The Buddy Holly Story

Composite Score: 82

Starring: Gary Busey, Don Stroud, Charles Martin Smith, Conrad Janis, Maria Richwine, Amy Johnston, Dick O’Neill, and Albert Popwell

Director: Steve Rash

Writers: Alan Swyer and Robert Gittler

Genres: Biography, Drama, Music, Romance

MPAA Rating: PG

Box Office: $14.36 million worldwide

Why should you Watch This Film?

                The Buddy Holly Story follows the story of rock and roll legend Buddy Holly from his humble roots in Lubbock, Texas, to his rapid rise to stardom and ultimately his tragic death in a plane crash in 1959 (the day the music died). Gary Busey plays Holly in this adaptation of the star’s life and received an Oscar nomination for his portrayal, singing and performing the songs of Buddy Holly and looking very much the part in the process. The film’s story is a fairly straightforward tale of an artist’s rise to stardom, starting with Holly and his first group, The Crickets, as they struggle to make it, playing skating rinks in small town Texas until they are first called up to Nashville and eventually New York. Much of the film’s run time is taken up by incredibly talented performances of Buddy Holly’s songs by the actors at the various venues where he and his group performed. It’s a solid biopic with some great music and impressive acting to elevate it.

Why shouldn’t you Watch This Film?

                While Buddy Holly was an incredible musician with a monumentally tragic death, the rest of his story outside of the music is pretty one-note. He wanted to make his own music his own way, and in doing so, he helped craft the genre of rock and roll for future artists. Unfortunately for the film’s story, Holly’s music influence had little to do with any kind of personal drama. The film’s most dramatic moments come when Holly wants to start dating the woman who would become his wife (Maria Elena) and when his band mates leave him after the Ed Harrison Show because they feel overworked. The drama is severely limited, and perhaps the story could have been better told through a documentary. Nonetheless, we are left with this film and its take on the titular character’s biography.

So wait, why should you Watch This Film?

                Gary Busey’s performance as Buddy Holly is arguably the greatest of his career and is one of the better portrayals of a musician that I have seen, especially seeing as he actually sang and performed the music for the film (looking at you, Rami Malek). At the time of the film’s release, Busey was a relatively unknown actor, which makes the film’s critical and commercial success that much more impressive. He brings a lightness and passion to the role that seems to reflect the artist’s true heart, making the audience fall in love with Buddy Holly all over again. For the most part, his vocals hold up with Holly’s, and it is easy to tell that he enjoyed his performances as much as the actual artist did.

                To go along with Busey’s acting, the film’s music (both the score and Holly’s songs) bring greatness to The Buddy Holly Story. Obviously, Buddy Holly was one of the greatest musical artists of all time, being one of the very first inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but his music played by Busey and the supporting cast still holds that same entertainment value that it did when he first put it out. The songs, which feature heavily throughout the film, help to bring the audience in by providing a sense of familiarity and entertainment as they follow along with Holly’s life story. The film’s score also succeeded, blending Holly’s sound with some orchestral moments in key scenes in a way that lends even more gravity to an otherwise simple plot. In fact, the score was considered so good that it won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Score that year, which is a testament to the musical prowess of a film about music and musicians.

                Phenomenal music from start to finish blends well with Busey’s performance as the titular Buddy Holly and makes The Buddy Holly Story one of the Greatest Films of All Time. Holly’s lack of extracurricular drama keeps the film’s plot fairly simple, but the drama of his death, the romance of his wife, and the lasting impact of his music keep it worth watching. Though it might not be the most in-depth biopic ever made, it is highly entertaining and well-acted by Gary Busey. Check it out when you get the chance.