STEEL MAGNOLIAS: 4K UHD Blu-ray (TriStar Pictures, 1989) Sony Home Entertainment
The woman’s
picture, long dormant in American movies, came rushing rather gloriously back
to life in director, Herbert Ross’s Steel Magnolias (1989), a flagrantly
sentimental comedy zinger, eliciting the big laughs and hearty ‘good cry’
through its affecting cocktail of pathos and wit. The film is inspired by
Robert Harling’s Broadway play, reportedly written in just 10 days, but based
on his personal recollections of the Louisiana-based/close-knit community of
Southern women from his youth who helped ease his family through the tragic
loss of Harling’s beloved sister, Susan. The Alabama-born Harling, having graduated
with a law degree, never professionally put to use, transferred his passion to
acting and writing prior to Susan’s death from diabetic complications. Yet,
success eluded him. In one of their last heart-to-heart telephone calls,
Harling recalls how Susan, always his steadfast rock, quietly confided a
failing, that she had no ‘advice’ to offer him on how to improve his prospects.
With Susan’s death, Harling was plunged into despair, resurrected from by his
fervent desire to pay tribute to Susan’s memory. This genuine and heart-tugging
enterprise evolved into Steel Magnolias, marking its Broadway debut in
1987. Subsequently, the play would be translated into seventeen different
languages. And while Harling has since referenced the play’s success as Susan’s
gift to him, no finer homage in brotherly love has ever been paid in kind.
Evidently,
Herbert Ross agreed. Steel Magnolias is a triumphant epitaph. Its
dedication to those iron-willed ladies of the deep South, each, a character
straight out of character-ville, and, possessing proverbial hearts of gold, is
a testament to finding the love and joy from life’s adversities. And their
camaraderie is as imperishably funny, yet, as immovable as Gibraltar’s rock.
The play’s most affecting attribute is Harling’s renewable kernels of truth,
quiet spoken from the heart. At once, blessed yet bittersweet, these women
possess a fierce sense of resolve with a devil-may-care savoir faire. In times
of need, as well as moments of triumph, the indomitable spirit of Steel
Magnolias endears us to its pearls of wisdom – genuine ‘soul food’ for an
audience. Of course, none of it would have worked on film without the perfect
cast. Steel Magnolias is inestimably endorsed by its ensemble – six pistols:
Oscar-winner, Sally Fields as pragmatic M’Lynn Eatenton, Dolly Parton (effervescent
hairstylist, Truvy Jones), the ever-present unvarnished clarity of Shirley
MacLaine as crabby Ouiser Boudreaux, Daryl Hannah (socially inept introvert,
Annelle Despoto) and, the irrefutably marvelous, Olympia Dukakis as
fair-weather pixie, Claree Belcher. In only her second movie, Julia Roberts resonates
as M’Lynn’s headstrong/ill-fated daughter, Shelby (Susan’s alter ego).
For Roberts, the
prospect of being set in such esteemed company was daunting. Only the year
before, she had been plucked from virtual obscurity to co-star in the
coming-of-age charmer, Mystic Pizza (1988) – relying on the kindness of
her fellow actors to get her through a performance that earned her much praise
and notoriety. However, even by Hollywood’s standards, the cast of Steel
Magnolias was more than a notch above the usual fare. Again, Roberts found
herself in blessed surroundings. On the first day’s shoot, she arrived to
discover the rest of her costars eager to embrace and support her. While any
one of these legends would have been enough to carry the picture, the combined efforts
from all involved proves irresistible and star-studded. At one point, Truvy
astutely surmises, “Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion.”
Undeniably, the cast never disappoints on this score.
Set in an
idyllic Natchitoches, Louisiana, Steel Magnolias is a very stout shot of
Southern comfort, served up with all the vittles and vitality of an A-list roster.
Harling frames the narrative in seasonal vignettes, beginning with Shelby’s
July wedding, then – in order, Christmas, Independence Day, Halloween, and
finally, Easter. The link between these disparate passages of time (a whole
year often passes in an instant), Herbert Ross relies on a magnificent
underscore by imminent composer, George Delerue. The world of film has, in
fact, only benefited from Delerue’s fine art in film scoring for several
decades, and Steel Magnolias, with its ever-evolving tapestry, presents
Delerue with a cornucopia of emotions, masterfully culled into one central
theme first heard under the main titles, and, much later, reprised during the
end credits with modest embellishments. In-between these bookends, we hear
cues, refrains and arcs of this same theme, repurposed in subtler ways as the
story’s leitmotif. John A. Alonzo’s camera follows the gawky introvert,
Annelle, as she navigates on foot past the town’s most resplendent homes and
gardens, on route to Truvy’s Beauty Spot – pausing a moment to admire Shelby’s
wedding day preparations; a flurry of caterers, tent and awning specialists,
coordinators, musicians, hired help and so on.
We cut to M’Lynn
Eatenton’s frantic realization the champagne flutes have just arrived, either
chipped, shattered or broken. In the backyard, husband, Drummond (Tom Skeritt)
and their two sons, Tommy (Knowl Johnson) and Jonathan (Jonathan Ward) are
busying themselves shooing away a mess of pigeons with cap guns and fireworks.
Amidst this bedlam, the groom, Jackson Latcherie (Dylan McDermott) sneaks through
an open upstairs bedroom window to woo his bride, presently in the tub. We are
given some coy dialogue to suggest the couple has had pre-wedding jitters, with
Shelby having contemplated calling off the wedding. It’s all just talk –
filler, actually – as Shelby’s smile reassures us and the groom she intends
going through with the big day. Besides, she is late for her appointment at
Truvy’s to have her hair and nails done. Truvy has just hired Annelle for her
second chair. The modest beauty salon is actually a converted carport behind
the house Truvy shares with her husband, Spud (Sam Shepard), built before he
lost his job as a construction worker. Now, a freelance contractor, unable to
compete with pro-pricing, Spud is chronically depressed, isolating himself on
the sofa, or in the bedroom, watching TV and drinking beer. The couple’s son,
Louie (Tom Hodges) is a motorcycling free spirit in ripped jeans and leather - the
surface sheen of a bad boy. This, Annelle finds rather appealing. But there is
no time to daydream, especially since Annelle may or may not be married to
Bucky Buquee – a reckless philanderer from whom she is seeking refuge. Claree
Belcher, the widow of the town’s former mayor, arrives from a dedication
ceremony for parkland named after her late husband, where the wife of the
current mayor, Janise Van Meter (Nancy Parsons) was accidentally struck by a
wayward baseball. “Was she hurt?” Truvy inquiries with faux concern to
which Claree slyly replies, “I doubt it. It hit her in the head.”
Claree and
Ouiser are sometimes friends. Actually, Ouiser’s outward meanness is mostly an
act. Confronting Annelle, Ouiser and the other women learn about Bucky. But
their ravenous need for freshly minted gossip is diverted by Shelby who wastes
no time divulging secrets about the romantic weekend she and Jackson spent at
Frenchman’s Point, much to M’Lynn’s chagrin. These mother/daughter tensions are
real enough. But suddenly, Shelby withdraws. Her face is sweaty and pale. Shelby
is in the throes of a full-blown diabetic episode, gradually brought under
control by M’Lynn and Truvy’s quick thinking and patience. M’Lynn explains to
the others, Shelby’s doctor has informed her she should never have children.
From here, we fast track through the nuptials, a garish display of ‘blush and
bashful’, two shades of pink silk M’Lynn describes as “being hosed down in
Pepto Bismol.” At the reception, Drummond takes great pleasure in his
favorite past time, taunting Ouiser. Asking Ouiser to cut him a slice of
armadillo-shaped cake, made by Jackson’s Aunt Fern (Ann Wedgeworth), Ouiser
lops off the animal’s behind, serving it to Drummond to which he smugly
replies, “I always say, there’s nothing like a good piece of ass.” Meanwhile,
in an upstairs bedroom, Shelby is given some sound advice by M’Lynn who worries
about her daughter’s future happiness and health, even as the wedding limousine
– decked in inflated condoms – pulls from the driveway.
We advance to
the pending Christmas holidays. Having shed her rigidly shy exterior, a more
relaxed Annelle has transformed Truvy’s Beauty Spot into a kitschy Christmas
wonderland. In the meantime, Claree has bought the local radio station KPPD to
occupy her free time, becoming the new ‘color announcer’ for the local football
team. Ouiser accompanies Claree into the men’s locker room after the game while
Claree inexplicably waxes with the owner about the new uniforms, “…such a
vibrant shade of purple…grape or aubergine?” “Shut up!” Ouiser tells
Claree, “This is football. All the people care about is touchdowns and
injuries. They don’t give a damn about that grape shit!” The night before
the Eatenton’s annual Christmas party, Shelby confides to M’Lynn she is
pregnant. The news is hardly reassuring. In fact, M’Lynn is utterly distraught
and downright angry with Shelby for disobeying her doctor’s orders. At the same
time, Shelby orchestrates a ‘chance meeting’ between Ouiser and Owen Jenkins
(Bill McCutcheon), an aging suitor from her bygone youth whom she ignored to
pursue the first of two disastrous marriages that have long since soured Ouiser
on men in general, though not perhaps, Owen in particular. At the Eatenton’s
party, news of Shelby’s pregnancy is revealed by a very proud Drummond. Sensing
M’Lynn’s concern, Ouiser, Truvy, Annelle and Claree reaffirm their faith in
Shelby’s decision and M’Lynn – in the face of their optimism – sides with her
friends. This baby will be a blessing.
Once again, the
story advances, to July 4th, coincidentally the birthday of Jackson Latcherie
Jr. (C. Houser at 1 year old, and later, Daniel Camp, age 3). M’Lynn and Shelby
arrive for their hair appointment at Truvy’s. However, when Truvy pulls back
Shelby’s sleeve, she is horrified to see large bruises covering her forearm.
M’Lynn and Shelby explain how the stress of birth caused one of Shelby’s
kidneys to fail. Currently on dialysis, Shelby is preparing to enter the
hospital to accept a transplant. M’Lynn
will be donating one of her kidneys. In the face of such adversity, the women
step up their game. Claree and Ouiser cook for Drummond and the boys while
M’Lynn recuperates from surgery. Shelby returns home to Jackson and life
returns to normal…or so it would seem. Tragically, the kidney is rejected and
Shelby collapses at home with only Jackson Jr. at her side. Discovered hours
later by her husband, Shelby is rushed to hospital. But it is too late. She has
slipped into an irreversible coma. Making the painful decision to terminate her
life support, the family gathers at Shelby’s bedside to say their tearful
goodbyes.
At the funeral,
the remaining friends rally around M’Lynn. She maintains her composure until
Annelle – who has since become a religious zealot - passionately suggests they
should all be rejoicing, as Shelby is with the Lord in heaven. M’Lynn is mildly
disgusted by this epitaph, until Annelle offers sincere condolences, making
sense of death by acknowledging Shelby as her guardian angel. M’Lynn concurs.
Shelby would not want tears. However, struggling with the ‘why?’ of Shelby’s
loss pushes M’Lynn’s grief over the edge. She screams uncontrollably and tells
the women she wishes she could hit something until it felt as bad as she does. To
this query, Claree now grabs Ouiser by her lapels and instructs M’Lynn to
strike her. “We’ll sell T-shirts!” Claree reasons, “Saying I struck
Ouiser Boudreaux. Go ahead, M’Lynn –
knock her lights out!” The audacity of this offering breaks the tension
with a much-needed laugh at Ouiser’s expense. Hurt by the inference half the
parish would give their eye teeth to take a whack at her, Ouiser departs in
anger. Later, Ouiser and Claree reconcile. M’Lynn reasons a part of Shelby will
always be with her as long as she has Jackson Jr. The scene dissolves to the
following spring and an Easter egg hunt along the shores of the town’s
waterfront park. Jackson Jr. is momentarily frightened after Claree tells him a
story about a wicked witch named Ouiser, only to discover Ouiser actually
waiting to surprise him from behind a tree. Meanwhile, Annelle, who is nine
months pregnant by her boyfriend, Sammy (Kevin J. O’Connor) goes into labor.
Louie fetches Sammy – dressed as the Easter bunny – mounting him on the back of
his Harley as the two make chase after Drummond and Annelle, speeding to the
hospital in Drummond’s SUV.
Steel Magnolias is the kind of
movie Hollywood used to aspire to make – character-driven, with a
well-calculated plot, that today’s Hollywood has seemingly forsaken, lacking
either the star-power or wherewithal to even attempt. But this is just a good
ole-fashioned, lump-in-your-throat crowd-pleaser. Movies from the 1980’s often
get a bad rap for being deliberately optimistic, occasionally goofy, sometimes gaudy
and overflowing with gushing sentiment. While some undeniably fit the bill, Steel
Magnolias is not among the castoffs. However, having lived through the
eighties – I would have that time again for its kinetic optimism and great
storytelling prowess at the movies. Steel Magnolias was richly rewarded
at the box office, taking in $85-million. Viewed today, its syrup and sass have
not withered with age. Reportedly, Shirley MacLaine was so impressed with Julia
Roberts - then, the novice of this troop - she immediately telephoned her agent
to encourage his representation and management of Roberts’ future career, a
prophetic assessment of Roberts’ legendary run throughout the 1990’s – jet propelled
into the stratosphere as a bona fide movieland goddess with the release of Pretty
Woman one year later. And Steel Magnolias? While great art is often
overlooked or misclassified at the outset as mere pop-u-tainment, time itself
has a funny way of becoming the ultimate arbitrator of what is in good taste
and has the staying power to outlive us all. Steel Magnolias is just
such a movie. It will endure for decades yet to follow.
Sony marks the
35th anniversary of Steel Magnolias with a 4K UHD release,
reported to have been culled from an original 35mm negative. What’s here
certainly bears out that marketing claim – almost. The main titles are still a
tad softer than anticipated, with marginally amplified grain that looks more
gritty than indigenous to its source. Granted, optical printing of the titles
may have contributed to this slight downgrade, as immediately thereafter the
image does snap together as anticipated from a native 4K remastering effort.
Colors are subdued, in spots. Contrast marginally improves. Blacks are, in
fact, deeper. But there still seems to be a residual softness to some scenes
that may or may not be in keeping with John A. Alonzo’s original cinematography.
Tough to tell, especially since Sony’s own 30th Anniversary Blu-ray
was pretty immaculately rendered; Grover Crisp thereby giving himself a very
tough act to follow. Sony has shelled out for a 7.1 Dolby Atmos (which is,
frankly, overkill). The 5.1 DTS does just fine. We also get the original
2-channel Dolby Surround. Sony has ported
over Herbert Ross’ commentary and the ‘exclusive’ DVD featurette ‘In Full
Bloom’ – a truncated ‘making of’, plus theatrical trailer. Added to the 4K
is the 1990 TV pilot for a proposed series based upon the movie. It’s only
presented in 480i and is atrocious – both dramatically, and, from a technical
mastering standpoint. Bottom line: Steel Magnolias, the movie, is a
‘dramedy’ gemstone. This 4K bests the Blu for fine detail and marginally
improved color fidelity. But you really do have to look for it. Otherwise, bring
Kleenex to this life’s party.
FILM RATING (out
of 5 – 5 being the best)
5+
VIDEO/AUDIO
5+
EXTRAS
3
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