53-533: Steel Magnolias is a 1989 American comedy drama film directed by Herbert Ross and starring Sally Field , Dolly Parton , Shirley MacLaine , Daryl Hannah , Olympia Dukakis , and Julia Roberts . The screenplay by Robert Harling is based on his 1987 play of the same name about the bond a group of women share in a small-town Southern community, and how they cope with the death of one of their own. The supporting cast features Tom Skerritt , Dylan McDermott , Kevin J. O'Connor , and Sam Shepard . Harling based
106-654: A formerly drained wetland dammed in 1962, which also offers fishing and boating. Soils in this area are a combination of leaf mold and red clays, sand, and sediments. The area is part of the Chestnut Salt Dome. Though Natchitoches has few multistorey buildings, it has retained much of its historic European-style architecture listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Natchitoches Historic District . The city
159-598: A freight transfer point for cotton shipped from parts of east Texas . Cotton shippers used a land route crossing the Sabine River to Natchitoches, where the freight was transferred to boats, and floated down the Red River to New Orleans . When the course of the Red River shifted, it bypassed Natchitoches and cut off its lucrative connection with the Mississippi River. A 33-mile (53 km) oxbow lake
212-403: A half-hour television pilot sitcom on August 17, 1990. The pilot, set after the events of the film, featured the same characters, except for Shelby. The cast included Cindy Williams as M'Lynn, Sally Kirkland as Truvy, Elaine Stritch as Ouiser, Polly Bergen as Clairee and Sheila McCarthy as Annelle. The show was not picked up to series. Comedy drama Comedy drama , also known by
265-436: A household in the city was $ 23,261, and for a family was $ 30,396. Males had a median income of $ 28,601 versus $ 17,859 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 12,642. About 26.7% of families and 34.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 45.0% of those under age 18 and 19.2% of those aged 65 or over. Following continued population decline in the area, in part due to mechanization of agriculture, by
318-521: A less enthusiastic review, Hal Hinson of The Washington Post said that the film felt "more Hollywood than the South." More enthusiastic was Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times , who said that the film was "willing to sacrifice its over-all impact for individual moments of humor, and while that leaves us without much to take home, you've got to hand it to them: The moments work". The film
371-538: A lower joke rate than sitcoms . In the very influential Greek theatre , plays were considered comedies or tragedies. This concept even influenced Roman theatre and theatre of the Hellenistic period . Theatre of that era is thought to have long-lasting influence, even in modern narrative works. Even today, works are often classified into two broad buckets, dramas and comedies. For instance, many awards that recognize achievements in film and television today, such as
424-565: A short-lived wild streak, has become a devout Christian, much to Sammy's annoyance, while Clairee has bought local radio station KPPD. During the Christmas holidays, Shelby announces she is pregnant. Everyone is thrilled except M'Lynn, who knows the risks. Truvy encourages M'Lynn to instead focus on the joy a new baby brings. Shelby has a baby boy and names him Jackson Latcherie Jr., but soon develops kidney failure requiring regular dialysis . Around Jackson Jr.'s first birthday, Shelby undergoes
477-479: A state in 1812. It is the oldest permanent settlement in the land acquired by the Louisiana Purchase . Natchitoches is home to Northwestern State University . Its sister city is Nacogdoches, Texas . Natchitoches was established in 1714 by Canadien explorer Louis Juchereau de St. Denis . It is the oldest permanent European settlement within the borders of the 1803 Louisiana Purchase . Natchitoches
530-438: A successful transplant with M'Lynn's donated kidney. Shelby recovers, but four months later, Jackson arrives home to find her unconscious. Shelby is comatose, having contracted an infection in her central nervous system due to the suppressive therapy that keeps her body from rejecting the kidney. After doctors determine Shelby's condition is irreversible, the family jointly decide to remove her from life support, with Jackson signing
583-674: A wedding scene is St. Augustine Catholic Church in Natchez on the historic Isle Brevelle . Steel Magnolias grossed $ 84.6 million in the United States and Canada, and $ 12.1 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $ 96.8 million. In the United States and Canada, the film debuted at number four in its opening weekend, grossing $ 5.4 million from 480 theaters. The following weekend, it expanded to 720 theaters and grossed $ 7 million. Steel Magnolias received mixed reviews from critics upon release, although Roberts' performance
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#1732784041879636-419: Is a major industry in the area, as well. Natchitoches Regional Airport serves cities (via FBO) such as Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Dallas, Houston, Little Rock, Monroe, and Shreveport. It is adjacent to Northwestern State University; together, they offer flight training. The airport is under renovation to become one of the country's most advanced non-towered airports . The Natchitoches National Fish Hatchery
689-556: Is a major tourist attraction, where tourists may feed the alligators and dine and shop. The park teaches school children to respect nature and to conserve its many habitats. Natchitoches is home to a branch of the Kisatchie National Forest , a designation promoted by naturalist Caroline Dormon to preserve regional natural wonders. Opened December 2005, the Natchitoches Events Center is in
742-423: Is a mesh of wrought iron , stucco , and red brick . The city still has one of the original brick streets (Front Street), which the historical society protects from alterations. The city of Natchitoches recently completed a restoration project to repair the century-old brick street. During this process, workers removed each brick one by one, numbered it, cleaned it, and then replaced it after utilities, drainage, and
795-811: Is a movie or program that balances the elements of a drama and a comedy. Also known as a comedy drama, this hybrid genre often deals with real life situations, grounded characters, and believable situations. The ratio between the drama and comedy can vary, but most of the time there is an equal measure of both, with neither side dominating. Abreu also adds that dramedies often deal with relatable and serious topics such as divorce, illness, hardship, and heartache. Examples of comedy dramas in American film include: Examples of American television comedy dramas include: Natchitoches, Louisiana Natchitoches ( / ˈ n æ k ə t ə ʃ / NAK -ə-təsh ; French: Les Natchitoches , [le nakitɔʃ] ), officially
848-462: Is based here. They handle over six species of fish and other wildlife. The parish attracts numerous sports fishermen during the seasons. The Natchitoches Christmas Festival is a well-known celebration of the holidays for locals. The festival is held on the river. Since completion of Interstate 49 , many business have either moved or have been built outside the city's central area. Gas stations and hotels have developed in this area and serve many of
901-673: Is being held later that day. M'Lynn's insufferable husband, Drum Eatenton, uses a gun to drive birds out of the trees so they do not interfere with Shelby's reception. Along with Clairee Belcher, the former mayor's cheerful widow, they arrive at Truvy's to have their hair done. While there, Shelby, who has type 1 diabetes , suffers a hypoglycemic attack, but recovers quickly with the women's help. M'Lynn reveals that due to Shelby's medical condition, her doctor advises against her having children. Shelby considered ending her engagement to her fiancé, Jackson, so he would not be deprived of children. Grouchy and sarcastic Louisa "Ouiser" Boudreaux arrives at
954-691: Is held the first Saturday in December. The lights continue to brighten the Cane River until after New Year's Day. In 2019 the festival celebrated its 93rd year. The Northwestern Campus is also home to the Louisiana Scholars' College , the state's designated honors college for the study of the liberal arts and sciences. As a part of its effort to become a global campus, NSU is a sister university with many universities in Asia. Natchitoches Parish
1007-481: Is now pregnant, tells M'Lynn she wants to name her own baby after Shelby, even if the baby turns out to be a boy, as she was the reason Annelle and Sammy met. M'Lynn approves, stating, "Life goes on." At the town's Easter egg hunt, Annelle goes into labor and is rushed to the hospital by Truvy and her husband Spud in their truck, followed by Sammy in an Easter Bunny costume and Truvy and Spud's son Louie on Louie's motorcycle. The original play dramatized experiences of
1060-405: The 2020 United States Census , there were 18,039 people, 6,222 households, and 2,773 families residing in the city. As of the 2010 census, 18,323 people, 6,705 households, and 3,631 families were residing in the city. The population density was 828.5 inhabitants per square mile (319.9/km ). The 7,906 housing units averaged 312.2 units per square mile (120.5 units/km ). The racial makeup of
1113-517: The Cane River Creole National Historical Park , which was authorized in 1994, with the support of US Senator J. Bennett Johnston . He was a cousin by marriage of Betty Hertzog, the last of the family to live in the great house at Magnolia. Tours and interpretive programs at both sites continue to attract visitors, especially as they grapple with telling the difficult history of slavery and its aftermath at
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#17327840418791166-483: The City of Natchitoches , is a small city and the parish seat of Natchitoches Parish , Louisiana , United States. At the 2020 United States Census, the city's population was 18,039. Established in 1714 by Louis Juchereau de St. Denis as part of French Louisiana , the community was named after the indigenous Natchitoches people . The City of Natchitoches was incorporated on February 5, 1819, after Louisiana had become
1219-642: The Great American Main Street Award for the effort the community has put into revitalizing and restoring much of the historic district. The city's tourism center is the downtown river walk. This includes Front Street, which becomes Jefferson at the Texas Street light. Front Street is the jewel of the city. It overlooks the river walk and is bordered by an assortment of shops and boutiques. The city has identified this area as its historical district. The Historical Society maintains
1272-531: The Natchitoches National Historic Landmark District . Located at 750 Second Street, the facility has a 40,000-square-foot (3,700 m ) meeting facility, a 15,000-square-foot (1,400 m ) exhibit hall with three meeting rooms, a board room, and a full-sized catering kitchen. A Troop 2-108TH CAV is headquartered behind the local college and the airport. This unit has been deployed twice to Iraq, first as part of
1325-721: The Primetime Emmy Awards and the Golden Globe Awards segregate several award categories into these two classifications. The 20th century saw a rise in film and television works that could be described as comedy-dramas. The term is a translation from the French "comédie dramatique". The portmanteau "dramedy" came to be in the 1980s. In January 2022, Rafael Abreu, writing for the StudioBinder filmmaking blog, defined this genre as follows: A dramedy
1378-489: The United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 25.1 square miles (65 km ), of which 21.6 square miles (56 km ) are land and 3.6 square miles (9.3 km ) (14.21%) are covered by water. A 35-mi-long (56 km) lake was formed from a portion of the Red River when it changed course. It is now known as Cane River Lake. The municipal water supply comes from nearby Sibley Lake ,
1431-408: The portmanteau dramedy , is a hybrid genre of works that combine elements of comedy and drama . In films, serious dramatic themes (such as death, illness, etc.) are dealt with realism and subtlety, while preserving a humorous tenor. In television, modern scripted comedy dramas tend to have more humour integrated into the story than the comic relief common in drama series but usually contain
1484-426: The 1-156TH Armor Battalion in 2004–2005, and then as part of the 2-108TH CAV SQDN in 2010. Both times, this company-sized unit deployed with the 256th Infantry Brigade ., The Natchitoches Meat Pie is one of the official state foods of Louisiana. It is known as a regional delicacy of North Louisiana. (See List of U.S. state foods.) Natchitoches has long been known for its popular Christmas Festival of Lights which
1537-496: The 1970s, Natchitoches had suffered an economic downturn that resulted in a 65% vacancy in the commercial district. Because of efforts to revitalize the city and emphasize its unique historic assets, as described above, vacancy is now about 1%. The Port of Natchitoches—a river port on the Red River —is located off the eastbound part of U.S. Route 84 , just outside Natchitoches. The port exports lumber from yards onsite, as forestry
1590-567: The 20th century, the mile-long French colonial area of downtown, which lies along Cane Lake, was designated as a National Historic District . Many buildings were adapted as antique shops, restaurants and souvenir emporiums. To accommodate tourists, the town had 32 bed-and-breakfast inns, the highest in the state. By 2018, that number had increased to 50. The plantation country surrounds Cane River Lake. The markedly intact downriver Magnolia and Oakland plantations were designated as National Historic Landmarks , and are part of what has been developed as
1643-944: The Natchitoches Christmas Festival visitors. In 1998, Natchitoches was named one of the top six places in the United States to retire by Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine . The Cane River National Heritage Area is a 116,000-acre (470 km ) area which includes many sites such as Oakland Plantation , Melrose Plantation , Badin-Roque House , Magnolia Plantation , Kate Chopin House , Cherokee Plantation, Cane River Heritage Scenic Byway, Fort St. Jean Baptiste State Historic Site , National Historic Landmark District (Old Courthouse Museum, Bishop Martin Museum, Landmarks in Time Exhibit), and Los Adaes State Historic Site . Because of this richness of culture,
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1696-507: The Red River. Numerous enslaved African Americans were brought to the area through the domestic slave trade to work the cotton, and provide all other skills on these plantations, generating the revenues for the wealthy planters before the Civil War. The United States Government established a federal fur trade factory here in 1805. It was removed to Sulphur Fork, Arkansas in 1818. In the 1820s and early 1830s, Natchitoches also served as
1749-589: The antebellum years as cotton-producing Magnolia Plantation and Oakland Plantation . Each has been preserved and is designated as a National Historic Landmark . After the United States' Louisiana Purchase of 1803, migration into the territory increased from the US. Natchitoches grew along with the population in the parish. Initially, the Americans were primarily of English and Scots-Irish ancestry and of Protestant faith. They developed several cotton plantations along
1802-502: The area is one of the destinations on the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail newly designated by the state. Natchitoches, a popular tourism area of the state, is equipped to serve visitors with 11 national chain hotels, and 27 bed-and-breakfast inns. Natchitoches attracts over one million visitors annually. The city is known as a retiree-friendly city. In 2006, Natchitoches was awarded
1855-419: The area through regulations on changes and restorations. Natchitoches has a mini "Walk of Fame" located in the historical district of the city. While visiting the area, tourists may notice many unusual structures; these are many of the Natchitoches Christmas Festival lights. The city recently built a small convention center located on Second Street, which holds many city events. The Bayou Pierre Alligator Park
1908-512: The city was 59.0% African American, 36.4% White, 0.5% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.42% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race was 1.7% of the population. Of the 6,113 households, 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.3% were married couples living together, 21.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.6% were not families. About 30.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.3% had someone living alone who
1961-466: The deceased mother. It evolved in ten days into the play. Harling's first produced screenplay, he adapted the original film script which was then heavily rewritten beyond the on-stage one-set scenario (which had taken place entirely in Truvy's beauty salon) of the stage production: the scenes increased and the sequence was more tightly linked with major holidays than the play; the increased characters beyond
2014-401: The family and friends of the playwright's following the 1985 death of his sister from diabetic complications after the birth of his namesake nephew and the failure of a family member's donated kidney. A writer friend continuously encouraged him to write it down in order to come to terms with the experience. He did but originally as a short story for his nephew then later to get an understanding of
2067-529: The foundation were repaired beneath. Natchitoches lies in a boundary region that separates the plains of Texas from the consistently humid Gulf Coast . Summers are hot and humid. Winters in Natchitoches are relatively mild, with measurable snowfall once every 5–10 years. Natchitoches averages 54.93 inches (1,395 mm) of rain per year. The city is in an area that frequently experiences severe thunderstorms, hail, damaging winds, and tornadoes. As of
2120-437: The number of workers needed, and many moved to cities for jobs. By the early 1970s, the town's businesses were declining, along with many area farms, and buildings were boarded up. In the mid-1970s, Mayor Bobby DeBlieux and other preservationists believed that attracting tourists to the area, based on its historic assets of nearly intact plantations and numerous historic buildings, could be a key to attracting visitors, reviving
2173-530: The original, all-female play cast caused dialogue changes between on-screen characters (among them, Harling plays the preacher and Truvy has one son instead of two). Filming took place from July 12, 1988, to early September 1988 in Natchitoches, Louisiana , with historian Robert DeBlieux, a former Natchitoches mayor , as the local advisor. The house where much of the film was shot is now a six-suite bed and breakfast , available for rent. The church used for
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2226-457: The papers to consent. Shortly after Shelby's death, M'Lynn leaves the hospital and goes to Jackson's aunt Fern's house to pick up her grandson. After the funeral, M'Lynn breaks down in tears, and the other women comfort her. M'Lynn gradually accepts her daughter's decision to have risked her life in return for a few special years of motherhood and decides to focus her energy on helping Jackson with raising her grandson. Annelle, who married Sammy and
2279-709: The plantations. They also cover the contributions of blacks and Creoles of color to the community. In April 2022, the city council added Juneteenth as an official city holiday. Since the late 20th century, Cane River Lake has served as the spring-break training location for numerous university crew teams, from universities such as the University of St. Thomas , Kansas State University , University of Kansas , Wichita State University , Murray State University , University of Central Oklahoma , and Washington University in St. Louis , as well as Northwestern State University . In
2332-487: The river during the war, including Magnolia and Oakland. Radford Blunt published the Natchitoches Republican . He was also a candidate for the state legislature. William H. Tunnard edited the paper. As the parish seat, Natchitoches suffered from the decline in agricultural population through the mid-20th century, and grew at a markedly lower rate after 1960. The mechanization of agriculture had reduced
2385-435: The salon and immediately begins interrogating Annelle about her background. Annelle tearfully reveals that her husband, who is evading the police, has disappeared after stealing her money, belongings, and car. Annelle further admits she is unsure her marriage is legal. Shelby, sympathetic, invites Annelle to the wedding reception, where she meets bartender Sammy DeSoto. At the Christmas festival later that year, Annelle, following
2438-428: The spring of 2018, LSU, Alabama, Texas and Georgia were also represented. Tourists interested in sports often visit in this period to watch the sports teams. Over the years, the city and parish have improved conditions with a riverbank stabilization project and a water pump project to improve water levels in the lake. This directs water from Hampton Lake into Bayou Possiant, which feeds Cane River Lake. According to
2491-500: The story in part on his sister, Susan Harling Robinson, who died in 1985 of complications from type 1 diabetes . In the film, Roberts plays Shelby, the character based on Susan. Annelle Dupuy, a shy beauty school graduate, moves to Chinquapin Parish in northwestern Louisiana , where Truvy Jones hires her to work in her home-based beauty salon. Meanwhile, M'Lynn Eatenton and her daughter, Shelby, busily prepare for Shelby's wedding that
2544-408: The town, and stimulating new businesses. Over the years, he worked with a variety of landowners and local people to gain support for designating a historic district in the city. He also supported making a national park out of the working area of Magnolia Plantation , which had many surviving outbuildings from the 19th century, and from Oakland Plantation , both downriver in the parish. By the end of
2597-442: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50, and the average family size was 3.18. In the city, the age distribution was 23.6% under the age of 18, 27.2% from 18 to 24, 21.8% from 25 to 44, 16.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.2 males. The median income for
2650-412: Was founded as a French outpost on the Red River for trade with Spanish-controlled Mexico ; French traders settled there as early as 1699. The post was established near a village of Natchitoches Indians , after whom the city was named. Early settlers were French Catholic immigrants and creoles (originally meaning those ethnic French born in the colony). French creoles acquired lands that were developed in
2703-573: Was left in the river's previous location which became known as Cane River Lake . During the Civil War , Natchitoches was set on fire by Union soldiers who retreated through the town after their failed attempt to capture Shreveport . Confederate cavalry pursued the fleeing soldiers and arrived in time to help extinguish the flames before the town was destroyed. Alexandria was destroyed by Union troops in 1864, but both Union and Confederate troops were responsible for severely damaging plantations along
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#17327840418792756-481: Was praised. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 73% of 81 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.5/10. The website's consensus reads: " Steel Magnolias has jokes and characters to spare, which makes it more dangerous (and effective) when it goes for the full melodrama by the end." Metacritic , which uses a weighted average , assigned the film a score of 56 out of 100, based on 13 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews. In
2809-736: Was released on VHS on June 19, 1990, and on DVD July 25, 2000, allowing the film to gross a further $ 40 million. The film's overall gross was $ 135,904,091. The film was released on Blu-ray through the boutique label Twilight Time, on September 11, 2012. A 30th anniversary Blu-ray was released on May 28, 2019. On April 23, 2024, the film was released on 4K Ultra-HD in honor of the 35th Anniversary. A remake of Steel Magnolias premiered on Lifetime on October 7, 2012, directed by Kenny Leon and featuring an all- black cast that includes Queen Latifah (M'Lynn), Jill Scott (Truvy), Alfre Woodard (Ouiser), Phylicia Rashād (Clairee), Adepero Oduye (Annelle), and Condola Rashād (Shelby). CBS aired
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