American Reel is a 1999 drama film directed by Mark Archer and starring David Carradine, Michael Maloney, and Mariel Hemingway. Written by Junior Burke and Scott Fivelson, the film is set in Chicago, Illinois, though primary filming locations included Fort Wayne, Indiana, Waterloo, Indiana, and Hicksville, Ohio. The film, which features Carradine singing five of his original songs, has been heralded as a "tailor-made" showcase of the late actor's little-known musical work.

Synopsis

Country singer James Lee Springer (Carradine) has just become an overnight sensation—after 20 years of trying to make it by playing every honky-tonk west (and east) of the Big Muddy. But after so many years of waiting and hoping, the only question is whether it's all worth it.

Cast

DVD

The DVD of the film was released in 2003 and contains interviews with the cast, and a behind the scenes gallery of photos. In 2012, the film was re-released and made available on streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.

Reprises

Though the film was initially released with little publicity, it has become appreciated by Carradine's more loyal fans, and has been screened multiple times since the actor's passing.