The Dollmaker

This is a movie you'll want to watch again and again. Jane Fonda has created memorable characters throughout her career but her portrayal of Gertie is so achingly authentic and original, Fonda, as you may have seen her in other roles, is all but unrecognizable here.

Originally made for TV, I hope this movie will be released on DVD and be re-run frequently on TV and get some of the attention it deserves (I caught for the first time as a late night rerun.) Fonda's Gertie represents a very real American woman who is too rarely seen in movies, presented here with such stark realism, you'll take her into your heart.

This movie and Fonda's performance can stand along side the very best of American films. And it is simply a beautiful story - I hope more people get a chance to discover The Dollmaker.

This movie is an undiscovered gem: a simple, beautiful story of a woman struggling with poverty and other obstacles in her life. Jane Fonda creates a picture of an Appalachian woman who is complex, brave, and at times resigned to the limitations of her life. This movie is unique in its straightforward presentation of a story about poverty that never swerves into sentimentality or condescension: ultimately it celebrates the strength, faith, and ingenuity of Gertie. Had this movie been released as a feature film it probably would have gotten more attention and be praised along side movies like "The Grapes of Wrath," which coincidentally was one of Jane Fonda's father's most memorable roles.

This is hands down, one of THE best movies/show ever shown on TV. I've only seen it a handful of times but I remember it so vividly. There isn't a single thing wrong with this movie. The acting, the directing, the script, costumes, everything is...well...perfect. Easily the best performance of Jane Fonda's career. I hope to come across it soon on DVD.

"The Dollmaker" deserves to be considered a classic. The story itself would be memorable and moving with or without Fonda, but her portrayal of Gertie Nevels, the mother, is very true to the type. There is no hint of the bumpkin in Fonda's interpretation of the uneducated, backwoods mother of five, who moves from the Kentucky hills to Detroit, where she and her family endure great hardships. Fonda plays the part of a strong Appalachian woman with dignity. Although "The Dollmaker" has not been picked up and replayed as one of the "modern classics," it truly deserves a place alongside other classics, such as "To Kill a Mockingbird" and "Coal Miner's Daughter." It has been quite a few years since I saw the film--probably at the time of its original release in 1984--but it touched me deeply enough that I have never forgotten it.

The summary may seem like a dichotomy but this movie is so achingly beautiful it is the only way I can describe it so few words. I have only seen this movie once about 20 years ago in its entirety and it's still imprinted on my memory. Each character in this movie is lovingly depicted and so 3-dimensional, even the children (they are such exquisite performances by the children too). You would hardly recognize Jane Fonda not necessarily because of her looks but because her demeanor and accent is so spot on. She really shows just how great of an actress she can be in this role because she couldn't get any further from her privileged background, Hanoi-Jane, wife of Ted Turner real life than this role and yet there isn't even one second of her portrayal that I doubted. She completely inhabited Gertie down to the fabric of her soul. I would highly recommend this movie to anyone who gets the chance to see it. It's hard to believe this was a made-for-TV movie because it so easily could've been made for the big screen. There are very few movies that I've seen that have left the last impression that this one did. To this day, I recall a vast majority of the movie vividly and it's not just the plot points that have stuck with me, it's also the way it made me feel when I saw it. You feel every poignant moment with these characters and you won't soon forget it. As an aside, this movie was my first real exposure to Appalachian music and I've had a fondness for it since. It's a wonderful soundtrack and I've often wished it was available for sale because it is truly beautiful.