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 - this movie touched mealthough i am only in my twenties, i find myself liking older movies, maybe because i think it would be fun to live in the 70's. i agree this movie must be watched with a very open mind, and be taken with a grain of salt, but there is just something about it that grabs me, gets in my head and puts me in a different train of thought. it's real and in your face and has a very nice & unique romantic plot. although the movie presents homosexuality, and other raw topics, i still find it brillant. i feel this movie is special to those who appreciate the culture, truth & emotion brought to you by these astounding actors. Rating:  - Ode to Billy Joe ReviewI heard the song for the first time about a year and a half ago on the radio. It was very sultry, mysterious and intriguing; it reminded me of the "good ol' days" when things were still left to the imagination. But I was hooked enough to look up the lyrics on the internet as soon as I got home. I never realized there was a movie based on the lyrics until I happened to catch it on tv one day. The acting and scenery are pretty good for that era, although I have to admit that the explaination the movie provides for the lyrics came as a surprise to me. It is a slow moving, coming of age story, so I think that anyone who finds the song as intriguing as I would be interested in seeing the movie once. However, I agree the asking price is very steep for a movie that one is not likely to watch repeatedly. And as much as I enjoyed the movie, I can understand why many others have not. I agree with "a viewer" who stated that one should rent the movie (or watch it on tv) before purchasing it. Rating: - too highI really like this movie and want to own it. But there is no way in the world I would pay that price for it. The movie maybe a collector's item. But that is just way out of my price range for a movie that is 30+ years old. Rating: - profoundI too, am from MS and enjoyed the movie as a kid before I could understand the sexual implications. I saw it again as an adult in my late 20's and thought what a sad, dark movie. The acting is superb, the ruralscenery and characterizations are real. I don't believe the person writing the song had the same story in mind. But this is definite a story that happens often to the young teens. Just realize it is not a feel good movie. When is the DVD coming out? The song and movie do enhance each other. Rating: - Song vs. MovieWonderful pre-summertime movie. The producers did an excellent job recreating the era. Well acted. The fake southern accents are a little overdone, but not as bad as some other movies set in the south. The song and the movie complement each other. The song doesn't go into a lot of explanation about what happen to Billy Joe and the movie offers one detailed possibility based on the title and characters in the song. I don't think the producers are trying to portray the movie as being the actual account of Billy Joe's death (assuming Ms. Gentry's song is based on a real event). I disagree with some of the points in the review by "gft", especially the part about Billy Joe being black. "Gft" suggests in the song that a interracial love conflict is what leads to Billy Joe's apparent suicide. If Ms. Gentry's song is based on a true event, Billy Joe was not likely black. According to the song Billy Joe, a guy named Tom, and the brother of the girl in the song put a frog down her back at a "picture show". Blacks and whites did not sit in the same sections in movie theaters in those days. Also the song implies that Billy Joe and the girl's family went to the same church. Blacks and whites would not have attended the same church in the south in those days and rarely do so even today. If you want to see a good movie about teen love and the old south, "Ode to Billy Joe" is for you. I hope there will be a DVD version soon, maybe with producer/actor commentary.
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