Tender Mercies
“His struggle for fame was over. His fight for respect was just beginning.”
Synopsis
Alcoholic former country singer Mac Sledge makes friends with a young widow and her son. The friendship enables him to find inspiration to resume his career.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2018-06-21
Top Cast
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Robert Duvall
Mac Sledge
Tess Harper
Rosa Lee
Betty Buckley
Dixie
Wilford Brimley
Harry
Ellen Barkin
Sue Anne
Allan Hubbard
Sonny
Lenny Von Dohlen
Robert
Paul Gleason
Reporter
Michael Crabtree
Lewis Menefee
Norman Bennett
Reverend Hotchkiss
Andrew Scott Hollon
Larue
Rick Murray
Jake - Slater Mill Boys Member
Stephen Funchess
Bertie - Slater Mill Boys Member
Glen Fleming
Steve - Slater Mill Boys Member
James Aaron
Henry - Slater Mill Boys Member
Jerry Biggs
Man in Bar
Sheila Bird
Concessionaire
Robert E. Blackburn III
Boy at Dance
Release History & Theatrical Window
Cannes Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
March 4, 1983
Wide Cinema Exhibition
June 2, 2009
VOD & Digital Platforms
June 2, 2009
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$4.5M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$8.4M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
1.87x
+$3.9M net gain
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Bruce Beresford
- Screenplay & Story
- Horton Foote
- Original Score
- George Dreyfus
- Original Title
- Tender Mercies
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 32m
- Production Budget
- $4.5M
- Worldwide Gross
- $8.4M
- Production Studios
- Antron Media Production, EMI Films, Associated Film Distribution, Universal Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Bruce Beresford
Horton Foote
George Dreyfus
Russell Boyd
William M. Anderson
Philip Hobel
Department Leadership Roster
Bruce Beresford
Director
Russell Boyd
Director of Photography
Philip Hobel
Producer
George Dreyfus
Original Music Composer
William M. Anderson
Editor
Horton Foote
Writer
Jane Greenwood
Costume Design
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG: Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
International Certification Matrix
Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Tender Mercies.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Tender Mercies.
Roger Ebert's Great Movies
Every film from Roger Ebert's 'Great Movies' essays. 罗杰·伊伯特的伟大电影： 收录了已故美国著名国民级影评人罗杰·伊伯特（Roger Ebert）在其经典的《伟大电影》（Great Movies）系列专栏文章中推荐、评论过的所有影史经典佳作。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#092] Dekalog (1989) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-19 07:37:12 UTC+8)*
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Frequently Asked Questions About Tender Mercies
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Tender Mercies about?
Alcoholic former country singer Mac Sledge makes friends with a young widow and her son. The friendship enables him to find inspiration to resume his career.
Who directed Tender Mercies?
Tender Mercies was directed by Bruce Beresford.
Who stars in Tender Mercies?
The principal cast of Tender Mercies includes Robert Duvall, Tess Harper, Betty Buckley, Wilford Brimley, Ellen Barkin.
When was Tender Mercies released and how long is it?
Tender Mercies was released in 1983 with a total runtime of 1h 32m.
What was the box office and production budget of Tender Mercies?
Tender Mercies had a reported production budget of $4.5M and grossed $8.4M at the worldwide box office (1.87 return on budget, classified as a budget recovered).
Who composed the musical score for Tender Mercies?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Tender Mercies was composed by George Dreyfus.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Tender Mercies?
Tender Mercies holds official age classifications: CA: 14A; US: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested — May contain mild violence or suggestive material.).