Doonby is a 2013 independent film written and directed by Peter Mackenzie. It stars John Schneider, Jenn Gotzon, Ernie Hudson, Jennifer O'Neill, Will Wallace, Robert Davi and Joe Estevez.
Doonby | |
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Directed by | Peter Mackenzie |
Screenplay by | Peter Mackenzie |
Produced by |
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Starring |
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Cinematography | Peter Field |
Edited by | Drake Silliman |
Music by | Claude Foisy |
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Release date |
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Running time | 104 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $2 million[1] |
Sam Doonby (John Schneider) is a mysterious drifter who gets off a bus one afternoon in a small Texas town to change and improve the lives of all he comes in contact with. It is a story of greed and envy, played out against the backdrop of the classic country and blues music that is performed in Leroy’s Bar.[2] The film has been described by the producers as Crazy Heart-meets-It's A Wonderful Life, while Schneider described it as "It's A Wonderful Life without the Wonderful."[3]
The film was shot on location in Smithville, Texas.[4]
Doonby was previewed during the 64th annual 2011 Cannes Film Festival.[1] It received a limited release in February 2012 to be followed by wider release in the United States during the spring.[5] The film was given wide release on February 17, 2012 by Freestyle Releasing[6] In 2014 distribution company CMD Distribution obtained DVD distribution rights.[7]
Doonby resonated with many anti-abortion organizations due to its anti-abortion theme. Activist Norma McCorvey (1947-2017), known as the plaintiff Jane Roe of the Supreme Court landmark decision Roe v. Wade which legalized abortion in the United States in 1973, appeared in a cameo in the film.[1] It has also been endorsed by the Vatican and has premiered at the Landmark E Street Cinema during the 2013 March for Life, an annual anti-abortion march protesting abortion in the United States.[8]