Driving Miss Daisy

I decided to revisit a timeless tearjerker last night. I can't explain why, but I've just had a hankering for Driving Miss Daisy recently. So I employed my free Blockbuster trade-in and took the plunge. It has been many years since I drove with Miss Daisy, and there were plenty of memories but also new observations and insights with this viewing.

Driving Miss Daisy tells the simple story of an aging white woman in 1950s Georgia who very reluctantly accepts the chauffeuring aid of a kind black man. The two forge a friendship over the course of 20-30 years during the era of prejudice right in the heart of the South. It is based on a play, and it works like a play - a heavy emphasis on the dialogue and strong performances. It is a character study of these two very different individuals, and it is also a tale of friendship and service.

Warnings

Just a few un-puritanical choice of words.

Redeeming Value

This film is pure happiness. It moves at a slow pace, which may deter some. It's best viewed when understood to originate from a play. But it is a sweet story that stars two great actors, whose dynamic working together is real and electric.

It is great to see the cranky, proud old Miss Daisy come to appreciate and even love (in the platonic sense) Hoke. We see a melting of her heart, like Ebenezer Scrooge and the Grinch before her, that is such a story of redemption. To keep things interesting, though, she does hold on to some of her pride and vinegar till the very last scene, so it is not a total transformation of character. But we grow to love her as she grows to love and appreciate Hoke. And she remains human with her little eccentricities and spicy personality (including an incurable distaste for her daughter-in-law).

There are no villains in this picture (except maybe the sassy cops in Alabama that seem to have something against blacks and Jews). There are only interesting, quirky people - some with flaws, but most of them pretty doggone nice. It isn't even that "dramatic" - I was kind of surprised not to find it in the Comedy section at Blockbuster. Nothing truly tragic happens, except for the sad march of time that makes people lose hair, eyesight, and mental faculties.

I place it in the funny/touching/depressing genre along with the beautiful Avalon. It's not really a movie about a story; it's just a movie about people. Sweet, interesting people. Sadly, it did not bring the tears last night. Perhaps it was the mood I was in, but it just barely began to tug on my heart before it let go.

A couple of things clouded my romantic, hanky-grabbing viewing experience. The passage of time was poorly represented with some less-than-stellar age makeup. I could fairly well buy Jessica Tandy and Morgan Freeman as aging, but Dan Akroyd as an old man was just awkward. There was just a gap of disbelief, and I'll blame it on the makeup.

I also noticed the absence of the windshield in several of the straight-on shots of the two leads driving in the car. Now I understand the logistical reasons for this - you want as clear a shot as possible, and reflections and light glares would impede that. But that's just the thing - I could see the light and the passing trees reflecting off all the other windows in the car, so it was all too obvious that the front windshield was not extant. A minor gripe, but a surprisingly distracting one.

Technical complaints aside, this is a genuinely wonderful film. I love seeing talented actors explore quirky characters, in this case with thick accents, mannerisms unique to the region and era, old age idiosyncracies, etc. Watching characters age over a span of many years is also a test of good actor, and these two pull it off. I find it funny that Morgan Freeman, who is still actively acting, played an old man in this film - and it was made 20 years ago.

Overcoming prejudice, opening up your heart to genuine friendship, learning to assume the best in people, being a servant - these are all fantastic themes, and are handled with subtlety and charm in Driving Miss Daisy.

I was so inspired that I created a new voice mail message doing my best Morgan Freeman/Hoke impression...which will most likely offend people. Bigots.