STEEL MAGNOLIAS
US, 1989, 118 minutes, Colour.
Sally Field, Shirley Mac Laine, Olympia Dukakis, Dolly Parton, Daryl Hannah, Julia Roberts, Tom Skerritt, Dylan McDermott?, Sam Shepard, Ann Wedgworth.
Directed by Herbert Ross.
Steel Magnolias is based on a very successful off-Broadway play by Robert Harling. Harling has adapted his play for the screen - in the Terms of Endearment tradition. It focuses on six women in a Louisiana town, their families, marriages, illnesses and death. There is a blend of humour and tears. Under the direction of Herbert Ross (many Neil Simon films, The Turning Point, Nijinsky), the film is a very smooth entertainment. It is very funny, especially with the wisecracks and one-liners of several of the stars. Dolly Parton is very good as the humorous and genial embodiment of the South. Shirley MacLaine? plays over the top as a widow who has been in a bad mood for 40 years. Olympia Dukakis has many of the good lines as a rather cynical southern widow. Daryl Hannah is at first unrecognisable as the gawky hairdresser. Sally Field, not looking old enough to be Julia Roberts' mother, has the more serious side. The men do not appear to any great extent in the film.
The film captures the atmosphere of the South, presents us with various aspects of human nature - but always an ideal, and a hope that people really are nice. Very enjoyable.
1. A piece of Americana, portrait of family, human nature? A blend of humour and tears?
2. The screenplay based on theatre: the set scenes in the beauty parlour, the opening out of the play? Louisiana settings, the town and its life, homes, Truvy's shop, picnics and outside sequences, hospitals? Songs and score?
3. The ensemble acting of the women, their characters, persuasive?
4. American ideals, the emphasis on niceness, hard but kind, the importance of facing life and life going on?
5. The focus on the women, the development of their stories, the skilful intercutting of the stories?
6. EmLynn: Sally Field, her age, her relationship with Drum, a happy marriage? Preparations for the wedding, the birds and the gun? Her fuss, decision-making? Shelby and her love for her, the special day? Getting the hair done? Push, arranging, enjoying? Gossip at Truvy's? Shelby's diabetic incident and E'mLynn's skill at handling her daughter? The difficulties about the pregnancy? Her enjoyment of the wedding? The news of the pregnancy, her reaction, not supporting her daughter? Arguing? The five women at Truvy's and their discussing the issue, their support of one another, each one's hand on the other? The birth of the baby, E'mLynn's love for it? The first birthday celebration? Reconciliation with Shelby? Her having her hair cut, gossip in the shop? The kidney transplant, playing cards, the jokes? Her being happy, helping Shelby to be alive? Shelby's sudden illness, going into coma, E'mLynn reading to her, urging her to fight, not leaving her? The turning off of the machines? The funeral, staying by the graveside, her outburst of anger and her demands? The support of the women, their reactions, Annelle and her religious sentiments, sparking off E'mLynn, yet her appreciating Annelle's words? Clairee and her inviting her to sock Ouiser? Everyone laughing? Going to get the baby from Aunt Fern? Life going on?
7. Shelby and her age, at home, the wedding day, Jackson's visit to her and their love for each other, the decoration of the car with condoms, her various shades of pink, getting her hair done? The discussion about her pregnancy, the suddenness of the diabetic turn, its severity, her coping? The ceremony, with her father? The dancing, leaving, love for her mother? Her return, the news of the pregnancy, the clash with her mother? Needing support? Desiring a short time of fulfilment rather than a long time of ordinariness? The birth of the baby, her love for it, at work? Getting her hair cut short, the kidney operation? Back to work, her collapse, the phone in her hand and the baby crying? Her death, the machines being turned off? Her child and her immortality?
8. Drum, shooting the birds, death, clashes with Ouiser, using the fireworks to get rid of the birds? The wedding and his pride? Support of E'mLynn? Always being there? With the boys, getting them to work, proud of them? The birth and his playing with the boy? The coma, his support of Shelby, not being able to stay for her death? The funeral and his supporting his sons? The boys, youth, laziness, mischief, bored at the birthday party, crying at their sister's death?
9. Dolly Parton as Truvy: her appearance, pleasant, nice? Homespun wisecracks? Her relationship with Spud, disappointment, his not going out anywhere? Louie and his being a bikie? Her theories about natural beauty and the need for the beautician's work? Meeting Annelle, talking, giving her the job? The gossip in the shop? Her relationship to each one and her support? The wedding? Helping Annelle, making her more glamorous, giving her a place to stay? Her charity work? Progress with the opening of the second shop? Spud at home, not going out to functions? His decision to go to the funeral? His declaration of not knowing what would happen if Truvy were to die? The quality of his love? A good woman?
10. Annelle and her gawkiness, arrival in the town, seeking a job, working for Truvy? The women curious about her story, demanding it from her? Her telling her story, the marriage, the husband going off, drugs? The invitation to the wedding, meeting Sam? Being scared? Her change, becoming giddy, becoming religious? Her friendship, working in the shop, with the group of women, supporting? Her pregnancy, arguments with Sam? the build-up to the wedding? Sam, his friendship, love? Dressed as a rabbit? The picnic, the birth and the hurry to the hospital? At the funeral, her words of religion to E'mLynn, saying they might seem simple and stupid but that's what she believed, giving Shelby as the name to her child?
11. Clairee as the rich widow, loving gossip, causing mischief? Poking fun at everyone and enjoying it? Her wisecracks? Love-hate relationship with Ouiser? The locker-room and buying the radio? Inviting E'mLynn to punch her at the funeral, the hip-fight on the seat with Ouiser? Her telling the story to the little boy about the princess and the witch - Ouiser as the witch, the boy slapping Ouiser?
12. Shirley MacLaine? as Ouiser: the widow, anti-men, her appearance, grumpiness, the dog, the gun and the birds, her angers? The wedding? Being in a bad mood for 40 years? At Truvy's and hearing the stories, being demanding and direct to Annelle? The set-up with Owen, reaction to him, going to church? The nice elderly man, waving to her, companion? With all the women, love and care? Clairee and the locker-room? The death, her support, talking about praying? The aftermath of the funeral, her anger with Clairee? The finale and her antagonism towards Drum? Still sharp? The baby slapping her?
13. Jackson, his work as a lawyer, love for Shelby, the question of children? The decision to turn off the machine? Aunt Fern, her love and help?
14. The sketch of the people in the town, the humour at the expense of the South (gently)? The surfaces, manner of speaking, pinks and flowers? The wedding and the range of the singing and the dancing? The charity fairs and the stalls? Picnics?
15. A film of humanity, tears and laughter, hope?
