The Buddy Holly Story
1978 · Movie · PG · 114 min · ★ 7.2 · 89% critics
A young rock ’n’ roll singer pushes to play music his own way, even as industry gatekeepers try to shape his sound. As his band gains attention through recording sessions and high-profile shows, success brings new pressures, shifting relationships, and tough choices about the future.
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Details
- Years
- 1978
- Release date
- 1978-05-18
- Language
- English
- Rated
- PG
- Runtime
- 114 min
- Critic score
- 89/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.2/10 (129 votes)
About
You’ll likely enjoy this if you want a music-first biopic with lots of onstage moments and a fast rise-to-fame arc; Not for you if you need strict accuracy or subtle drama like Ray or Coal Miner's Daughter.
Pros: energetic live performances; catchy classic songs; strong lead portrayal | Cons: loose with real history; thin supporting characters; uneven singing for some
Themes
- rock 'n' roll
- disc jockey
- biography
- rags to riches
- affection
- singer
- airplane crash
- price of fame
- blizzard
- 1950s
Awards & recognition
- Academy Award — Best Original Song Score · 1979
- Academy Award — Best Original Song Score · 1979 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best Actor · 1979 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best Sound · 1979 · nominated
Cast & crew
Gary Busey
as Buddy Holly
Don Stroud
as Jesse Charles
Charles Martin Smith
as Ray Bob Simmons
Conrad Janis
as Ross Turner
William Jordan
as Riley
Maria Richwine
as Maria Elena Holly
- AJ
Amy Johnston
as Cindy Lou
Dick O'Neill
as Sol Gittler
- FT
Fred Travalena
as Madman Mancuso
Neva Patterson
as Mrs. Holly
Directed by Steve Rash