Bless Their Little Hearts

Bless Their Little Hearts is a 1984 American drama film produced and directed by Billy Woodberry and starring Nate Hardman. It was shot and written by Charles Burnett. The film had a limited theatrical release: it played for a week at the Royal in West Los Angeles and also at the Film Forum in New York.

Bless Their Little Hearts
Film poster
Directed byBilly Woodberry
Screenplay byCharles Burnett
Produced byBilly Woodberry
StarringNate Hardman
Kaycee Moore
CinematographyCharles Burnett
Edited byBilly Woodberry
Release date
  • December 12, 1984 (1984-12-12)
Running time
80 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

In 2013, the film was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Film Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".[1][2][3]

In 2019, it was released on Home Video in a 2K restoration by Milestone Films.[4]

Plot summary

Unemployed, depressed and running out of options for supporting his wife and three children, Charlie Banks (Nate Hardman) is just barely eking out a living in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Watts in the early 1980s. His wife, Andais (Kaycee Moore), accuses him of irresponsibility, and even of cheating on her, an allegation that isn't true until Charlie decides it may as well be. Charlie's friends try their best to help him get by, but their well-intentioned plans don't always pan out as he struggles to find dignity and a meaning for life.

Cast
  • Nate Hardman as Charlie Banks
  • Kaycee Moore as Andais Banks
  • Angela Burnett as Banks Child
  • Ronald Burnett as Banks Child
  • Kimberly Burnett as Banks Child
  • Langston Woodberry as mistress' son

Critical response

Review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes gives the film an approval rating of 100% based on reviews from 18 critics.[5] At the time of its release, Vincent Canby of The New York Times concluded his review with "[the film] is so understated that at times it seems diffident, as if it were too shy to display its fury in more robust terms. This, however, is the style of the film that Mr. Woodberry, Mr. Burnett and their splendid cast, headed by Mr. Hardman and Miss Moore, have chosen to make, and it works beautifully."

References
  1. "Library of Congress announces 2013 National Film Registry selections". The Washington Post (Press release). December 18, 2013. Retrieved December 18, 2013.
  2. "Complete National Film Registry Listing". Library of Congress. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  3. "Cinema with the Right Stuff Marks 2013 National Film Registry". Library of Congress. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  4. "L.A. Rebellion classic 'Bless Their Little Hearts' is now on video". Los Angeles Times. December 28, 2019. Retrieved September 17, 2020.
  5. Bless Their Little Hearts, retrieved February 23, 2023
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