I have often wondered about the very curdled natures of our opinions so much so that the perch of imagination simply becomes a bystanding abstraction and real thoughts of genuine merit slip between the fingers. That is a human tendency, to beat arou...
CAST : JESSICA TANDY, MORGAN FREEMAN, DAN AYKROYD, ESTHER ROLLE, PATTI LUPONE
DIRECTOR : BRUCE BERESFORD
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I had longed to watch this classic title for years and my wish was granted few days ago. This tale of an elderly lady (Jessica Tandy in her Oscar winning performance) and the man who drives her around ( the always excellent Morgan Freeman) is a true beacon of humanity and I felt cathartic after experiencing its timeless simplicity.
As a writer, DRIVING MISS DAISY, to me, falls on one side of the spectrum, of that rare cannon of filmmaking that respectfully adheres to the life of individuals in their later years. 36, CHOWRINGEE LANE, ON GOLDEN POND, THE WHALES OF AUGUST and MR. AND MRS. BRIDGE have all been viewed by me in present times and as a neutral viewer, depiction of events and personalities mattered to me firstly because of the mature manner, poignancy of the telling and secondly because in a culture exploiting often reckless tales of the younger demographic ( for the same age bracket per se) stories of the elderly, the ones with a lifetime of experiences, true anchors of the world we live in and our custodians of human faith, often get short shrift. That said, for me, every good story matters greatly, age no bar.
Here in DRIVING MISS DAISY, the theme is of a journey, of the road not taken and the ones we forge along the way . This tale of a greatly layered friendship is informed by Hans Zimmer's theme music which is joyous and introduces us to this unforgettable bonding among the two, as if anticipating a great progress of personalities . So the steely Miss Daisy and the effervescent Hoke tread the same path of evolution.
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There is a profound moment here where Hoke stands still after being privy to one of Miss D's characteristic behavioural tics , with an enphathetic expression on his face. He instinctively understands the pressures that come with advancing years and hence he's all smiles and restrained, offsetting Ms. Daisy's cold, fiercely independent exterior. But the lady, by dint of her wealth and status, can afford to have a chauffeur ( technically, her son appoints the trustworthy Hoke after she almost gets saved from being in a major mishap while driving her own car)
