Introduction
Welcome to my corner! Last week, I shared my thoughts on the film Cat Ballou. This week, I'm sharing my thoughts on the films Driving Miss Daisy and The Defiant Ones.
As I've said before, for the month of February, the TCM TV channel is paying homage to the Academy Awards, with their 31 Days of Oscar. All of the movies played from February 1 to March 3 will either be Oscar nominees or winners.
Enjoy!
Driving Miss Daisy
Driving Miss Daisy is a 1989 American comedy drama film directed by Bruce Beresford and written by Alfred Uhry, based on his 1987 play. The film stars Jessica Tandy, Morgan Freeman and Dan Aykroyd. Freeman reprised his role from the original Off-Broadway production.
The story defines Daisy and her point of view through a network of relationships and emotions by focusing on her home life, synagogue, friends, family, fears and concerns over a 25-year period.
Driving Miss Daisy was a critical and commercial success upon its release and at the end of the 62nd Academy Awards received nine nominations, winning four: Best Picture, Best Actress (for Tandy), Best Makeup and Best Adapted Screenplay.
Plot: Daisy Werthan (Jessica Tandy), and elderly Jewish widow living in Atlanta, is determined to maintain her independence. However, when she crashes her car, her son, Boolie (Dan Aykroyd) arranges for her to have a chauffeur, an African-American driver named Hoke Colburn (Morgan Freeman) . Daisy and Hoke's relationship gets off to a rocky start, but they gradually form a close friendship over the years, one that transcends racial prejudices and social conventions.
Acting: Jessica Tandy played Daisy Werthan. I've seen two other movies that Tandy is in, those being The Birds (1963) and Fried Green Tomatoes (1991). I didn't even realize she was in The Birds - I didn't recognize her. I watched The Birds for the first time around Halloween last year. I love Fried Green Tomatoes; Tandy does a fantastic job playing a crotchety but lovable old lady in both Driving Miss Daisy and Fried Green Tomatoes.
Morgan Freeman played Hoke Colburn. I wouldn't have enough space in my column to name all of the movies I've seen Freeman in. I don't know of anyone who doesn't love Morgan Freeman, and frankly, I don't want to either. He seems to master any role he plays, including this one.
Themes: Driving Miss Daisy explores themes of friendship, racism and aging. Daisy does not appreciate her son hiring Hoke as her personal driver. However, over time, they bond and create a beautiful friendship. By the end of the movie, Daisy and Hoke have spent 25 years of their lives together. Daisy is in a retirement home, slowly losing pieces of her memory, and Hoke is no longer able to drive himself, but visits Daisy when he can. Daisy calls Hoke her best friend. That was probably one of the most heartwarming scenes I've ever seen in a movie.
The movie is set between 1948 and 1973. During this time, the relationship between black and white people in America was in a gray area. African Americans were slowly but surely working toward more freedoms for themselves. This is showcased in the background and time change of the movie. Daisy doesn't seem to show any prejudice towards any of her workers, which are all African Americans.
Final Thoughts: I enjoyed Driving Miss Daisy. It was a nice, comfortable watch, a feel good movie - a movie perfect for weekend viewing. Seeing a friendship blossom and bloom was no doubt the best part of Driving Miss Daisy.
The Defiant Ones
The Defiant Ones is a 1958 American drama film produced and directed by Stanley Kramer. The film was adapted by Harold Jacob Smith from the story by Nedrick Young, originally credited as Nathan E. Douglas. It stars Tony Curtis and Sidney Poitier as two escaped prisoners, one white and one black, who are shackled together and who must co-operate in order to survive.
Upon its release in the U.S. on September 27, the film was highly regarded by film critics. It won Academy Awards for Cinematography (Black-and-White) and Original Screenplay and was nominated for seven others, including Best Picture and Best Actor for both Poitier and Curtis.
Plot: In 1950s America, members of a chain gang are being transported through the South when their truck crashes. Two of the convicts, John "Joker" Jackson (Tony Curtis) and Noah Cullen (Sidney Poiter), who are chained together, find an opportunity to escape. Jackson is white, Cullen is black, and at first, the men appear to be opposites in every way. But as they flee across the country, the two form a deep bond.
Acting: Sidney Poitier played Noah Cullen. I've decided that I really enjoy Poitier movies. He's a great actor. Tony Curtis played John "Joker" Jackson. I haven't seen many of Curtis' movies yet, but I have yet to be disappointed by him.
Technical Aspects: The director wanted Poitier to play Cullen. Marlon Brando was originally set to play Joker, but by the time they got to filming, he was no longer available, and so Curtis was cast. He fought for both his and Poitier's names to be above the movie title; a first in Poitier's career.
Final Thoughts: The Defiant Ones was an interesting watch and I enjoyed it. The actors were great!
That's it for this week! What were your thoughts? Feel free to share them with us! You can call us, email us, visit us at the office, leave us a comment or message on Facebook, or even mail us something. Keep the comments, suggestions, questions, submissions, etc. coming our way! We'd love to hear from you!
