Honeysuckle Rose. 1980. USA. Directed by Jerry Schatzberg. Screenplay by John Binder, Carol Sobieski, William D. Wittliff. With Willie Nelson, Dyan Cannon, Amy Irving, Slim Pickens. 35mm, courtesy Swedish Film Institute. 119 min.
Jerry Schatzberg’s celebrated photography helped shape the iconography of legendary musicians like Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, and Jimi Hendrix. Still, few know he also played a role in one of the most famous songs of the 20th century: Willie Nelson’s “On the Road Again,” which the country singer recorded for Honeysuckle Rose. Nelson stars as a musician who struggles to remain grounded in family life, clinging to the free-spirited adventures of his band’s seemingly neverending tour. It’s a thrilling ride—bolstered by the palpable joy of its cast—and one of the most underrated, tender films of the nascent 1980s.