Following the death of country superstar Dolly Parton on Tuesday, AMC Theatres has announced a cinematic retrospective. The company is bringing two of the performer’s films back to the big screen, giving fans an opportunity to honor her enduring legacy in movie theaters this week.
According to announcements shared on social media on Thursday by AMC CEO Adam Aron, the special tribute will feature screenings of 1982’s The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and 1989’s Steel Magnolias. The retrospective launches on Friday, August 27, and will run through the following Wednesday, September 2, providing a limited-window theatrical homage across the country.
AMC will roll out the double feature to approximately 200 locations across the United States. To ensure fans can easily participate in the memorial screenings, the company has confirmed that tickets will be available at Fan Faves value pricing. Screenings will take place in major markets, including locations throughout Parton’s home state of Tennessee, according to Deadline.
What to Watch: A Look at the Featured Films
The tribute highlights two of Parton’s films. The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, directed by Colin Higgins and released by Universal, stars Parton alongside Burt Reynolds, Dom DeLuise, Charles Durning—who earned a Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for his role—and Jim Nabors. Based on the Broadway musical and a 1974 Playboy article about the closure of the Chicken Ranch in La Grange, Texas, the film was a success upon its release, grossing close to $70 million domestically and dethroning E.T.’s six-weekend run, according to Deadline.
The second feature, Steel Magnolias, directed by Herbert Ross and adapted by Robert Harling from his 1987 stage play, pairs Parton with an ensemble cast that includes Sally Field, Shirley MacLaine, Olympia Dukakis, Daryl Hannah, and Julia Roberts. The film follows a close-knit group of women sharing bonds of friendship at a local salon in a small Louisiana town. Roberts earned a Supporting Actress Oscar nomination for her performance, and the film went on to gross $86.4M domestically and close to $97M worldwide, as reported by Deadline.
Theatrical Ratings and Cultural Impact
Moviegoers planning to attend the retrospective should note the ratings for each feature. Steel Magnolias carries a PG rating, while The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas is rated R. The tribute arrives amid a number of tributes following Parton’s passing, with figures ranging from Beyoncé and Andrew Lloyd Weber to the Trump White House honoring her.
Parton’s film career, though she didn’t star in a lot of movies after she got seriously into acting in the 1980s, left an impact on American pop culture. Beyond her acting roles, Parton earned two Original Song Oscar nominations: one for 1981’s “9 to 5” and another for 2006’s “Travelin’ Thru” from Transamerica.
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