Julia Roberts’ Steel Magnolias leaves Netflix in the United States on November 1, giving viewers days to revisit it.
However, the 1989 film’s emotional pull reaches beyond its place on a catalog. In fact, Collider placed it at No. 25 on its list of the best movie tearjerkers of all time.
Meanwhile, Harper’s Bazaar also included it among its picks, praising its blend of laughter and tears.
Julia Roberts Found Support From Her Costars
Although Roberts shared the screen with established stars, she faced a difficult experience with director Herbert Ross. Speaking in 2024, Sally Field said he treated the younger actress more harshly than he treated her.
“We would all rally around Julia, because she was the baby.” Field added, “She was sort of the newcomer.”
Yet Field made clear that Roberts’ talent was not the problem.
“And she was wonderful, and he just picked on her,” she said. “It was awful.”
Instead of leaving Roberts to handle it alone, the women stepped in. According to Field, Dolly Parton challenged Ross with humor, while the others offered their support.
“Steel Magnolias” Began With Robert Harling’s Family Loss
Before Hollywood adapted the story, writer Robert Harling turned his grief into a 1987 stage play. His sister, Susan Harling Robinson, had died in 1985 from complications linked to type 1 diabetes.
Consequently, Roberts’ character, Shelby, drew on a real woman rather than an invented figure. Harling then wrote the screenplay himself, carrying that connection from the stage to the screen.
Alongside Roberts, the ensemble includes Shirley MacLaine, Olympia Dukakis and Daryl Hannah, as well as Field and Parton. Together, their performances balance jokes with the pain that shaped Harling’s writing.
Finally, the Netflix exit concerns American subscribers, not every country’s catalog. With November 1 listed as the removal date, October 31 is the final day to watch before that departure.
