Driving Miss Daisy

Looking for a great, in-yer-face fast-moving action THRILLER? Driving Miss Daisy ain't it.

Looking for a great MOVIE? You're in the right place.

"Driving Miss Daisy" charts the subtly-shifting relationship between "Miss Daisy," a very reluctantly aging Jewish lady who's no longer able to drive for herself, and her new (and, as you can expect, rather unwelcome!) driver -- a not-terribly-young-himself Black guy (or African-American guy, whichever you prefer) named Hoke.

Bear in mind this is the Deep South of the 1950's and 60's we're talking about here, and the racial attitudes and prejudices of that time make for fascinating background -- as does the whole general culture, which I believe was well portrayed.

The directors frankly took on some delicate racial subject matter here (and certainly the racial divide in those days was very deep indeed) -- but they handled it with remarkable skill. I think they succeeded so well because they brought you into the lives of people as people, not just as cardboard stereotypes. Long before the movie is over, you find yourself really caring about the two main characters -- Daisy and Hoke.

This is a movie about life, relationships, and people. You see some good things -- and also some very human weaknesses, not the least of which is sheer stubborn pride.

I personally was a child of the deep South, and I appreciate movies such as this one and Jessica Tandy's other wonderful movie Fried Green Tomatoes (which is in some ways very similar) which give us a glimpse into the culture of those days. There are definitely things we can learn from the past, and there are also things we can learn from watching how people change over the course of their lives.

Several moments from this movie stand out, some of which are funny, some sobering, and some of which are particularly moving:

The scene involving Dr. Martin Luther King.

The unashamedly bigoted comments of a 50's or 60's police officer.

A great scene involving Hoke and Miss Daisy's businessman son.

An incredible scene in which Jessica Tandy portrays the aging Miss Daisy.

And, perhaps most of all, what Miss Daisy says to Hoke towards the end of the movie.

Now personally, I love action movies so well that I was initially reluctant even to watch this one. This is not a movie of action, but it IS a movie of substance and beauty, mixed with some funny moments.

The acting is great, the script and directing are beautifully done, and the substance, humor and beauty are such that overall, I consider "Driving Miss Daisy," one of the best movies I've ever seen.

This is a film about a lot of things - old age, relationships, assimilation and change. Some will say its too saccherine, or not a realistic look at the civil rights struggle, but they miss the point. Miss Daisy is part of a smaller minority within a majority; while not mistreated the way Hoke would be, she's still an outsider. It takes her until the end of the movie (and, since she's in her 90's, her life) to realize that she and Hoke are perhaps more similar than they thought.

I recall that Dan Aykroyd did the role of Booley for union scale pay, he was so anxious to play a serious role; it paid off handsomely, as Dan was nominated for an academy award. Tandy is wonderful, and I don't think it's humanly possible for Morgan Freeman to turn in a bad performance. Some have criticized Freeman for being such a subservient character, but they also miss the point of what it was to be an older black servant in the 1950's. A fine effort and a great family movie.

I appreciated the fact that this film doesn't resort to overt lines of dialogue or actions to make its point. It relies on simple gestures and nuanced acting to convey its messages. Freeman and Tandy are excellent in doing this and are the driving force of the film. It goes at its own leisurely pace, which you can kind of respect. Though it it does seem to drag a little even with its short running time. Driving Miss Daisy is a pretty prototypical Best Picture winner for an old, sentimental Academy who respond to warm, old-fashioned films.

After watching this film for the second time I realized just how important the affection that occurs between Hoke and Daisy really is. What grows between these two is something most people only wish to have in their lives. What is so special about it, though?

From the beginning of their relationship, the two are forced to be together. Daisy is forced to have a driver and Hoke is hired on for that position. For both, the relationship is one out of need. Hoke needs a paying job and Daisy needs a driver in her old age (although, she would never admit it to anyone especially herself).

As time goes by, though, Daisy's need of Hoke becomes clearer to herself. She begins to depend on him. This is definitely made clear at the end when Hoke is feeding Daisy her pumpkin pie, and she enjoys each bite fully.

Another aspect of the movie which got to me was the great array of choices the director made with the filming. Hoke is a character of very few words but teaches Daisy so much. Morgan Freeman's acting in this character is amazing. The knowledge he shows within his eyes is one reason I almost felt closer to him than Daisy did throughout the first half of the movie. In a way, he teaches her a new way of life. He does so by showing himself truly and honestly.

Another choice the director made was in the symbolic way the film was made. The beauty of the many seasons is shown through the changes of the landscape. The trees transform from winter to spring and the streets go from sheets of ice to warm asphalt. And the cars get larger and more high tech. Time is so important in Daisy's and Hoke's affection/friendship that this is a great way to show that.

There are so many aspects of this film which I could go on and on about. It is a wonderful film of which any person can get a fulfilling movie watching experience out of. They can also learn a lot from it, too! Watch it.

Daisy Werthan (Jessica Tandy) is an elderly Atlanta Jewish woman. The movie opens with her backing the car into her neighbor's yard. Her son Boolie (Dan Aykroyd) is a wealthy Textile factory owner, and he refuses to allow her to drive. He hires Hoke Colburn (Morgan Freeman) as her driver. She hates having him around at first, but their relationships eventually grows to the closest of friendship.

Written by Alfred Uhry from his award winning play, this is a touching evolution of the two's relationship. Jessica Tandy and Morgan Freeman are absolutely wonderful. Tandy would win the Oscar. The beauty in this is that it doesn't hit the audience over the head. She's not some two dimensional racist. Mostly she doesn't want to put on airs, and she doesn't want somebody bothering her at the her house.