Potins de femmes

Although there are several films that I would rank in the top ten best of all time, this is probably my favorite, and is a good past time to watch that never lets me down. As many times as I've seen this film (and it's a lot), it never fails me; with tears, laughter and excellent acting and reality. Julia Roberts, as I recall was nominated for her portrayal as a young woman with diabetes, and in my opinion, should have won for this and not for "Erin Brockovich". But, the real gem and overlooked one in the movie is Sally Field. This is by far and away, her best role and performance she ever snagged, and nailed, and I rank her performance in this as one of my top five best performances in motion picture history of all time.

All the characters and performances in this are excellent, including one such, by Daryl Hannah, who I don't care for, but love in this movie. In fact, her character Anell, is the only role I've ever liked her in, and applaud her work in it.

Among the cast there are very few men, but my favorite is Tom Skerrit, who plays Sally Field's husband, and father to Julia Robert. Shirley MaClain, Olympia Dukakis, and Dolly Parton are the other three co-stars, that follow behind the three previous, and all make their characters unique.

The basis of the film, is a beauty parlor, and although it might sound hokey, it's really not. Some might call it a chick flick, but I have to say that I know men have even gotten teary-eyed from this film. It's wonderfully directed, only in that, it makes you feel apart of the never ending friendship that's between this group of women. The experiences that they have and the trials and tribulations they go through. Although not the whole movie is set in the hair salon, a good portion of the film is, but it is done in just the right amount, and is written very well.

I recommend it for girls of all ages, and men who want to impress their girlfriends with a great flick for a Friday night. It is one of the best films of all time, and if for no other reason, you should watch this merely to see the performance Sally Field gives, because it is amazing.

Another movie that is part of my permanent video collection and never get tired of watching, STEEL MAGNOLIAS is the beautifully expanded version of Robert Harling's play about the relationship between six women who frequent the same beauty parlor. I am pretty sure the first phrase that comes to mind for most people when this film is mentioned is "Chick Flick", but, as a male, I happily admit to loving to watch this movie over and over again, not just because of the six charismatic performances by the actresses, but because this film also has one of the funniest screenplays ever written. Claree: "The only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize." Truvy: "Ruth Robeline...now there's a story...her whole life has been an experiment in terror...first her husband was killed in WWII and then her son was killed in Vietnam... I tell you, when it comes to suffering, she's right up there with Elizbeth Taylor." Claree: "well, you always know what I say...if you can't think anything nice to say about anybody, come sit by me." Ouiser: "I'm not crazy...I've just been in a bad mood for the last thirty years." And just when you think your sides about to split open from laughing so hard, the film takes a tragic turn and you're reaching for the Kleenex. The scene in the cemetery is riveting, thanks primarily to a flawless and raw performance by Sally Field, who climaxes what is already a beautiful and commanding performance in the film, with her rage against God as her only outlet of grief at the moment. This scene makes me cry every time I watch the movie. An appeal to the gentlemen out there who have never seen this movie: Give it a chance. I did and I have never regretted it.

Now that I've recently watched "Beaches" I feel like I need to watch this again, to compare which chick-flick I like more. Those two, plus "Fried Green Tomatoes" tend to be mentioned together as ultimate weepy chick-flicks, and I've seen them all, but I don't remember liking this one quite as much as "Beaches". I'll have to watch again to see...

UPDATE: I watched it again, and I have to say there was far more laughter than tears here, which I appreciate. "Beaches" (1988) actually made me cry more than this one, which surprised me, given the reputation of "Steel Magnolias" (1989) as being one of the ultimate tearjerkers. But, this movie shows that it's not the amount of tears, but the quality of them that makes for a great tearjerker!

The subject of losing a loved one was handled with rage, comic relief, and ultimately grace. It made me cry, without bringing me totally down, which is a kind of miracle, really.

This is a tearjerker, but not a bitter one, like "Miss You Already" is- instead, it was one wherein, as I traveled through life with these women, I felt less resentment, and had fewer regrets, despite the bitter-sweetness of it all. This movie managed to take what could be very depressing subject-matter, and inject dignity and an uplifting quality into it. By the end, I didn't feel like cursing the Almighty for allowing such suffering (as I sort of did with "Miss You Already" and to a lesser degree, "Beaches"), instead, by the end, I just had a line said by Dolly Parton's character lingering in my heart- i.e. "God works in mysterious ways." And somehow, that made it alright and gave me such comfort!

Yes, this is a tearjerker, but like it's tagline says, "It's the funniest film that'll ever make you cry!" As I said, it's far more laughter than tears here, and I mean laugh out loud moments! So, be prepared to laugh til you cry with this one! It is indeed a classic! Do I like it more than "Beaches" (1988) though? No, I don't think so, cause I have a soft spot for Bette Midler and her Easy Listening music and her comedic ways. That said, this one is right up there with it, and definitely one of the best of its kind!

An extremely episodic story of several smalltown southern women whose social lives revolve around meetings in the local beauty parlor, STEEL MAGNOLIAS' script and performances are dogged by an aura of artificiality--but it scarcely matters, for the film is a tremendous amount of fun.

Some of the performances are more successful than others, with Shirley MacLaine, Olympia Dukakis, Julia Roberts, and Darryl Hannah coming out on top (I am greatly surprised that so many other reviewers dislike Hannah's performance, which seems to me considerably less artificial than many others--but perhaps since I'm actually Southern I have a different perspective). Sally Fields and Dolly Parton are less successful, but not in any sense that actually distracts from the fun. Perhaps most surprising in a film which focuses on women are the brief but impressive performances from the male supporting cast, which includes effective performances by Tom Skerrit, Sam Shepherd, and Dylan McDermott, and which serve to ground the film with a sense of the broader community in which the women live.

The script abounds in zinging one-liners ("If you can't say something nice, come sit by me!") and often hilarious situations (imagine Olympia Dukakis surrounded by naked men in the highschool football team's locker room); it also contains some very touching segments sure to choke up all but the most heartless viewer. And although the story is extremely manipulative and rather predictable, those factors don't actually get in the way of its effectiveness. While probably not a "great film" by any serious standard, it is tremendously good-natured, well-intended, and extremely entertaining, and most people will find that it lingers pleasantly in mind and holds up well under repeated viewings.

Gary F. Taylor, aka GFT, Amazon Reviewer

This wonderful comedy drama romance tells the tale of a close knit group of six Southern women (of varying ages) in a small Louisiana town. The film gives us a glimpse into their daily lives over a period of several years, their laughter, their joy, and their tears, all through the lens of their enduring friendship.

Here are the six magnolias...

M'Lynne (Sally Field)...perhaps the steeliest of all the magnolias, who has a bittersweet relationship with her grown daughter

Shelby (Julia Roberts)...everyone's favorite girl next door, M'Lynne's endearing, diabetic daughter; we see her planning her very pink wedding (wait till you see the groom's cake!) and charting a difficult path, given her medical history

Truvy (Dolly Parton)...the married but lonely hairdresser with the heart of gold, who owns and operates Trudy's Beauty Parlor, center of social life for these ladies, site of gossip, teasing quips, and comfort

Ouisser (Shirley MacLaine)...the sarcastic spinster and cantankerous comic relief who is frequently seen carting her little dog around and exchanging barbs with her Old Nemesis, M'Lynne's husband, Drum

Clairee (Olympia Dukakis)...the charming, gossiping widow and town bigwig

Annelle (Daryl Hannah)...the shy, awkward new girl in town, who has a mysterious past and lands a job at the beauty parlor, under Truvy's mentoring

Through these six, we see the strength that lies behind the legendary Southern lady's charm (well, maybe Ouisser's not that charming!) and supposed flower fragility, their humor, their optimism, their faith, and above all, their banding together and supporting each other in the face of adversity.

I understand that this movie is based on a well known play by a famous Louisiana playwright. The women depicted in the film are by and large good Christian, church going folk, which is laudable. My initial reaction was to blame Hollywood for mocking Annelle's newfound deep faith and having her act as though she hadn't a clue in her dim witted Southern head. The playwright may have intended to cast her as going overboard and being too judgmental. If so, I personally don't consider this a kind or necessary depiction, and find Annelle to be very sincere and kind hearted.

However, otherwise this is simply a "funny tearjerker" and a great movie.