Driving Miss Daisy

  Released Year: 1989

Directed by Bruce Beresford

Casted by:

Jessica Tandy as Daisy Werthan

Morgan Freeman as Hoke Colburn

Dan Aykroyd as Boolie Werthan

Patti LuPone as Florine Werthan

Esther Rolle as Idella

 Story: 

In 1948, Mrs. Daisy Werthan, or Miss Daisy, a 72-year-old wealthy, white, Jewish, widowed, retired school teacher, lives alone in Atlanta, Georgia, except for an African American housemaid named Idella. When Miss Daisy wrecks her car, her son, Boolie, hires Hoke Colburn, an African American chauffeur. Miss Daisy at first refuses to let anyone else drive her, but gradually gives in.

As Miss Daisy and Hoke spend time together, she gains appreciation for his many skills. After Idella dies in 1962, rather than hire a new maid, Miss Daisy decides to care for her own house and have Hoke do the cooking and the driving.

The film explores racism against black people, which affects Hoke at that time. The film also touches on anti-semitism in the South. After her synagogue is bombed, Miss Daisy realizes that she is also a victim of prejudice (religious). But American society is undergoing radical changes, and Miss Daisy attends a dinner at which Dr. Martin Luther King gives a speech. She initially invites Boolie to the dinner, but he declines, and suggests that Miss Daisy invite Hoke. However, Miss Daisy only asks him to be her guest during the car ride to the event and ends up attending the dinner alone, with Hoke insulted by the manner of the invitation, listening to the speech on the car radio outside.

Hoke arrives at the house one morning in 1971 to find Miss Daisy agitated and showing signs of dementia. Hoke calms her down. Boolie arranges for Miss Daisy to enter a retirement home. In 1973, Hoke, now 85, retires. Boolie and Hoke drive to the retirement home to visit Miss Daisy, now 97. As Hoke feeds her pumpkin pie, the image fades, with a car driving away in the distance.

 L² Scored: 8/10

L² Comment: 

I have been wanting to watch this Oscar Best Picture for a long time and yes it was one of the recommend movie in Etihad and I happily watch this during my flight time. This movie had gotten a lot of negative criticism of not being great enough to win the best movie that year. Well, beside having soft competitors that year, this movie is not too epic enough comparing to other Best movie that has ever won the title.

But for me, this is just nice... Not necessary all the Best Movie has to be "EPIC" right? The storyline is warm and loving and the title of this movie is enough to attract people's attention. Beside Best Movie, Jessica Tandy's great performance has won herself Best Actress as well... This movie also won Best Screenplay & Best Make-up, total of 4 won in Oscar. :)