Driving
Miss Daisy: Film Summary
Director:
Bruce Beresford, 1989
ONE
1.1. Scene opens in bedroom, colored in orange
tones of morning light. An old woman
adjusts her hat in the mirror and goes downstairs, out the kitchen (saying good
morning to Idela, her African American maid), and then goes out to the
garage. Music up. She gets into her car, backs out, and keeps
accelerating, then panics, and backs partly over a ledge between her property
and her neighbor's. The aftermath:
neighbors look on while the car is pulled back over the ledge. Miss Daisy watches from inside her
bedroom. Later, her son Boolie, who has
come over to survey the damage, has lunch with her. He informs her that no insurance company will take her on after
this accident. But she stubbornly
refuses to listen to his concerns.
2. Daisy
opens the blinds and looks through her window at the traffic on the road
below. Then we see her on the phone,
where she chastises the taxi company for not coming to pick her up. Later, she hen we see her playing mahjong
with her other friends. One of her
friends volunteers to drive her to the temple for worship services. In another scene Daisy is reading Graham
Greene's new novel, The Heart of the Matter, written in 1948. Daisy is 72 and a widow. Her son, Boolie, and his wife, Florine, stop
by on their way to a dance. He asks,
"Momma, will you stop being so stubborn?"
TWO
3. At
the Werthan Bag and Cotton Co. we come in on a stuck elevator. The worker inside can't budge the lever, and
Boolie, who manages the company, asks that the elevator company be called. Suddenly, out of nowhere Hoke Colburn, an
African American man, shows up and solves the problem. Then another worker introduces Hoke to
Boolie and urges Hoke to follow Boolie to his office. Hoke follows him at a respectful distance, and slowly ingratiates
himself to this wealthy Jewish mill owner.
Hoe pushes all of the right buttons (mentioning he drove for Judge
Stone, someone Boolie's father knew).
"My mother's a little high strung," Boolie says. Then he
tells Hoke that the latter will be working for him, not for her. Hoke agrees to these terms. Boolie drives
Hoke to his mother's house. Daisy
watches them from her bedroom window.
He introduces Hoke to Idela.
When he goes to find Daisy, Idela tells Hoke, "I wouldn't be in
your shoes if the sweet Lord Jesus came down and asked me himself." Upstairs, Boolie approaches Daisy
gingerly. "I still have
rights," she says. She does not
want a chauffeur. He leaves, and we
have a great shot of Daisy alone in her large bedroom.
4. Hoke
looks around in the quiet house.
Outside, he examines the 1948 Hudson in the garage. Later, he looks at the newspaper while Idela
works. Suddenly Daisy comes in:
"Don't talk to Idela. She has work
to do." Later, Hoke is dusting the
chandelier. Daisy comes in on him and
chastises him for doing such a silly thing.
Later,
Hoke is planting flowers beneath her window.
"You leave my flower beds alone." Later, Hoke examines some old photographs in the hallway. These photos are of Daisy's childhood. One shows her elementary class.
5. On
another day, Hoke comes in on Daisy and notes that she needs some supplies
from the store. She gets up and says
she will go to the store on the trolley.
Hoke pursues her. Finally,
he snaps. "You've got this fine
Hudson automobile setting out there in the garage." He follows her outside. "A fine rich Jewish lady like yourself
ain't got no business dragging herself up the steps of the trolley carrying
grocery bags." Now they're
arguing. "I was born on Forsythe
street. I know the value of a penny.
My sister saved up money so I could go to school and become a teacher. We didn't have anything."
Hoke points to the mansion. "But
you're doing all right now." Daisy is speechless. She
walks off.
6. Daisy
walking down the street. Suddenly the
red Hudson, driven by Hoke, enters the frame.
She yells, "What are you doing?" He yells back, "I'm trying to drive you to the
store." They carry on a dialogue
as Daisy walks down the sidewalk and Hoke stays even with her by driving the
car slowly down the street. Hoke admits
that he is tired of taking a salary for doing no work. Then Daisy begins to notice that people are
witnessing this strange conversation.
She gets inside. Music up. Shots of the car. Then a two shot of Hoke behind the wheel and Daisy watching him
warily in the backseat. She accuses him
of speeding. But he says they're going
19 in a 35 mile zone. He mutters under
his breath, "Hardly moving. Might
as well walk." She challenges
him, "Is this your car? Do you pay
for the gas?" Does she ever feel
self righteous. Then she challenges him
for the route he is taking. "I
always go on Highland Avenue." But
he tells her he knows the way and then points out that the store
lies just ahead. She gives minute
instructions every step of the way from that point on. She even takes the keys from him when they
arrive. Hoke calls Mr. Werthan from a
pay phone to tell him that he finally succeeded in driving Miss Daisy. He tells him, "It only took me six days,
the same time it took the Lord to make the world." In a scene a few days later, however, back
at the house, Daisy chastises Hoke for "carrying on" with two other
African American workers.
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THREE
7. Scene
in the temple. Daisy is there
worshipping with others. But the
sanctuary is more than half empty of worshippers. Outside, Hoke has the Hudson parked right under the front steps,
at the head of the line of other cars also driven by chauffeurs. When Daisy sees this scene, she runs down
the stairs in a huff. As they drive
away, finally she reveals what was bothering her. "You had the car parked right at the front door like I was
the Queen of Romania. You made me look
like a fool." He tries to calm her
down. What's really bothering her. People would think "I was trying to
pretend I was rich." "Well,
you is rich," Hoke says. "No
I am not." Then she reminds him
that she was poor when a child. Hoke
says, "If I was ever to get my hands on what you got, I would be shaking
it around for everybody to see."
She considers that thought "vulgar." Hoke tries to make peace: "You need a chauffeur, and I need
a job. So why not just leave it like
that?"
8. Foggy
day. Daisy looks through a drawer
of clothes, then goes into the kitchen and spies "something" and
looks even more self righteous than she usually does. She calls her son, who comes right over. She accuses Hoke of stealing from her. She has the evidence. An empty can of salmon. Boolie can't believe she called him over a
can of salmon. "They all take
things, you know." Her big complaint:
"I have no privacy." Hoke
and Idela arrive for work. The big
confrontation coming? But Hoke defuses
it by telling the truth. He ate the can of salmon because the pork
chops she had left for him were a bit "stiff."
Daisy has nothing to say.
FOUR
9. Transition
to spring time scenes. Daisy does
stitchery while she listens to opera music.
Cut to a cemetery scene in 1951.
Three years have passed since Hoke began driving Miss Daisy. We come in on Daisy planting flowers at her
husband's grave. Now Hoke and Daisy
seem to talk more easily. She asks
Hoke to deliver some flowers to a grave of a friend.
10.
Christmas, 1953. Five years have passed
since Hoke began to work for Daisy.
Boolie is surrounded by
Christmas cards and Christmas albums, and Florine is worried about the
Christmas dinner. Hoke and Daisy
approach their house that night. Daisy
criticizes Florine's attraction to Christmas lights and festivities. Hoke says he enjoys the celebration at their
house. "It's no wonder. You're the
only Christian in the place." They
arrive. Note how Daisy uses a phrase
from Hoke's lexicon to make a joke on Florine.
Before they get inside, Daisy gives Hoke a present (although she
maintains, "I don't give Christmas presents.") It's a book for learning how to write. Suddenly Boolie and Florine open the front
door and stand before them. "I hope I don't spit up," Daisy confides
in Hoke. Transition to later time. We see Idela in the kitchen, while Daisy
works at her desk in her bedroom. Then
to the Cadillac dealer, where Boolie
is ready to buy another car for Daisy.
The year is 1966. Boolie is
buying a 1965 Cadillac for Daisy; Hoke tells him that he bought the
Hudson.
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FIVE
11. Early
in the morning. Daisy looks out her
window and doesn't see Hoke. She carries
a couple of boxes downstairs. Hoke
drives up. He yells at her, "Now
what business do you have dragging this mess out of the house by yourself?"
While he continues to complain, Boolie drives up to give her a gift
for her brother. Hoke loads the bags into the trunk of the new
Cadillac. Daisy is headed for Mobile,
to celebrate her brother's 90th birthday.
When she is inside the car, Hoke and Boolie talk for a few minutes.
Hoke and Daisy set out for their journey. Music up. Traveling shots
as they drive into the country. Along
the way, Hoke tells her he has never been outside the state of Georgia in
his life until this very moment. "Alabama
ain't looking like much so far," he concludes.
11. The
two stopped by the side of the road to have lunch. Daisy sits in the back with the door open. Hoke praises Idela's cooking. Daisy reminisces: "I remember the first
time I ever went to Mobile, in 1888. I
was 12. I'd never seen the ocean. I asked Poppa if it was all right for me to
put my hand in the water. He laughed. I
tasted salt water on my fingers.
Mmmm." Then she groans.
"Isn't that a silly thing to remember." "Ain't no sillier than most folks." Suddenly we hear an offscreen "Hey,
boy." Two highway patrol officers
walk up. One of them addresses Hoke,
"What do you think you're doing with this car?" Daisy speaks up. "It's my car."
They ask for registration. They
ask her about her name. "It's of
German derivation," she says.
Obviously, they realize it's a Jewish name. The officer looks hard at Hoke's license, then the two walk away. As Hoke and Daisy drive away, we hear one of
the two officers say, "An old nigger and an old Jew woman taking off down
the road. That's one sorry sight."
12. Down
the road, the two get lost because Daisy misread the map. Of course, she won't
admit that. Later they stop for
gas. Then they drive into the
night. Daisy is convinced they will be
late. Hoke announces they need to pull
over. "I've got to go and make
water." She says he should have
used the bathroom at one of the service stations they stopped at earlier. He remind her, "A colored can't use a
toilet at none of these service stations." She tells him he will have to wait. But he stops the car.
"Now
how do you think I feel to have to sit up here and ask you can I go make water,
like some child. Well, I ain't no
child, and I ain't just some back of the neck you look at while you're going
wherever you've got to go. I'm a man
here about 70 years old, and I know when my bladder is full." He even takes the key with him. He steps out into the darkness of the night.
Daisy sits on the edge of her seat.
She looks nervous. Suddenly she begins to cry out his name.
Hoke appears at the window and asks, "Are you all right, Miss
Daisy?" She grumps she is fine. At
her brother's party, Daisy gets a call from Boolie. Then the birthday cake comes in, and Uncle
Walter blows out the candles. Daisy
is delighted. Hoke looks on in the
background.
--------------------
SIX
13. Exterior
of Werthan Industries, the old cotton mill is getting a facelift. Hoke, now a shade older and a step slower,
walks by modern machines on the way to Boolie's office. Hoke sits down to announce that Boolie's
cousin is trying to hire Hoke away from him.
"Name your own salary," Hoke says the woman told him. Boolie realizes that Hoke has him cornered
now. "How does $65 a week
sound?" "$75 sound
better." Boolie agrees to the
figure. Hoke turns before he leaves and
says, "You ever have folks fighting over you?" "No." "It sure feels good."
14. Daisy
and some of her friends playing mahjong.
Daisy goes to the kitchen, where Hoke and Idela are watching a soap
opera. "Don't make a mess with
those peas," Daisy tells Idela. Hoke
leaves with a cake for the guests. When
Hoke comes back to the kitchen, we see the pan of peas fly out of Idella's
lap and crash to the kitchen floor. Cut
to Idela's funeral. The church is
crowded with mourners. A choir sings
a lovely spiritual, Daisy, Boolie
and his wife, and Hoke are sitting in the same pew.
15. Daisy
trying to fry chicken. Hoke criticizes
her cooking. When he leaves, she adjusts the fire (just as he had
suggested). She eats alone at the
dining table. Hoke eats alone in the
kitchen. Cut to Daisy and Hoke working
a plot of tomatoes behind the garage (just where he suggested they could set up
some garden when he was first hired).
Ice storm. Daisy is up early and
the lights are out in the house. She
carries a candle to light the way. She
hears someone at the door and is afraid at first. But it's Hoke. He comes in
with hot coffee for her. "How
sweet of you, Hoke." They talk
about Idela's great coffee. "Idela
was lucky," Daisy says. Hoke gives
this idea some thought. "Eat
anything you want out of the ice box," she says. She gets a call from Boolie, who is shocked to learn that Hoke is
there. "He's very handy. I'm fine,
I don't need a thing in the world."
---------------------
SEVEN
16. Boolie
at a reception for being chosen the 1966 Businessman of the Year in Atlanta.
So Hoke has been driving Miss Daisy for 18 years now.
She is nearly 90. Hoke is likely
in his 70s. He refers to the first mill established 72
years ago. Then to a rainy day and
Daisy stuck in traffic. Hoke, who
has been outside to find out what happened, returns to the car and announces
that the temple was bombed. "Who
would do such a thing?" Hoke
says, "It'll always be the same ones."
They return home after the rain. He
tells her a story of a friend he had when a boy. He saw the boy's father hung from a tree one
day after being lynched. Daisy begins
to cry. "You go on and cry."
But she stops. "I'm not crying. Why did you tell me that story?" He says
the temple bombing put him in mind of that memory. "The temple has nothing to do with that!"
she declares. "If you say so."
She tries to deny the reality of this event. "Now somebody bombed
that temple, and you know it!" Note:
Hoke is driving a newer Cadillac, the third car he has driven for Daisy. Boolie
comes into the house and calls for Daisy.
She is upstairs in her bedroom. Boolie
is concerned about whether or not he should attend a dinner where Martin Luther
King is scheduled to speak. "When
did you get so fired up about Martin Luther King?" he asks. She declares, "I've never been prejudiced
in my life." Boolie tells her
she should ask Hoke if he wants to go to the meeting.
17. On
the way to the dinner, Daisy recalls the conversation with Boolie. She thinks Hoke knows Martin Luther King
personally. He has to correct her of
that misperception. Then she says that
Boolie told her Hoke wanted to attend the dinner. "What would be the point?
You can hear him anytime you want.
I think it's wonderful the way things are changing." Hoke stops the car. He turns to the back and tells her,
"What do you think I am? An
invitation to this dinner came a month ago.
How come you wait till we're in the car before you ask. Next time you want me to go somewhere, ask
me directly. She snaps at him for
this. He gets out of the car,
"Talk about things changed. They
ain't changed that much." She goes
into the hall. We hear Martin Luther
King's voice. Camera shows Daisy at her
table listening to him. Cut to Hoke
listening to the speech on the car radio.
Then back to closeup of Daisy listening to the speech.
---------------------
EIGHT
18. Transitional
shots to springtime. Hoke drives up in
the same Cadillac he drove for Daisy in the last scene. Now he owns this car. So several years have passed since the last
scene. It must into the 1970s now. A newer Cadillac's tail fins stick out of
the garage. He goes inside. Daisy is nowhere to be found. Hoke keeps yelling for her. She comes down the stairs, her hair in
disarray. "What have you done with
my papers? I had them all
corrected." She is frantic. He follows her around. "It's all my fault! It's so awful!" "There's nothing awful except the way
you're carrying on here. You ain't no
teacher no more." Hoke calls
Boolie. Then Hoke finds her on the
landing. He tries to encourage
her. "It's all a mess now, and I
can't do anything about it." He
follows her into her bedroom. She sits
in the corner between two windows. He
stands over her and warns her that she'll be sent to the insane asylum if she
keeps at it this way. She stops and
looks up at him. "Do you still
have that Hudson?" He tells her he
is driving her 1965 Cadillac, the next to last car. She kids him about being too old to drive. "How you know how I can see unless you can look out my eyes?" "Hoke?
You're my best friend.
Really. You are." She takes his hand in hers. "You are." He stands over, nods his head yes, and lets
her hold his hand.
19. For sale sign outside
the house. Great montage of shots
of the interior, including closeups
of pictures of Daisy when she was a child. One of Hoke's granddaughters drops him off
at the house. Boolie is inside the
house when Hoke comes in. The two
chat briefly. At the nursing home. Hoke and Boolie enter, and they see Daisy using
a walker. She pays little attention
to Boolie. She sits down at a table.
The two men start to talk. "Hoke came to see me, not you," Daisy
says. "Looks like one of her
good days," Hoke says. "Boolie,
go charm the nurses." He leaves
the two alone. Hoke sits down. Daisy turns to him. She asks if he is being paid enough. "That's between him and me," Hoke
says. "How are you?" "I'm doing the best I can," Hoke
says. "You didn't eat your Thanksgiving
pie," Hoke says. She tries to
raise the fork. He helps her. She takes a bite, looks at him and smiles, then
takes another bite. She shows her
pleasure and he gives her another bite, as the shot dissolves to show the
old Cadillac, the second car Hoke used when driving Miss Daisy, and then back
to the shot of the two old people across from one another. Then fade to black.
Summary written by Robert E. Yahnke
Copyright, Robert E. Yahnke, ©
Professor, General College, Univ. of
Minnesota
Reprinted by permission of the author for educational use only
20.