wife and a drought which threatened histobacco crop. Eventually, faith brings the family together again.
Coat of Many Colors was filmed inCovington andConyers, Georgia, andSevier County, Tennessee, the latter atDollywood for introductory and closing scenes fromDolly Parton.[3][4][5]
Parton, whose childhood is told in the film's story written by her, is also executive producer. She spoke about the casting process, beginning with singerJennifer Nettles, who plays her mother: "When she started reading I thought, Oh my Lord, that's momma. And, she is incredible ... I didn't even know she acted." For her father, Parton already had someone in mind,Ricky Schroder, because "he reminds me so much of my daddy." In casting the younger Dolly, several hundred children auditioned. Parton stated "God's going to send her."Alyvia Alyn Lind auditioned and could "sing...act" and "cry on cue", said Parton, adding, "When she came in, it just kind of blew it all out of the water and she got the part."[3] In addition, Dolly's younger sisterStella Parton appears in the film, playing town gossip Corla Bass.
Coat of Many Colors received favorable reviews from critics. OnRotten Tomatoes, it has received a 78% rating from nine critics.[6] Among eight reviews atMetacritic, it holds a "generally favorable" score of 65 out of 100.[7]
Ken Tucker of Yahoo TV gave the film its highest praise, stating "The pastoral nostalgia that this TV-movie taps into is powerful, if maudlin, stuff. This is the time of year when sentimentality can be a warming thing, andParton's Coat will keep an awful lot of people warm this winter."[8]
The Guardian's Brian Moylan commented on the film's faith storyline: "For those who don’t regularly visit the house of the Lord, it will make your eyes roll like loose marbles in the back of a station wagon."[9]
David Wiegand of theSan Francisco Chronicle was the most critical but commented: "Although it's a struggle at times, you do suspend disbelief and go with it because Lind is so adorable, and you want to accept that the saccharine story line could have played out in real life just the way it's depicted in the film."[10]
In its initial December 10, 2015 broadcast,Coat of Many Colors was seen by 13.03 million viewers and received a 1.8/6 rating/share in the 18-49 age demographic.[11] This marks the highest viewership for any television film (made for TV or theatrical) or miniseries on the broadcast networks since 2012.[12]
On April 3, 2016,Coat of Many Colors was honored during theAcademy of Country Music Awards ceremony with the Tex Ritter Award, which is presented to a film released in the previous year that features country music. Dolly Parton accepted the award.[13] At the6th Critics' Choice Television Awards,Alyvia Alyn Lind was nominated forBest Actress in a Limited Series or Television Movie.[14] It was also awarded theEpiphany Prize during the2016 MovieGuide Awards.[15]
In May 2016, it was announced that a sequel to the film was in the works. InDolly Parton's Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love, Jennifer Nettles, Ricky Schroder, Gerald McRaney and Alyvia Alyn Lind reprised their roles. Stephen Herek returned to direct the sequel written by Pamela K. Long.[16] Dolly Parton herself also had a cameo. The film aired on NBC on November 30, 2016.[17]
