This '80s Comedy-Drama Movie With Dolly Parton Still Holds Up Today

The incredible Dolly Parton passed away on August 25, 2026, and the world lost one of its best people, period. She was 80 years old. In addition to being a talented musician, actress, and performer, Parton was also a theme park mogul, a hard-working philanthropist who donated books to kids, a queer icon who stood up for LGBTQ+ rights, and a famously generous donor who donated her own money to help develop a COVID-19 vaccine. She was nominated for two Oscars, and won the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 2025. She also won 11 Grammys and ... look, listing all of Dolly's accomplishments is a fool's errand. One might be able to trace all of her measurable achievements, but she will more so be remembered for her good heart, her eternally positive attitude, and her love of the world. To repeat, she was one of the best people. 

When it comes to feature films, Parton didn't do as much acting as you might think, having only accrued 10 credits, not including cameo roles. Most of her movies, however, are highly celebrated, with her 1980 debut, "9 to 5," still being watched at repertory theaters to this day. Her singing performance in 1982's "The Best Little Wh*rehouse in Texas" is one for the ages, and, well, "Rhinestone" is hardly celebrated, but she offered a strange balance to her co-star Sylvester Stallone. 

Everyone took notice, however, in 1989 when Parton joined the ensemble for Herbert Ross' ultra-hit "Steel Magnolias," based on the play by Robert Harling. In "Steel Magnolias," Parton played Truvy, a talkative hairdresser in northwest Louisiana who serves as the town gossip. She starred opposite an Oscar-nominated Julia Roberts (whom the director mistreated), Daryl Hannah, Sally Field, Shirley MacLaine, and Olympia Dukakis. No Southern woman hasn't seen "Steel Magnolias." 

"Steel Magnolias" begins with Annelle, a shy hairdresser who moves to Chinquapin Parish (the movie was shot in Louisiana) and gets a job working with Truvy at her out-of-home salon. She has a front-row seat to the local drama, which centers on the wedding of Shelby (Julia Roberts) to Jackson (Dylan McDermott). Shelby's mom, M'Lynn, is played by Sally Field, and her eccentric dad, Drum, is played by Tom Skerritt. Clairee (Olympia Dukakis) is the city's former first lady, and a lot of dirt is swapped at the local hair salon. A central piece of drama is that Shelby has type-1 diabetes, and that having children would be a great risk to her health. She is determined to have kids anyway, so as not to deprive her new husband. 

Annelle, of course, also has her own tragic backstory, which is forcefully hauled out of her by Louisa (Shirley MacLaine), Clairee's best friend. Annelle will have a romance of her own in the form of Sammy (Kevin J. O'Connor). There is also the added drama of the young Marshall (James Wleck), Clairee's nephew, who is gay, and who fights for approval from his bigoted father (Ronald Young). The film features fights, tears, weddings, funerals, births, conversions, arguments, jokes, and all the closeness — and spiky moments — experienced by the central group of women. It contains a full year's worth of soap opera plots tucked into its 118 minutes. 

"Steel Magnolias" came at a time when such dramas could be enormous box office hits. On its $50 million budget, "Steel Magnolias" made $96.8 million back and had Hollywood abuzz with Oscar hopes. Only Roberts was nominated, despite the great performances from the entire cast.

It's kind of overwhelming to watch "Steel Magnolias" today, given its star power. Julia Roberts was still on the rise at this point, and arguably at the height of her powers. Having an angelic presence like Dolly Parton as the central gossip hub also heightened everything. And then MacLaine, Dukakis, Field, and Hannah enter, and you might need to sit and catch your breath. "Steel Magnolias" will move even the staunchest stone and win over the most horrendous "Rambo" fan. There's a reason why an adult dramedy like this became something of a slumber party standard in certain households. It's all the more tragic to realize that Parton and Dukakis are no longer with us. 

"Steel Magnolias" didn't bowl over critics when it was first released and currently has a 73% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 82 reviews. The general consensus was that the film was a little too maudlin, artificial, and sentimental to be taken seriously. Derek Malcolm's review for the Guardian called it (with a vague sexist whiff) "a Hollywood women's picture" but also objected to the film's regressive politics, pointing out that its ultimate message is that being a mom and homemaker is the best that women can access. I would argue the point, but I can see why Malcolm made the observation. It's also hysterical that he refers to Julia Roberts as "the sister of Eric." 

Gene Siskel was also negative about the film, feeling that it was strongest when the cast was allowed to just converse and explore their characters, and weakened when the medical crisis and pesky plot had to begin. 

Of course, those conversations drive the film and make it live on in perpetuity. It's still great to this day.