RHINESTONE—Gallstone. Roundly panned 1984 disaster, directed by Bob Clark, co-written by Phil Alden Robinson and Sylvester Stallone, the latter starring with Dolly Parton. After critics demolished it and only $21,435,000 came back on a cost outlay of $25,000,000 (at the time a notably absurd amount for such a trifle), blame for the failure flew back & forth between Clark, Robinson and Stallone. Dolly had too much class to hurl mud.  111 hard-to-bear minutes, with Ron Leibman (Stallone not obnoxious enough?), Richard Farnsworth and Tim Thomerson.

Giving credit where due, here’s a neat comment about Parton from Stallone: “She is an incredible woman. I remember in the early 80s when I was sitting in a hotel room feeling sorry for myself, actors do that a lot, it’s actually considered a sport in Hollywood, self loathing. Anyway, Dolly called and we began a conversation that lasted at least two hours and by the time I hung up I thought she was the most amazing person I’d ever spoken to. She knew something about everything. She’s the kind of woman that 100 years ago would’ve been strong enough to cross the country in a wagon train, fight off Indians if necessary, give birth without any help and then find time to strum a guitar and sing around the campfire. In other words, she’s a classic.”    Well said. If only they’d kept it to a phone call.

Realization sets in