Steel Magnolias

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Some Like It Hot - 2 Stars (Average)

In its day, "Some Like It Hot" was a hot ticket, being nominated for six Oscars and winning one. Released in 1959, this black-and-white film also served as the greatest comedy platform for its three main characters-Sugar Kane (Marilyn Monroe), Joe as "Josephine" (Tony Curtis) and Jerry as "Daphne" (Jack Lemon). Lemon was the actor, Monroe was the sex symbol, and Curtis was the looker.

The plot found two down-on-their-luck musicians (Joe and Jerry) witness the St. Valentine's Day massacre by the mob gangland-style in 1929 during Chicago's Prohibition Era. Joe and Jerry narrowly escape death, then disguise themselves as women to become "Josephine" and "Daphne", and hook up with an all-girl band headed for a gig in sunny Florida.

Complications set in when the two discover that Sugar Kane is part of the troop. Playboy Curtis falls for Monroe but must deal with his role as Josephine, and Lemon's Daphne must deal with the amorous attentions of Osgood Fielding III (Joe E. Brown), an older millionaire. Things really heat up when mob boss Spats Colombo (George Raft) and his gang show up at the same place for a "convention" of mob bosses.

Billy Wilder directed this film and, while having some fun doing so, also had his patience tested. Apparently Marilyn Monroe gave new meaning to the phrase "dumb blonde". She took 47 takes in one scene to get "It's me, Sugar" correct; after 30 takes Wilder had the phrase written on a blackboard for her.

After 40 takes of her saying, "Where's the bourbon?" when Monroe was rummaging through some drawers, Wilder pasted the correct line in one of the drawers. Monroe was still confused, so Wilder pasted the line in every drawer. It took 59 takes for Monroe to get it right. Tony Curtis said publicly that Monroe was routinely 2 to 3 hours late to the set, and occasionally refused to leave her dressing room.

Despite it all, Some Like It Hot won an Oscar for Best Costume Design by Orry-Kelly, and had Oscar nominations for Best Actor (Jack Lemon), Best Art Direction (Ted Haworth and Edward G. Boyle), Best Cinematography (Charles Lang), Best Director (Billy Wilder) and Best Writing (Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond)-and don't even ask about I.A.L. (a pseudonym for Romanian-born Itec Domnici when he was a student at Columbia University).

When Orry-Kelly was measuring all three stars for dresses, he half-jokingly told Marilyn Monroe that "Tony Curtis has a nicer butt than you." Monroe responded by pulling open her blouse and saying, "Yes, but he doesn't have tits like these!" This was Hollywood in 1959.

Some Like It Hot also won three Golden Globe Awards-Best Motion Picture Comedy, Best Actor (Jack Lemon) and Best Actress (Marilyn Monroe). It is a good thing that the voters were not on the set for the filming.

The American Film Institute voted Some Like It Hot as the Funniest Movie of all time. The film is No. 14 on AFI's List of the 100 Greatest Movies of all time.

At the end of the film, Daphne informs Osgood-"her" future millionaire husband-that she will not be able to have children. "We can adopt," says Osgood. "But you don't understand, Osgood!" replies Daphne, "I'm a man!" Osgood replies, "Well, nobody's perfect!" The line "Well, nobody's perfect" was vote as the 48th most famous quote in movie history by the AFI.

And, in the truth is stranger than fiction category, a California man found a little black dress in his closet (what was it doing there?) and was stunned when appraisers determined that it was worn by Marilyn Monroe in Some Like It Hot and had an estimated worth of $250,000.

Meanwhile, back in Kansas in 1959 (the place made famous by Dorothy and Toto in "The Wizard of Oz"), the film was banned from showing in Kansas because cross-dressing was "too disturbing for Kansans."

I suspect that Some Like It Hot may have been one of the first films with high viewership to include cross-dressing in the script. My, how times have changed. In today's liberal environment, we are exposed to much more much more often.

I personally would not rate Some Like It Hot as the best comedy ever made. In my book of great films, that honor goes to "Waking Ned Devine", which offered superb entertainment and also delivered a very meaningful message about relationships not only among individuals but also an entire village.

Copyright © 2009 Ed Bagley

Read more of my movie reviews on films with a lot of substance, depth and feeling, including:

"A Christmas Story" - "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" - "Secondhand Lions" - "The Chorus (Les Choristes in French)" - "Waking Ned Devine" - "Chariots of Fire" - "Steel Magnolias" - "Chocolat" and "Radio"

These are all excellent films.

Find my movie reviews at:

http://www.edbagleyblog.com

[http://www.edbagleyblog.com/MovieReviews.html]

Great Writing, Directing, Acting and Music Make "Steel Magnolias" an Excellent Film

Copyright © 2009 Ed Bagley

Steel Magnolias - 4 Stars (Excellent)

It isn't often that a guy could get pulled into a movie about a bunch of women sharing their lives, loves, hopes, dreams, struggles and tragedies in a beauty shop, but Steel Magnolias reeled me in like bait on a fishhook.

Maybe it was because I am a sucker for relationship movies that undress and expose our psychological strengths and weaknesses, and human dynamics as we interact with others.

Maybe it was because I am always so impressed by a movie that sends a meaningful message by capturing my heart, and then playing it slowly like a maestro conducting an orchestra.

Perhaps it was an act of pure voyeurism to see exactly what a bunch of cackling women do and say when behind closed doors, and out of the earshot of men.

Or better yet, the performance of Julia Roberts who netted an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress as Shelby, and won a Golden Globe Award in the same category. Or the performance of Sally Field who was nominated for a Best Actress Golden Globe as M'Lynn, Shelby's mother.

Or the performance of Shirley MacLaine who was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress BAFTA Award as Ouiser Boudreaux. Did I mention that Steel Magnolias was filmed in Louisiana? In the small town of Natchitoches, a lovely setting that could easily take you back to rural America of yesteryear.

Sally Field should have been nominated for an Oscar, and Shirley MacLaine for a Golden Globe. They were both that good.

Let me not forget the additional outstanding acting performances of Olympia Dukakis as Clairee Belcher, Tom Skerritt as Shelby's dad Drum, Daryl Hannah as Annelle, and even Dolly Parton as Truvy Jones, the beauty shop proprietress.

It was said that after a poor take, director Herbert Ross reprimanded Dolly Parton and asked her if she could act, to which Dolly replied, "No, but it's your job to make me look like I can." You have to love Dolly Parton; she has no illusions about her acting ability and still remains Dolly, very confident in what she can do.

Steel Magnolias was released in 1989 and written by Robert Harling, who wrote the play "Steel Magnolias" in honor of his sister who died after surgery. All of the great acting in this movie started with the great writing of Robert Harling. The play ran for 136 performances on Broadway.

This movie has been classified as a "chick flick" but the designation does the film a great disservice. The moniker ignores the great writing, great direction, great acting and great music that make up the total presentation of this excellent movie. I was about a third of the way through the film when I noticed the great musical background by composer Georges Delerue; it was stunning and compelling.

Steel Magnolias runs the gamut of human emotions—from sheer happiness to delightful comedy to sharp wit to grave concern and the tragedy of a mother's worst nightmare. Through thick and thin, it transmits the importance of family and true friends as a support group that women cannot do without.

Shelby is really the centerpiece of interest. It is she who is about to be married, and much of the early going on centers around preparations for the exciting ceremony. Shelby is also a diabetic before we had insulin. Her mother wants her to adopt children rather than conceive.

Shelby opts to get pregnant, feeling that she "would rather have 30 minutes of wonderful than a lifetime of nothing special." She seeks her mother's support but does not get it. The ordeal that unfolds is heart-wrenching, but it is also why you should see Steel Magnolias.

I promise you that if you are a woman, you will not get through this film without laughing your heart out, and crying your heart out. Heck, I'm a guy normally in complete control of myself and my emotions, and I almost lost it.

The title to Steel Magnolias has been said to suggest that the main characters are delicate as magnolias but tough as steel, even though the movie does not make it obvious. The title reminds me of Aubrey Andelin's book Man of Steel and Velvet.

This movie and the characters in it are not pretentious. Trust me when I say that all of those names like M'Lynn, Truvy, Ouiser, Clairee, Drum and Shelby originate in the South. These are down home people, living out their lives on their terms, not society's.

Steel Magnolias is an excellent film because it answers my most salient question in watching any film: Am I a better person for having seen this movie? In this case, it is a resounding yes. Do not leave this planet without seeing Steel Magnolias. Life is never easy, but it is rewarding.

My mother used to say, "It's a great life if you can stand to live it." Man, was she right.

About the Author

Read more of my movie reviews on films with a lot of substance, depth and feeling, including:
"A Christmas Story" - "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" - "Secondhand Lions" - "The Chorus (Les Choristes in French)" - "Waking Ned Devine" - "Chariots of Fire" - "Steel Magnolias" - "Chocolat" and "Radio"
These are all excellent films.
Find my articles at:
http://www.edbagleyblog.com
http://www.edbagleyblog.com/MovieReviews.html

Would you rather have sex with one of the cast of the Golden Girls or one of the cast of Steel Magnolias?

In the cast of Steel Magnolias you cannot choose Julia Roberts or Daryl Hannah. It must be someone over the age of 40.

Would Dolly Parton really be that bad?

‘Steel Magnolias’ displays the power of friendship
Plaza Theatre opens its fourth season by straying slightly from its usual production choice.

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