Potins de femmes

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

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.

This film is worth watching for two reasons. First, it is based on a tragic, real life event. As such, an enhanced credibility sustains the film's underlying premise, and thus renders a much greater potential for viewer impact and depth of meaning, as opposed to a work of fiction. Second, quite aside from its autobiographical roots, the film has entertainment value, expressed mostly as snappy, funny dialogue, delivered competently by an ensemble cast of likable actresses. Attention to detail in costumes and production design, and adroit film editing, further amplify the film's overall technical quality.

"Steel Magnolias" is a story about the close knit relationships between six ordinary Southern women, living in a small town in Louisiana. The film has a homespun, unpretentious feel to it, rather like "Fried Green Tomatoes".

The plot alternates between humorous, small, everyday events and good-natured quips, on the one hand ... and on the other hand, the seriousness and heartache attendant to life's unexpected crises. Through the laughs and tears, the six women learn to endure hard times, and thus emerge from their struggles with grace and dignity.

Finding something to criticize here is not easy. I can think of several changes that I would have made, to satisfy my own personal preferences. But the film is solid and substantial, as is. I suppose one could zero in on the acting. A couple of the cast members overact their parts, at some point or another in the film.

Overall, "Steel Magnolias" is technically well made. And the content engages our interest, as a result of its true-to-life theme, its all star cast, and some very clever dialogue.

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!

Every time I see this movie, I want to eat a plateful of jambalaya and smell the sweet aroma of a magnolia. No other movie I've seen quite captures the essense of southern living like Steel Magnolias. This movie has everything, hysterical comedy and satisfying drama. Everyone was great: Sally Field as M'Lynn, a mother who still worries about her very grown up daughter; Julia Roberts as Shelby, a special young woman who feels that having a baby is worth risking everything; Dolly Parton as Truvy, a lonely beautician who brightens like a light bulb when her little shop is full of "hens" : ) ; Olympia Dukkakis as Clairee, the town bigwig who loves to gossip; Daryl Hannah as Annelle, a very religious young woman who drives her friends crazy with her sudden fits of prayer; and of course who can forget Shirley McLaine as Ouiser, the grouchy old wretch who tows her pathetic dog around and mercilessly cusses out the equally obnoxious Drum (Tom Skerrit)??? A very satisfying movie for comedy and drama lovers alike. A totally feel good, yet very real movie.