''The Hard Part Begins'' is a 1973 Canadian feature film that marked the directorial debut of Paul Lynch, starring

Donnelly Rhodes Henry Donnelly Rhodes (December 4, 1937 – January 8, 2018) was a Canadian actor, known professionally as Donnelly Rhodes. He had many American television and film credits, probably best known to American audiences as the hapless escaped convic ...

and

Linda Sorenson Linda Sorenson (born January 19, 1940) is a Canadian film, television and voice actress, best known for playing Mrs. Stegman in ''Class of 1984'', Warden Howe in '' Murphy Brown'', Virginia Reeves in '' Material World'' and Isabelle Carrington in ...

Plot

“King and Country” is a country and western group headed by a 40-something singer, Jim King, whose girlfriend, Jenny, is a backup singer with the band. They have been playing one-week stints in small-town bars in southwestern Ontario. They are appearing in King's fictional hometown of West Eden when he hears news that a recording company wants to talk to him. His past collides with his future when he reconnects with his bitter ex-wife, a troubled son and a dying friend who all have shared shattered dreams of success. King learns the company is interested in Jenny, not him, and he has to return to the road and accept his fate.

Production

Director Paul Lynch independently raised $40,000 and received a $60,000 loan from the

Canadian Film Development Corporation Telefilm Canada is a Crown corporation reporting to Canada's federal government through the Minister of Canadian Heritage. Headquartered in Montreal, Telefilm provides services to the Canadian audiovisual industry with four regional offices in ...

(CFDC) to finance the film.

Reception

Alistair Brown wrote in ''

Cinema Canada ''Cinema Canada'' (1972–1989) is a defunct Canadian film magazine, which served as the trade journal of record for the Canadian film and television sector. The magazine had its origins in the Canadian Society of Cinematographers (CSC), which b ...

'' that ''The Hard Part Begins'' made a fine directorial debut for Paul Lynch, though he wished it could have been more ambitious. ''Motion'' praised Donnelly Rhodes's performance and "hayseed machismo". Despite playing almost exclusively in theaters in Canada, the film made a solid profit.

References

External links

* * 1973 films Films directed by Paul Lynch Films about singers Films shot in Ontario Films set in Ontario 1973 directorial debut films 1970s English-language films Canadian romantic drama films {{1970s-Canada-film-stub