''The River Rat'' is a 1984 independent family film directed by

Thomas Rickman Thomas Rickman (8 June 17764 January 1841) was an English architect and architectural antiquary who was a major figure in the Gothic Revival. He is particularly remembered for his ''Attempt to Discriminate the Styles of English Architecture'' ...

and starring

Tommy Lee Jones Tommy Lee Jones (born September 15, 1946) is an American actor and film director. He has received four Academy Award nominations, winning Best Supporting Actor for his performance as U.S. Marshal Samuel Gerard in the 1993 thriller film '' The ...

and

Martha Plimpton Martha Plimpton (born November 16, 1970) is an American actress. Her feature-film debut was in '' Rollover'' (1981); she subsequently rose to prominence in the Richard Donner film ''The Goonies'' (1985). She has also appeared in '' The Mosquito ...

. It was filmed on location in

Hickman, Kentucky Hickman is a city in and the county seat of Fulton County, Kentucky, United States. Located on the Mississippi River, the city had a population of 2,365 at the 2020 U.S. census and is classified as a home rule-class city. Hickman is part of the ...

, on the banks of the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...

Plot

Jonsy is a teenager who meets her father Billy, who has just been released from prison, for the first time. The two slowly forge a relationship as they rebuild a boat named ''The River Rat''. The father cannot escape his criminal past, being blackmailed by the

prison A prison, also known as a jail, gaol (dated, standard English, Australian, and historically in Canada), penitentiary (American English and Canadian English), detention center (or detention centre outside the US), correction center, correc ...

psychiatrist Doc Cole, who believes he knows the location of a large amount of cash stolen before imprisonment. Father and daughter ride ''The River Rat'' on a picturesque trip down the Mississippi River to

Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the seat of Shelby County in the southwest part of the state; it is situated along the Mississippi River. With a population of 633,104 at the 2020 U.S. census, Memphis is the second-mos ...

in an effort to find the money and elude the prison doctor. Along the way, they learn about each other and grow closer.

Cast

as Jonsy *

as Billy *

Brian Dennehy Brian Manion Dennehy (; July 9, 1938 – April 15, 2020) was an American actor of stage, television, and film. He won two Tony Awards, an Olivier Award, and a Golden Globe, and received six Primetime Emmy Award nominations. Dennehy had roles in ...

as "Doc" Cole * Shawn Smith as Wexel

Production

The film was written and directed by

, who was nominated for an

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

in 1980 for his screenplay of '' Coal Miner's Daughter'', also starring Tommy Lee Jones. The film was produced by Bob Larson (executive producer of ''Coal Miner's Daughter'') and Michael Apted (who directed ''Coal Miner's Daughter'') served as executive producer. The film was a Larson/Rickman Production in association with the Sundance Institute. The original music was composed by

Mike Post Mike Post (born Leland Michael Postil, September 29, 1944) is an American composer, best known for his TV theme music for various shows, including ''Law & Order''; '' Law & Order: Special Victims Unit''; ''The A-Team''; ''NYPD Blue''; ''Renegad ...

References

External links

* * * 1984 films 1984 crime drama films 1984 independent films Films set in the United States Films shot in Kentucky Paramount Pictures films American crime drama films Films about father–daughter relationships 1980s English-language films 1980s American films Fulton County, Kentucky {{1980s-crime-drama-film-stub