hello researchers,

I would like to read any articles about how Ms. Spacek imperfected her
speech as the daughter in "Straight Story."  did she work with a
dialect coach?  was it patterned after someone she knew?  things like
that.  anything you can find for me is most appreciated.  this has
been puzzlin' granny lo these many years.

much obliged,
GB

Hi Granny Bing,

Great film with a terrific soundtrack!


Sissy Spacek indicates that she modeled her character's speech on the
speech of the real Rose Straight.  Additionally, the real Rose
Straight came to the set of the film to help Spacek with the role.
Spacek's use of a prosthetic tooth and palate in the film may have
affected her speech as well.

sources:

'Spacek plays Straight's sweet-hearted, speech-impaired daughter,
Rose.
"David called me up and said, 'Sis, I've got this part. She's just
beautiful.' He didn't tell me very much, except that she was very
special. I was intrigued and excited.
"When I got the script, I wondered why there were all these long
spaces in the dialogue. Sentences would start, stop suddenly and start
again. Then I met the real Rose and I understood. She came to the set
to help me and everybody fell in love with her. She was the queen. She
has some handicaps, but she lives in the moment and she's great fun to
be around."'
source:
"Sissy plays it Straight"
The Evening Standard; Dec 2, 1999; SHEILA JOHNSTON; 


'"For my stutter in Straight Story I had a special tooth and retaining
palate inserted which changed my whole look and gumline."'
source:
"Actor with an open-door policy: CINEMA: Sissy Spacek hasn't stopped
treating every role 'like starting over again', finds Nigel Andrews"
Financial Times; Mar 23, 2001; Nigel Andrews

"S.S: You know it's interesting that you ask that because you know,
with Straight Story I had prosthetic teeth, and my hair, walk and
speech pattern were all external. An internal thing came second, after
the external thing. That helped me get there."
source: filmmonthly.com
http://www.filmmonthly.com/Profiles/Articles/SSpacek/SSpacek.html

'Sissy Spacek was chosen to play the role of Straight's daughter,
called Rose in the picture, who has a speech impediment.
"Alvin's daughter has that condition," Lynch says, and there never was
any thought of presenting the character without it. Sweeney and Roach
met the family before they wrote the script. "Rose is a beautiful
soul," and the speech condition, "that's Rose," Lynch says. Spacek,
"being one of our greatest actresses, made it look easy, but it's a
difficult thing to do," he says. '
source:
David Lynch Plays It `Straight' / Director's latest project is true,
G-rated tale of an old man's journey
source:
San Francisco Chronicle; Oct 17, 1999; Bob Graham
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/1999/10/17/PK100055.DTL

Search terms: "sissy spacek", "straight story", speech
(The first two articles are from a newspaper database that I accessed
via my local public library)

I hope this helps.

indeed it does and thanks for running this down.  strange details get
stuck in granny's brain and this was one of them.  hadn't read much on
the background of this film but it is certainly one that gets under
your skin and stays there.  Farnsworth's has led quite the interesting
life.  wouldn't mind seeing his story on the screen sometime.  thanks
for delving into those musty newspapers, sparky.  p.s. soundtrack is
still on my list.

Thanks for the generous tip, Gran.

Yep, you've got to get the CD off your list and into your stereo.

The whole disc is great, but my favorite track is probably "Laurens Walking."

Clips, etc:
http://music.barnesandnoble.com/search/product.asp?EAN=19341151326
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00001XDRG/

Later,
j

ordered it today, sparky, along with KLF and Lyle Lovett.  thanks for
bein' granny's goofy info looker-upper for the day.  think I'll go
grab the DVD, too, so I can watch this film again without fixating on
Sissy-speech.