Steel Magnolias (1989)

"Steel magnolias" is a chronicle of a small circle of friends .The actresses get the lion's share ,which has become unusual ;that alone is cause for celebration,mainly when the cast includes a grumpy sullen Shirley McLaine who overplays as hell,Sally -never without my daughter-Field,A holier-than- thou but good -hearted Daryl Hannah wearing horrible glasses ,a very young Julia Roberts who was more endearing than she is now in such parts as "Brockovich" and of course Dolly Parton -too bad she does not sing-.

The dramatic plot -Shelby's illness- is kept to the minimum,at least in the first hour.Then when the tragedy strikes,Herbert Ross avoids pathos and melodrama (it's not the return of Douglas Sirk).And the last scene is wonderful,Easter meaning a renaissance .As usual,Georges Delerue's score superbly enhances the film :he's so good a musician that even when the movie bores you (Godard's "le mépris" for instance,as far as I'm concerned),his tuneful work survives.

Fmovies: With Julia Roberts the superstar she is today, it's an excellent time to enjoy the film that contains her best performance, Steel Magnolias.

As the doomed but optimistic daughter of Sally Field and Tom Skerrit, she holds her own in a cast of movie divas, including Shirley MacLaine, Olympia Dukakis, Dolly Parton, and (in her best film work, as well), Darryl Hannah.

The film is basically a warm, upbeat character study of a group of women friends, played out in a beautiful Louisiana bayou town. The story begins with Roberts' wedding, then carries on through the ups and downs of the friends' lives. The men in the story are secondary characters, and occasionally come across as a bit selfish (Roberts' husband), or buffoons (Hannah's boyfriend), yet one of the joys of this movie is that you come to love the women so much, you don't mind the men's shortcomings, and start liking them, too!

The standout performances of the film are from Roberts, and MacLaine, as a spinster with a sarcastic tongue, and, ultimately, a heart of gold. Her scenes with Dukakis are hilarious, yet full of the warmth that makes this film so special!

A couple of things usually overlooked, but worth mentioning; the enchanting film score (I wish the soundtrack would be re-released!), and a bit part by Janine Turner, before 'Northern Exposure' made her a star.

This is a very special film, for both Roberts' fans, and anyone who wants to believe in the healing powers of friendship. Yes, this film can be defined as a 'chick flick', but guys, you'll end up enjoying it, too!

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

Steel Magnolias fmovies. I have always loved this movie. My mom and I watch it all the time and never get sick of it. It also never fails to make me both laugh and cry. It's amazing how real it is. I cannot relate to the events or the whole southern aspect to it, yet the movie is still easy to connect with. That is not only due to the incredible writing, but the acting is phenomenal. The characters feel so real. I have a hard time picking who I like best because everyone is so incredible in their own way. Even the more minor characters. But like I said, the impeccable writing is impossible to ignore. My mom and I can't seem to stop quoting it to each other. Although, yes, it is a chick flick, it is actually a good one. It's meaningful and powerful. And it's always nice to see a movie about women that does not revolve around them trying to get a man. I can't think of anything that is wrong in this movie. I really can't find a flaw. Every women, adolescents and on, should see this movie. I love it!

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.

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.