The Collegian Wednesday, March 14,1990
Driving Miss Daisy heads for the Oscars
by Christi Luden
Collegian Staff Writer
The setting is in Georgia in
the 'so's and '6o's. The characters
range from the rich owners of big
mansions and a cotton
manufacturing company to the
oppressed blacks of that time.
The scenery is gorgeous at
moments. This description
provides the setting for the
touching new film Driving Miss
Daisy.
Based on the play by Alfred
Uhry, this film deals with the
many issues of prejudice, the
tough and sometimes sad human
process of aging, and the
continuation of bonding
friendships that last a lifetime.
Producers Richard and Lili
Zanuck, along with director Bruce
Beresford, did a fine job in
combining moments of humor,
anger, and sadness into a tear
jerking Him. Jessica Tandy plays
the leading role of Miss Daisy
Wherlhan, a rich widow who is
in her 70's when the film begins.
Miss Daisy is a very stubborn
and strong-willed old woman
Are you an Athlete without a Sport?
Erie Rugby has a Position for YOU!)
Women call Judy 474-5856 PM
Men call George 825-9478 PM
WIN A HAWAIIAN VACATION OR BIG SCREEN TV
PLUS RAISE UP TO $1,406 IN JUST 10 DAYS!
Objective: Fundraiser
Commitment: Minimal
Money: Raise $1,400
Coat: Zero Investment
Campus organizations, clubs, fraternities, sororities.
Call OCMC at 1(800)932-0528/1 (*00)950-8472 e*t. 10
Catholic Men
Let's Talk About...
Priesthood
and
You
A Quiet Time Away...
For Talking, Wondering, “Finding Out."
You and 20 Other Men...
Who Have Some Questions.
Join the St. Mark College Seminary Community..
We’ll try to provide Some Answers!
Special Weekend lt “S'L
COLLEGE LIVE-IN March 16, 17, 18, 1990
St. Mark Seminary, Erie, Pennsylvania
CALL OR WRITE
(814) 825-3333
Ext. 225
who, to her dismay, is beginning
to lose the ability to do things as
she did when she was younger.
One example is driving. After she
wrecks her car by backing out of
her garage and over a ledge, her
son, Booley (Dan Aykroyd),
decides it's time to hire a driver.
That's where Hoke (Morgan
Freeman), a friendly and funny
black man, comes into the
picture.
At first "Mother Werthan", as
she's called by her adoring
daughter-in-law, is as stubborn
and hard to get along with as an
old goat. Hoke tries to please her,
make her laugh, and even helps
out her maid, Ardella, to try to
impress her, but Mrs. Werthan
does everything in her power to
ridicule him and make him feel
unnecessary. In her eyes, he is a
waste of her son's money.
After a lot of coaxing, Hoke
finally persuades Miss Daisy to
let him drive her to the grocery
stoic. Although she agrees to get
into the car, her complaining
about Hoke's driving is incessant
It only takes a short time,
though, before the friendship of
Year round and summar jobs available
$3OO-8600 par weak. Stewards,
Social Directors, Tour Guides, Gift
shop cashiers, etc. Both Skilled and
unskilled people needed.
Can (719) 687-6662
Fr. Larry Speice
Vocation Director
P.O. Box 10397
Erie, PA 16514-0397
these two totally different people
grows into a strong and lasting
one.
Hoke becomes a part of the
family. He builds a relationship
with Miss Daisy's maid Ardella
and the bonds grow over a long
period of time.
As the movie progresses and
the aging process touches each
character, Hoke and Miss Daisy
to go to a relative's birthday
| ; 1 party. During the course of the
* * trip, the two stop for lunch along
R* a roadside and are approached by
1 0W" two P°*‘ ce officers. The officers
™ " ask who the car belongs to and
C" ' Miss Daisy boldly answers that
* it’s hers. After more rude
questions and Miss Daisy's
retaliations, the officers leave the
two of them alone, making a few
racial comments to themselves as
they walk away. The comments
were in reference to Mrs.
Werlhan's being *a Jew with a
black man like Hoke.
After this incident, the two
get lost due to Miss Daisy's
directions, but with Hoke's help
and comforting they finally arrive
share quite a bit. One comical
incident that shows the will for
giving, along with the will to
remain strong, takes place on the
front steps of Booley and
Flourine's mansion around
Christmas time. Miss Daisy's
son and daughter-in-law are
having a party and Hoke drives
Miss Daisy to their house. She
THE CLARENCE A. SMITH AND EUGENIE BAUMANN SMITH
CREATIVE WRITING SCHOLARSHIPS
$5OO per year
WINNERS WILL RECEIVE $5OO PER YEAR FOR THE REMAINDER OF
THEIR UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE PROGRAM, NORMALLY COMPLETED*
WITHIN FOUR YEARS OF STUDY.
Application is open to any current Penn Statc-Bchrend English major who has selected or intends to select
the creative writing option, and to students who have not yet declared the major, but agree to do so as soon
as they are eligible. While there is no minimum GPA for submission, applicants should be able to
demonstrate academic excellence, and must agree to maintain adequate progress towards the degree. Six
awards will be decided by the Behrend College Scholarship Committee, in consultation with creative
writing faculty.
- Letter of application that includes clarification of semester standing,
and status of declaration of major.
- Current transcript of grades
- 7-10 page writing sample in fiction, poetry, or creative non-fiction
Diana Hume George, Chair, Smith Endowment Committee, Dept, of
English, Carriage House, Behrend College.
APPLICATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY 3/20/90.
then gives Hoke a Christmas gift
but tries to disguise her
generosity by referring to the gift
as something she found and didn't
want. The gift is a book that will
help the illiterate Hoke learn how
to read and write.
Another part of the movie that
expresses the friendship along
with the prejudice of that time is
a long trip that Miss Daisy and
Hoke must take out of the state
at their destination.
As the end of the film
approaches, Miss Daisy becomes
senile and Hoke is forced to slop
driving due to his ever-worsening
eye condition. The two are
separated as Booley is forced to
put his mother in a convalescent
home and sell her house. The
friendship and love don't end here,
though. Hoke visits a
deteriorating Miss Daisy and a
lifelong bond continues even
through hard times.
Driving Miss Daisy is a great
film. Jessica Tandy does a
wonderful job playing a role with
such a diversity of personalities.
One minute Miss Daisy is a
cranky old woman whom no one
can please, the next she is
sharing her inner feelings with
her loved and trusted confidant
Hoke.
All the acting and directing is
superb. More importantly,
however, the way so many
important issues were presented
provides the film with a thought
provoking commentary on the
social problems faced during that
era.