Blyss's Movie Review for:

Main Cast of Characters:

Sally Field .........M'Lynn Eatenton

Julia Roberts.........Shelby Eatenton-Latcherie

Dolly Parton.........Truvy Jones

Olympia Dukakis.........Clairee Belcher

Shirley Maclaine.........Ouiser Boudreaux

Tom Skerritt.........Drum Eatenton

Daryl Hannah.........Annelle Dupuy-DeSoto

Kevin J. O'Connor.........Sammy Wayne DeSoto

Dylan McDermott.........Jackson Latcherie

Jonathan Ward.........Jonathan Eatenton

Knowl Johnson.........Thomas Eatenton

Sam Shepard.........Spud Jones

1990. Rated: PG. Genre: Drama, Comedy; 118 minutes

Southern belles gotta stick together!

The story begins with a new woman named Annelle Dupuy who has just come into a town to get a job at the local beauty salon owned by Truvy. Meanwhile, M'Lynn Edington is getting ready to host her only daughter Shelby's wedding. Her husband Drum is trying to shoot the birds in the trees and either kill them or chase them away since Shelby's wedding is going to be outside and they don't want the birds to "drop" on the guests. In the process, he is driving the whole town crazy! Truvy then meets Annelle who is a shy woman who is married but who is staying at Ruth Robeline's Boarding House for Women. Clairee Belcher, a wealthy woman whose husband has not been dead that long, drives up after a park is named after her husband and she attended the dedication. When they are alone, Truvy tells Clairee what she knows about Annelle and Clairee warns her to be careful. Truvy has hired Annelle anyway and likes having "someone with a past".

M'Lynn and Shelby go to Truvy's shop to have their hair done for the wedding. They meet Annelle and Annelle does M'Lynn's hair. They talk about Jackson and the wedding. Then Shelby has an insulin attack while there and did not bring her purse. She is a diabetic. She has been upset because the doctor said children aren't possible. Shelby gets really upset afterwards and even more so when she realizes that she just blurted out her feelings about having children out loud with her mother there. Jackson and Shelby get married and return a few months later only announce to everyone that she is pregnant. The doctor had warned Shelby that if she had children, it may put too much strain on her body. It may even kill her. Now is the time all of the Steel Magnolias bind together, in times of joy and in times of despair.

I actually did not go to see this movie at the theater when I was a kid but my other relatives did. Man, I did not know what I was missing and when I watched this movie later, I wish I had went to it. This film has your laughs as well as your tears, in fact it is a story that seems almost exactly like real life, which is rare for movies these days. One of my favorite scenes is when Shelby has her insulin attack in Truvy's shop. I don't think too much of Julia Roberts but that was truly great acting! Also, I liked the scene where Shelby informs her mother that she is pregnant. She was always trying to challenge her mother at everything she said and she insisted in doing it even when her own life would be threatened by such a pregnancy. The actress I was most impressed with was Daryl Hannah who portrayed Annelle Dupuy. The audience was able to see a different side to Hannah's acting. She was so far from her actual self that you get lost in the innocence of Annelle Dupuy-DeSoto. To me, Annelle's presence made the movie that much greater! Also, if you are considering this movie, better grab the tissues for the end!

I rate this film: 9

Blyss