Steel Magnolias - a Classic 1980's Film for Generations to Come

The 1980's were an astounding time for hit classic movies. We had Top Gun, E.T., Flashdance, When Harry Met Sally, Ruthless People, Ghostbusters, Dead Poets Society and The Karate Kid, among many others. With such an array of brilliance streaming into our movie theaters and living rooms, it is a daunting task to choose one film that stands out so much it is considered the best within that decade. Unless, of course, you are the film Steel Magnolias, then it becomes a little easier.

Steel Magnolias shot to the big time like a rocket in part due to the film's all-star female cast. Award-winning Sally Field played the doting mother M'Lynn to Julia Roberts' Shelby. Country songstress Dolly Parton played the sassy salon-owning Truvy who takes in an outcast wanderer named Annelle, played by teepee-loving Daryl Hannah. No-nonsense Clairee was brought to life by Olympia Dukakis. Enter crazy, foul-mouthed Ouiser played by the legendary Shirley MacLaine and you've got yourself a group of women not to be messed with in Hollywood or anywhere else for that matter.

So, now that we've covered the women, let's pay homage to the men in this classic tear-jerker. Tom Skerritt plays the wise-cracking Drum - husband to M'Lynn. A very unknown actor at the time by the name of Dylan McDermott coveted the role of Jackson. He later went on to recognizable fame in the popular television shows "The Practice" and "Big Shots". Sam Shepard, Kevin J. O'Connor and Bill McCutcheon round out the last of the male all-stars in this remarkable cast that won audiences' hearts everywhere.

Steel Magnolias follows a young woman, Shelby, as she prepares for her wedding and new responsibilities as wife and mother in subsequent scenes. There is an underlying weaving that occurs throughout the film between each character and their involvement with the rest of the close-knit community. The dialogue is fun, witty, bold and, sometimes, a bit distasteful (which is not always a bad thing!). There's girl-talk, gossip, inclusion and exclusion in the batter being formed at Truvy's Beauty Parlor in small town Louisiana. Love, loss, heartache and hope grace the lives of each character from beginning to end. As time marches on and the seasons change, it becomes apparent that one thing remains the same: their loyalty and friendship to one another.

The thing that stands out about Steel Magnolias as opposed to the other 1980's-era films is that it tells the story we have all lived through, in one way or another. It's relatable, sometimes shocking and always comforting. Steel Magnolias is a staple in many home video collections and a film that cannot be viewed too many times. If I were to recommend one film to own and pass down from generation to generation, Steel Magnolias would be it.