Michael Apted - film - 1980 - p. 219, 222

Directed by Michael Apted, Coal Miner’s Daughter is a biopic based on the life of country singer Loretta Lynn, who was born in Kentucky as one of eight children. She married a 22-year-old at age 15 and was a grandmother by age 29; she was “discovered” by a representative of a Canadian music label at age 25. The film traces her career’s launch, the death of her father, her friendship with singer Patsy Cline, and a nervous breakdown brought on by the stress of touring, fame, and family life.

Chosen by Lynn herself for the lead role, Sissy Spacek won an Academy Award for her performance. The film grossed nearly $80 million.

Key elements: alcoholism, art, father figures, infidelity, marriage, mental illness