As an incredibly loyal film lover, I’m always looking for that great cinematic discovery; something that represents a crucial step forward in filmmaking, no matter what type it is. And director Billy Woodberry’s sole feature Bless Their Little Hearts (1983) is the one.
Buy Bless Their Little Hearts Blu-rayThe deft and emotionally overwhelming film centers around married couple Charlie and Andais Banks (Nate Hardman and Kaycee Moore), their children (Angela, Ronald and Kim Burnett), and the toll that Charlie’s unemployment and aimlessness takes on them. Charlie spends his days mostly with his friends, his mistress, and looking for a job, while Andais works and struggles to keep the family together. Charlie and his friends try to sell catfish, but he realizes that sometimes the most well-intentioned plan doesn’t always follow through.
This may be one of the most ordinary stories I have seen on film, but it’s told in a really extraordinary detail. The characters, locations, dialogue, and emotions feel so real and truthful. The intensity of it comes to a head at a bravura, unbroken 10-minute take where both Hardman and Moore have it out in their kitchen. The entire sequence takes the breath away. Moore (who surprisingly didn’t make many films), in particular, is astounding as Andais. She can be quietly moving one moment, and explosive the next.
I think this is a prime example of how powerful independent film can be. You’re not able to get a certain amount of authenticity from other genres. It’s also a testament to the importance of socially conscious filmmaking, a type of filmmaking is taken for granted way too often. I think it will be a revelation for many film buffs and collectors.
Milestone’s wonderfully restored Blu-ray includes these special features: audio commentary by film scholar Ed Guererro; The Pocketbook, Woodberry’s 1980 short film; workshop with Woodberry; Ross Lipman interview with Woodberry and cinematographer/filmmaker Charles Burnett; interview with Guererro; behind-the-scenes photos; and rerelease trailer. There is also a booklet great new essays by filmmaker Allison Anders and Cornell University professor Samantha N. Sheppard.
