Recently I read a Blog (http://indeedraslivingroom.blogspot.com/ Check it out!) concerning the movie Steel magnolias Deedra gives a wonderful breakdown of the characters, she even brings in information concerning the play that the movie is based on. Steel magnolias is the portrayl of the lives of several southern women as they try to flawlessly maintain their fractured lives.
M'lynn: the ever devoted mother who sacrifices everything in her power to provide for her daughter shelby.
Shelby: The headstrong young girl who wants to take life by the horns but lacks the ability because of the severe diabetes raging through her system.
Truvy: the southern as sweet tea beauty shop owner who reminds us that, “there is no such thing as inner beauty”.
Ouiser: Is a bitter woman who seems to be angry at everything but inside is a caring person, aat least when it comes to her immeadiate friend circle
Clariee: the well to do southern woman who delights in being the light to ouiser's dark and politely gossiping about her neighbors
Annelle: Is the plain and quiet beauty school student sent to truvy to work in her salon, Annelle undergoes a transformation in the movie and through the guidance of these women she finds her voice.
The movie does show the male gaze, as mentioned in deedra's blog, a large portion of the movie does in fact take place in a salon when the women are getting ready for events in their lives. It is in this small business that the women talk about the issues going on in their lives, almost like an accidental group therapy. A wonderful scene that shows the male gaze is When Truvy is closing up shop to go to a funeral her often neglectful and absent husband walks in and begins poking around the shop. He looks at the products with confusion including the mostly melted wax, he asks what it is for. She replies that its “to make you pretty”. He doesn't seem convinced.
The movie shows not only the male gaze but a female one as well, in the many scenes where Clairee and Truvy are gossiping about another woman close by the camera goes and scans the woman they are talking about so that we too can share in on the conversation. So that we too can agree with the judgments they pass on her.
As mentioned in Deedra's blog the male gaze is very obvious in the character of Annelle, at the beginning of the movie she doesn't really want to be seen because she is ashamed of her past. So she is dressed in clothes, hair, and glasses that hide her. As the movie progresses she begins to wear more flattering clothes, pulls her hair out of her face, and wears contacts. Ironically she also becomes more religious.
Overall Deedra's blog makes an excellent argument about this fairly accurate portrayal of southern women and the male gaze.
