Driving Miss Daisy
US (1989): Drama/Comedy
An elderly Jewish widow living in Atlanta (Jessica Tandy) can no longer drive. Her son (Dan Aykroyd) insists she allow him to hire a driver, which in the 1950s meant a black man. She resists any change in her life but, Hoke, the driver (Morgan Freeman) is hired by her son. She refuses to allow him to drive her anywhere at first, but Hoke slowly wins her over with his native good graces. The movie is directly taken from Alfred Uhry's stage play and does show it. It covers over twenty years of the pair's life together as they slowly build a relationship that transcends their differences. (John Vogel, IMDb)
This is one of those "films that directed themselves" -- winning Best Picture, Best Actress and nominated for 2 other acting Awards, but no nomination for director Bruce Beresford. Which nominated director would you have bumped? Woody Allen (Crimes and Misdemeanors, Kenneth Branagh (Henry V), Jim Sheridan (My Left Foot), Oliver Stone (Born on the Fourth of July) or Peter Weir (Dead Poets Society)?
9 nominations, 4 Awards
· Best Picture of the Year 1989: Richard D. Zanuck & Lili Fini Zanuck - Producers (Zanuck Co., Warner Bros.)
· Best Actress in a Leading Role 1989: Jessica Tandy
· Best Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium 1989: Alfred Uhry
· Best Achievement in Makeup 1989: Manlio Rocchetti, Lynn Barber, Kevin Haney
· Best Actor 1989: Morgan Freeman
· Supporting Actor 1989: Dan Aykroyd
· Art Direction 1989: Bruno Rubeo - Art Direction, Crispian Sallis - Set Decoration
· Costume Design 1989: Elizabeth McBride
· Film Editing 1989: Mark Warner