• Rating:
• Genre: Drama
• Movie Type: Ensemble Film, Domestic Comedy
• Themes: Women's Friendship, Mothers and Daughters, Battling Illness
• Director: Herbert Ross
• Main Cast: Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah, Olympia Dukakis, Julia Roberts
• Release Year: 1989
• Country: US
• Run Time: 118 minutes
• MPAA Rating: PG

Plot

The title refers to those seemingly frail Southern belles who survive any and all deprivations through whims of iron. Robert Harling's original stage play was set exclusively in a Louisiana beauty parlor where an all-female cast of characters laughed, cried and compared menfolk. The film expands the playing field by including scenes at picnics, hospitals and the like, and by visually depicting the males who never appeared in the stage version. Dolly Parton plays the goodnatured beauty-shop owner, while Shirley MacLaine is the cantankerous town eccentric, decked out in grungy overalls and speaking fluent Trash. Well-to-do Sally Field bravely endures several assaults to her sensibilities, not the least of which is the illness (and subsequent death) of daughter Julia Roberts. The performances are first-rate, with the possible exception of Daryl Hannah's overemphatic portrayal of a gawky hairdresser. The film stumbles a bit in its depiction of the male characters as fools and deadheads, and in the final overlong hospital scenes involving the comatose Roberts, which play like a road company version of Terms of Endearment. Otherwise, Steel Magnolias is a prime example of ensemble filmmaking, lovingly coordinated by director Herbert Ross. (Sidebar: Herbert Ross was reportedly rather rough on Julia Roberts, deriding her lack of experience. The rest of the female cast rallied around Roberts and told the director to lay off or pay the price). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Review

While it never truly escapes its theatrical origins, Robert Harling's tale of a gaggle of loquacious Southern belles manages to succeed as a straightforward entertainment. More sentimental and heavy-handed than it needs to be, the movie nevertheless has a major selling point: it creates full-bodied characters for a talented troupe of A-list actresses, many of whom never get an opportunity to play roles that are as much fun. The film expands on the original six-character outline to include the men in these women's lives, but not to much success, as the actresses dominate the film throughout. Magnolias is well cast right down the line (only Sally Field takes her part too far over the top), with a luminous early role for Julia Roberts in the most affecting performance. Oddly enough, the film is often compared to Terms of Endearment, the film to which Harling would write and direct the sequel The Evening Star, an effort that failed to capitalize on either of these films' strengths or their impressive box office. ~ Jason Clark, All Movie Guide

Cast

• Sally Field - M'Lynn Eatenton
• Dolly Parton - Truvy Jones
• Shirley MacLaine - Ouiser Boudreaux
• Daryl Hannah - Annelle Dupuy Desoto
• Olympia Dukakis - Clairee Belcher
• Julia Roberts - Shelby Eatenton Latcherie

Tom Skerritt - Drum Eatenton; Sam Shepard - Spud Jones; Dylan McDermott - Jackson Latcherie; Kevin J. O'Connor - Sammy Desoto; Bill McCutcheon - Owen Jenkins; Bibi Besch - Belle Marmillion; Carole Cook; Robert Ginnaven - Mayor Van Meter; Tom Hodges - Louie Jones; Rick Hurst - Bark Boone; Knowl Johnson - Tommy Eatenton; Nancy Parsons - Janice Van Meter; Janine Turner - Nancy Beth Marmillion; Jonathan Ward - Jonathan Eatenton; Ann Wedgeworth - Aunt Fern; Robert Harling - Minister; Spencer Henderson - Dancing Couple; Norman Fletcher - Mr. Latcherie, Sr.; Sandra Asbury-Johnson - Dancing Couple; Teresa Beaudoin - Receptionist; Oscar J. Bienvenu, Jr. - Doctor; Daniel Camp - Jack Jr. (3 years old); Betty J. Dove - Nurse; Rodney Alan Fulton - Bobby Ray Ross; Travis Harrison - Delivery Boy; C. Houser - Jack Jr. (1 year old); Gladys Mallard - Nurse; Walker May - Newspaper Boy; Debbie McCann - Cook's Helper; Roger D. McCann - Cook's Helper; Robert R. Morgan - Cook; Gale J. Odom - Church Singer; Aja Sansone - Monique; James Shapkoff III - Delivery Man; Lori Tate - Mrs. Latcherie, Sr.; Betsy Widhalm - Church Organist; James Wlcek - Marshall Marmillion; Ronald Young - Drew Marmillion; Carol Sutton - Nurse Pam; Robert Adams - Dr. Judd

Credit

Leigh Mitchell - Makeup; John A. Alonzo - Cinematographer; Hub Braden - Art Director; Gene Callahan - Production Designer; Hallie D'Amore - Makeup; Georges Delerue - Composer (Music Score); Paul Hirsch - Editor; Robert Harling - Screenwriter; Spencer Henderson - Choreography; Garry Lewis - Set Designer; Michael Okowita - Art Director; Edward Pisoni - Production Designer; Lee Poll - Set Designer; Herbert Ross - Director; Christina Smith - Makeup; Raymond Stark - Producer; Julie Weiss - Costume Designer; Victoria White - Executive Producer; Steven Wolff - Set Designer; William McConnell - First Assistant Camera; Andrew Stone - Associate Producer; Kevin Harris - Special Effects

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