Doonby
Doonby is a 2013 independent film written and directed by Peter Mackenzie. It stars John Schneider, Jenn Gotzon, Ernie Hudson, Jennifer O'Neill, Will Wallace, Robert Davi and Joe Estevez.
Doonby | |
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Film poster | |
Directed by | Peter Mackenzie |
Produced by |
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Screenplay by | Peter Mackenzie |
Starring |
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Music by | Claude Foisy |
Cinematography | Peter Field |
Edited by | Drake Silliman |
Production company |
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Release date |
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Running time | 104 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $2 million[1] |
Plot Summary
Sam Doonby (John Schneider) is a mysterious drifter who gets off a bus one afternoon in a small Texas town to change and improve the lives of all he comes in contact with. It is a story of greed and envy, played out against the backdrop of the classic country and blues music that is performed in Leroy’s Bar.[2] The film has been described by the producers as Crazy Heart-meets-It's A Wonderful Life, while Schneider described it as "It's A Wonderful Life without the Wonderful."[3]
Cast
- John Schneider as Sam Doonby
- Jenn Gotzon as Laura Reaper
- Ernie Hudson as Leroy
- Robert Davi as Sheriff Woodley
- Jennifer O'Neill as Barbara Ann
- Will Wallace as Tony
- Joe Estevez as Cyrus
Production
The film was shot on location in Smithville, Texas.[4]
Release
Doonby was previewed during the 64th annual 2011 Cannes Film Festival.[1] It received a limited release in February 2012 to be followed by wider release in the United States during the spring.[5] The film was given wide release on February 17, 2012 by Freestyle Releasing[6] In 2014 distribution company CMD Distribution obtained DVD distribution rights.[7]
Reception
Doonby resonated with many pro-life organizations due to its anti-abortion theme. Activist Norma McCorvey (d. 1947-2017), known as the plaintiff Jane Roe of the Supreme Court landmark decision Roe v. Wade which legalized abortion in the United States in 1973, appeared in a cameo in the film.[1] It has also been endorsed by the Vatican and has premiered at the Landmark E Street Cinema during the 2013 March for Life, an annual pro-life march protesting abortion in the United States.[8]
References
- Bond, Paul (2011-05-05). "Do You Know Who This Woman Is?". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2012-02-26.
- https://web.archive.org/web/20100715144253/http://www.doonbythemovie.com/http___www.doonbythemovie.com/The_Movie.html. Archived from the original on July 15, 2010. Retrieved August 12, 2010. Missing or empty
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(help) - "John Schneider: Checking In From The Set Of My New Movie Doonby". Huffingtonpost.com. 2010-05-08. Retrieved 2012-02-26.
- McGinness, Denis. "Doonby wraps, producer talks". The Smithville Times. Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved May 2, 2019.
- "Doonby, Set to Release in Theaters". Prweb.com. 2012-02-16. Retrieved 2012-02-26.
- "Doonby". freestylereleasing.com. 17 February 2012. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
- "Doonby - CMD Distribution (Inspirational) - daywind.com". daywind.com. Retrieved 14 December 2016.
- Mancari, Jim (30 January 2013). "NET and 'Doonby' March for Life". The Tablet. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
External links
- Doonby on IMDb
- Theatrical trailer on YouTube