Robert Duvall, Tess Harper, Ellen Barkin
Universal, Bruce Beresford, 1983. PG, Drama.

Synopsis: Down and out country singer Mac Sledge (Robert Duvall) meets a young woman (Tess Harper) and her son. This is an uplifting story told in sparse, low-key fashion. One of the few movies you’ll see where a baptism in a Baptist church in Texas is portrayed in a serious, meaningful and authentic manner. At the end of the film Mac questions the meaning of life, but it’s no accident that he finds it in the final scene with Sonny. Duvall received the Best Actor Oscar for this performance.

Trivia: This profoundly American movie was written by Horton Foote, who also did the screenplay for another such film, Harper Lee’s “To Kill A Mockingbird.” That 1962 film marked the beginning of Robert Duvall’s feature film career in the role of the mysterious 'Boo' Radley.

Talking Points: Mercy

1. There are many aspects to showing mercy. One is the emotional feelings we may have when we see starving children in television ads. The New Testament Greek word for this is Splagchna and an example of this is found in Mark 1:41. Another aspect is Oiktirmos and the focus is on pity. There is an example of this usage in Philippians 2:1-2. The final aspect is Eleos which is about being overly lenient. What type of mercy do we see portrayed in this film?

2. Mac and Sonny say they don’t feel different after they are baptized. Did you feel differently after you were baptized? Did baptism make a difference in your life in other ways besides feelings?

3. The film is filled with examples of people showing mercy to each other. List as many as you can.

4. Dixie Scott, Mac's ex-wife, seems to be the exception when it comes to showing mercy toward others. What do we learn about her in this film that might be the source of her attitude?

5. The movie title, “Tender Mercies” is taken from Colossians 3:12 –13 in the King James Version. What commands for believers do we find in that passage?