That's what I was going to say (though not quite as well, I'm sure). I saw it on stage a few times before I ever saw the original movie, and enjoyed both adaptations. I feel like the story Harling wanted to tell is pretty universal, so as long as a production is well cast & directed, it doesn't matter who plays the roles.

I saw the most recent one and liked it. I never knew there was an original. Hope that doesn't happen with this one.

This Lifetime one is a pretty classic cast.

I'm going to watch it - and I'm someone that is BORED of remakes. lol

Okay, I'll admit that there's one scene in the original Steel Magnolias that drives me wild. The day before the transplant surgery, when Shelby get her hair cut, she then asks for a manicure. Shelby is a nurse. NOBODY having major surgery wears nail polish - especially KIDNEY surgery! - because the surgical team needs to see the nails and any change in color etc. Surely Shelby would have known that - yet I understand that the real life brother had to have a vehicle to introduce the surgery. It still makes me crazy!

Pretty sure her brother is laughing all the way to the bank since he owns the copyright and has made a fortune from this story.

Steel Magnolias was far from the "true story" of Shelby. I know a lot of people that knew her in real life, as well as her Pediatrician husband who supposedly remarried 3 months after her death (to his patient's mother.) It's one of my favorite movies, but it is very fictionalized. I may have to catch the new one...but maybe not. I can't imagine anyone playing Ouiser Boudreaux but Shirley Maclaine!

Thank you for clarifying that! I had always heard it was a true story, not loosely based.

I do know her real son has visited the Phi Mu chapter a couple times.

I am looking forward to seeing it.

I've seen the movie (original) a gazillion times and I love it. I've seen the play and actually tried out for the local production of it.

The previews look amazing. I love Queen Latifah and the rest of the cast looks awesome.

I knew that the play was loosely based of her real life. It can only be, she died when her son was so young. Everything he wrote had to be based off what he was told by friends and family members.

I do hope that this new movie shows the sorority aspect like the first one did. (I'm talking about when M'Lynn is putting Shelby's corsage on her in her room, there is a composite on Shelby's wall).

It was written by her brother, not her son.

I tried to watch it, but couldn't even make it half-way through. Oh my, that was unfortunate. If you've not watched the original, please do! Very 30s, but it's wonderful!

I'll probably watch this remake though.

If you look carefully (we've paused and slow motioned it), there's a composite, picture of pink carnations, a paddle, and she's wearing a Phi Mu badge.

I am watching it now, but having trouble with it. I love Phylicia Rashad, but Alfre Woodard is just too nice to be Weezer! I need Shirley McClaine!

OK, I saw about 45 minutes of the last part. Hard to tell, it was so chock-a-block with commercials.
theta lady is right, Alfre Woodard just sort of disappears. It's hard to tell why Phylicia Rashad picks on her so much. She just seems to glare back with a confused look on her face. Weezer's craziness doesn't come through, which means Phylicia's lines fall a little flat. Phylicia does a great job, though.
Queen is fabulous, but I think the scene where she shows her anger is soft-peddled and seems to be cut short. Sally Field did such an awesome job showing the range of emotions.
Also the entire film seemed too dark, and I'm not talking about atmosphere or skin color!! Especially in the beauty shop, the set lighting seemed a little too dark.

I saw it. I didn't particularly love it but I didn't hate it either. But then again, I never saw the original.

Same story with this one--I liked the remake and LOVED the cast but it wasn't as good as the original. They rarely are. I appreciated the attempted modernization of it but it didn't look updated enough in the clothes and jargon. It felt like they filmed it as if this was decades ago then just threw in a few 2012 references and dance steps so you know what year it is supposed to be.

For me, the most interesting race-switch production was probably Othello, where Patrick Stewart (Star Trek's Picard) played Othello and the rest of the cast was of African Descent.