Cult Classics

The Straight Story

Alvin Straight, played by Richard Farnsworth, (who was nominated for an Academy Award for his role), is an ailing widower in his early 70’s living in Laurens, Iowa with his daughter, Rose (Academy Award winner Sissy Spacek), who is mildly retarded and has a speech defect. Alvin doesn’t trust doctors, despite suffering from emphysema and a bad hip. Alvin learns that his brother Lyle (Harry Dean Stanton) has suffered a stroke and may not have long to live. Alvin and Lyle haven’t spoken in 10 years, which he says is mainly a matter of pride and alcohol; but he wants to clear his slate with his brother before it’s too late. However, Lyle lives in Wisconsin, and Alvin has little money, no car and no driver’s license. He does, however, have a riding lawn mower, and so Alvin hops on board and heads northeast to Wisconsin, hoping to make it while there’s still time. Along the way, Alvin makes new friends and refuses to give up on his journey, despite frequent mechanical breakdowns.