You have probably never seen this film with Julia Roberts, unfortunately absent from the platforms and which deserves rediscovery: “Women’s Gossip”.
Only the most complete fans of Julia Roberts have seen this comedy-drama with an impressive cast entitled Steel Magnolias and adapted from the eponymous play, which in France bears the title of Potins de femmes.
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Why Julia Roberts wasn’t famous before
The film was released in France on March 7, 1990, eight months before Pretty Woman, which truly launched her career in November 1990. Remember that in France, Mystic Pizza, although filmed before, was released backwards, in February 1991, to surf on the success of Pretty Woman.
Among this “all-star” cast, we find Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah, Olympia Dukakis and Julia Roberts! The latter plays Shelby Eatenton Latcherie, daughter of the character Sally Field, who is about to get married. Suffering from Type 1 diabetes and weakened, Shelby recently learned that she would never have children.
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His character is essential
It is his journey that we follow and which forms the heart and the common thread of Women’s gossip. Several notable scenes take place in Trudy’s (Parton) hairdressing salon, where the main characters regularly meet to give each other news and chat.
But this melodrama is much more tragic and with more substance than appearances might suggest. The “hairdressing club” of Potins de femmes will take you by surprise, move you before finally warming your heart.
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Despite all the film’s laudable intentions, behind the scenes, director Herbert Ross was very critical of his casting, and even intractable with Julia Roberts, who often burst into tears because of his admonitions. In particular, he suggested that she have her mole removed under her right eye, which Roberts strongly opposed (and she kept it until today).