MovieChat Forums > Steel Magnolias (1989) Discussion > Highly watchable, but superficial in the...

Highly watchable, but superficial in the extreme...

posted 9 years ago by I_Love_Hutch
12 replies | jump to latest

I watched this movie last night on tv. Last time I saw it was in the theater in 89. For me, the most appealing thing is the bubble gum soap opera mood of the film. It invited me to turn my brain off and sometimes that's exactly what I want.

But there are a lot of people who find the movie emotionally powerful and that wasn't my experience at all. And I cry pretty easy. And the scene at the cemetery where Sally Field has her big scene I didn't find sad in the least. It annoyed me more than anything. The thing that was going through my mind was that I thought I could see Field really getting herself worked up so she could get the correct emotion down. And that they were trying to sort of duplicate the scene in Terms of Endearment where Shirley MacLaine breaks down after Debra Winger dies, and the vast difference in the power of that scene compared to Field. Three minutes later, everybody is at some picnic, and it all seems very trite. Really, this movie is justa series of effortless one liners that come out of nowhere. It's a very tacky movie.

If the movie was being more honest, it would have focused on the peculiar charms of gossip in the South. Because that's about as deep as this movie goes. And I find that I like the movie a lot better when I think about it from this point of view. The mother -daughter loving bond was not only unconvincing, but I really felt more negative energy, almost hostility, going on between these two women than anything. Though that certainly could be the result of the two actresses who played the characters and how they related to each other in real life.

[–] !!!deleted!!! (63828261) 9 years ago

I agree with you, I cried at that scene in Terms of Endearment but Steel Magnolias didn't move me. Shirley Maclaine did a great job and it was her acting that moved me to tears

[–] I_Love_Hutch 9 years ago

Yes, when Shirley MacLaine says "Oh God, I'm so stupid
I'm so stupid. Somehow I thought, somehow I thought, when she finally went... that it would be a relief..." I sob every time.

TOE is a classic tearjerker, and like you said Shirley MacLaine is excellent. And if hadn't been for her, I would have given the Oscar to Debra Winger. Also, it was made by the same guy who did The Mary Tyler Moore Show, which is an all-time favorite of mine, so I think there's something there, too. But anyway I adore this movie.

[–] !!!deleted!!! (63828261) 9 years ago

Also when she says, "Oh, my sweet little darling. Oh dear, there's nothing harder." you can see how much she's hurting. Her sobs are believable

[–] rascal67 9 years ago

I agree with all that you have said on SM and if there is one saving grace, and as much as she can be despised by many, it was a film that gave Julia Roberts a big boost and I did find her interesting to watch. Field was her usual trying hard to act like she knew all about the feeling and emotions that were affecting her character and comes over as phony. I can't understand why many fans of hers can't see this.

Yes, Terms Of Endearment' is another kettle of fish and never fails to move me. It is difficult for me to choose a Best Actress for 83', because as much as I like MacLaine in the film, I usually sway to Winger as being just that little bit better. I also like Streep in SILKWOOD and it is her favorite performance of mine, so I would like to award her too. That said, I also like Julie Walters in Educating Rita'; but I think if that film was to be given an Oscar, it should have been for Michael Caine.

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[–] !!!deleted!!! (63828261) 9 years ago

I liked Educating Rita also and I always love Michael Caine

[–] rascal67 9 years ago

There is usually always something appealing about Michael Caine's on screen presence. If I am correct, he also feels that Educating Rita his favorite film performance.

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[–] !!!deleted!!! (63828261) 9 years ago

I think I heard that also, what a good memory you have! Have you seen The Cider House Rules?

[–] rascal67 9 years ago

Yes, and I have read the book too.

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[–] liamforeman 9 years ago

Michael Caine has said that his best role and acting was in Cider House. I like him in everything, including Miss Congeniality.

[–] ilovemyrv 9 years ago

I do agree with you to a point, especially about the one liners. But underneath that are characters that I enjoy getting to know. I also think the hospital scenes where M'Lynn is slowly, painfully letting go, are incredibly moving, and probably very true to life.

The cemetery scene is the cumulation of M'Lynn's having to hold it all together, from the time Shelby was very young and diagnosed, and right up to and thru her daughter's funeral. M'Lynn finally cracks and she's able to let herself go, not to her family, but to her dear friends. It is very emotional to me.

I did enjoy Shriley Macclaine's amazing acting in the death scene in ToE, and it did make me cry, but overall the movie is just not one that I watch over and over. I don't want to spend time with those characters because I really dislike almost all of them. SM on the other hand, I can watch over and over again, even though I do roll my eyes at the cheesy one liners (especially Truvy's "Smile! It increases your face value!!" when M'Lynn is obviously upset).

[–] rascal67 9 years ago

Endearment, has a more real outlook on things, whereas Steel tends to gloss and like the point of the OP, it is more superficial; hence more palatable for many too taste and swallow. Magnolias could be considered an easier view on these terms, that is why you may find it more readily watchable. I have plenty of other films that I can just switch off my brain. Magnolias is not one of them and when there was humor and laughs to be had in Terms, I found it more honest and funnier. Aurora and Garrett's lunch date for example. I don't find SM as emotionally rewarding or as believable if I was to compare it to Endearment. It is too larger than life.

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Destinata:💩

[–] rascal67 9 years ago

Having just viewed the film again Mr H, and finding it more enjoyable than I thought I would after 15yrs when I last saw it, I did look at it from a different perspective. A gay friend around this time, adored the film and the quips and characters. Yes, the one liners can appear too set-up\contrived, to have any real honest impact; but some are still quite funny. MacLaine had the best and most amusing character for me as Ouiser. I had forgotten how good she was. Field I didn't mind, up until she had to start getting serious about 80mins in to the film and she doesn't always pull it off all that believable. She was much better with the lighter side\aspects of her character.

When Field is at the bedside of comatose Shelby and her husband comes in to tell her to go and rest, she really didn't know how to express her grief and confusion that well. She spouts some phony sounding line about how she needs to be there if Shelby wakes up and pushes her husbands arms away from her, that was like a cheap shot gesture that only made her look frustrated, annoyed and bitter, rather than appearing genuinely caring and concerned. Field likes to do the annoyed and lets show the audience my anger, rather than be it, when she can't muster up a 'real' feeling.

Rather than compare this film to TERMS OF ENDEARMENT, I was thinking of CRIMES OF THE 💜-86', another southern belle movie that I find more biting with the humor. I would have liked Steel Magnolias' to have been more satirical, sharper and blacker with it's humor, like Crimes. It was mostly designed to appeal to the light, bright and fluffy crowd.

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