Driving Miss Daisy (1989)
Grade: 68
"Driving Miss Daisy" is a historical drama that tells the story of an elderly jewish woman (Jessica Tandy) and her black chauffeur (Morgan Freeman).
The film met tremendous success at the Academy Awards, winning Best Picture and Best Actress (Tandy) while the two male leads received nominations (Freeman and Dan Akroyd, who in a supporting role plays Tandy's practical businessman son).
The story begins in the 1940s. Tandy is about seventy, and wrecks her new car backing out of the driveway. Now uninsurable, Akroyd hires Freeman to be her chauffeur and companion. This leads to a power struggle between Tandy and Freeman, as she refuses to use her hired hand, and tries to keep her independence. Freeman shows massive patience and finally overcomes Tandy's blustering. Freeman should have won the Oscar instead, as his character must ride the line between deference and defiance, and he does it well. Tandy plays the testy but vulnerable Miss Daisy well, but it is an easier role.
Racism is a background subject throughout the film. Tandy stubbornly resists treating Freeman as a friend and equal. She also makes several catty remarks about Christians. The audience is supposed to consider these remarks humorous, but the major difference between her remarks and those of the bigoted policeman is that she is not in a position of power.
Tandy and Freeman do not noticeable age as the first twenty years pass. It is sometimes difficult to tell which decade a scene is taking place in. Another minor problem I had: Tandy asks Freeman to attend a Martin Luther King dinner only at the last minute. Freeman's character shows his stubborness by refusing the invitation. You'd think he'd swallow his pride and attend the dinner. When would he get another chance, and it would be no humilation to attend.
Still, there are many scenes with depth in "Driving Miss Daisy", such as Tandy teaching the illiterate Freeman the connection between letters and words, and Freeman drawing the line with Tandy, telling her that he will park the car to "make water", despite her objections. The script is very good.
http://members.tripod.com/~Brian_Koller/movies.html
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