Editing Tender Mercies (section)

===Filming===
[[File:Ellis County Waxahachie.svg|thumb|alt=An image of the shape of the state of Texas with lines differentiating the various counties in that state. One of the specific counties is filled in red. A larger image of that specific county sits next to the shape of Texas, with another red shape inside it to demonstrate a specific town within that county.|250px|right|Much of ''Tender Mercies'' was filmed in [[Waxahachie, Texas|Waxahachie]] (pictured), the county seat of [[Ellis County, Texas|Ellis County]], [[Texas]].]]
Most of ''Tender Mercies'' was filmed in Waxahachie and [[Palmer, Texas|Palmer]], two towns in [[Ellis County, Texas|Ellis County]] in north central Texas.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Ellis County|work=Handbook of Texas Online|publisher=Texas State Historical Association|url=http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hce04|access-date=2010-10-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928181401/http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hce04|archive-date=2013-09-28|url-status=live}}</ref> Beresford largely avoided the [[Victorian architecture]] and other picturesque elements of Waxahachie and instead focused on relatively barren locations more characteristic of [[West Texas]]. The town portrayed in the film is never identified by name. Foote said when he wrote the script he did not have the same isolated and lonely vision for the setting Beresford did, but he felt the atmosphere the director captured served the story well.<ref name="FooteMiracles"/><ref name="BeresfordMiracles"/>

Principal photography took place between November 2 and December 23, 1981.<ref name="Slaw158"/> The plants used in the gardening scenes were brought inside at night to keep them from freezing.<ref name="Anker126">{{Harvnb|Anker|2004|p=126}}.</ref> Due to the tight schedule, the cast and crew worked seven days a week with very long hours each day. Although the Australian filmmakers and the crew, who were mostly from [[Dallas]], got along very well both on and off the set,<ref name="Slaw158"/> Beresford and Duvall were at odds during the production. Beresford, in his usual approach, meticulously planned each scene, and Duvall, who preferred a free-form give-and-take on set, felt restricted by the director's methods. Although Duvall regularly acknowledged his talent as a director, he said of Beresford, "He has this dictatorial way of doing things with me that just doesn't cut it. Man, I have to have my freedom."<ref name="Slaw158"/> Although he had no problem with Duvall's acting methodology, the actor's temperament infuriated Beresford. While filming one scene with Harper and Barkin, he became so frustrated during a phone conversation with Duvall that he said, "Well if you want to direct the film, go right ahead," and walked off the set.<ref name="BeresfordMiracles"/> Beresford flew to New York and reportedly was ready to quit, until Duvall flew out to speak with him. After further arguments, the two made amends and returned to work on the film.<ref name="Slaw158">{{Harvnb|Slawson|1985|pp=158–159}}.</ref>

Beresford also clashed on set with Brimley. On the very first day of filming, he asked the actor to "pick up the pace", prompting Brimley to reply, "Hey, I didn't know anybody dropped it."<ref name="Slaw158"/> On another occasion, when Beresford tried to advise Brimley on how Harry would behave, Duvall recalled Brimley responding, "Now look, let me tell you something, I'm Harry. Harry's not over there, Harry's not over here. Until you fire me or get another actor, I'm Harry, and whatever I do is fine 'cause I'm Harry."<ref name="DuvallMiracles"/> Duvall said he believed the on-set wrangling resulted in a combination of the director's and actors' visions and ultimately improved the picture. Likewise, Beresford said he did not feel the fights negatively affected the film because he and Duvall never disagreed on the interpretation of the Mac Sledge character.<ref name="BeresfordMiracles"/>

Harper described the extent to which Duvall inhabited his character: "Someone once said to me, 'Well, how's Robert Duvall?' and I said, 'I don't know Robert Duvall. I know Mac Sledge very well.{{'"}}<ref name="HarperMiracles"/> Beresford, too, said the transformation was so believable that he could feel his skin crawling up the back of his neck the first day of filming.<ref name="BeresfordMiracles"/> Duvall made an effort to help Harper, who was making her film debut. While preparing to shoot a scene in which Mac and Rosa Lee fight, he yelled at a [[make-up artist]] in front of Harper to make her angry and fuel her performance; he apologized to the make-up artist after the scene was shot.<ref name="HarperMiracles"/>

Cinematographer Russell Boyd largely used [[available light]] to give the movie a natural feel, which Beresford said was crucial to its sense of authenticity.<ref name="BeresfordMiracles"/> Harper said Boyd was so quiet during filming that he mostly used just three words: {{"'}}Yeah', 'right' and 'sure{{'"}}.<ref name="HarperMiracles">{{Cite AV media|people=[[Tess Harper]] (actor)|date=2002-04-16|title=Miracles & Mercies|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0383509/|medium=Documentary|publisher=[[Blue Underground]]|location=[[West Hollywood, California|West Hollywood]], [[California]]|access-date=2008-01-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181002123343/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0383509/|archive-date=2018-10-02|url-status=live}}</ref> Beresford, Foote and Duvall considered the climactic scene to be the one in which Mac, tending the family garden, discusses with Rosa Lee his pain over his daughter's death. Beresford and Boyd filmed the scene in a [[long take]] and [[long shot]] so it could flow uninterrupted, with the lonely Texas landscape captured in the background. When studio executives received the footage, they contacted Beresford and requested [[close-up]] shots be intercut, but he insisted on keeping the long take intact. Duvall said he felt the scene underscored Mac's stoicism in the face of tragedy and loss.<ref name="DuvallMiracles"/><ref name="BeresfordMiracles"/>