Product: Crazy in Alabama [VHS] (1999)
Rating: 4.0
For the love of Melanie
Melanie Griffith is one of the biggest stars in the late 80's and early '90's, and her stardom has faded a bit in recent years. Although I really was impressed by her early work in Working Girls, it wasn't until I saw this film when I was swept away by her multi-layered performance that was funny, campy, and melodramatic. For a low-key period piece, she's the reason to see it.Melanie plays a house wife raising 7 children under the roof of house dominated by her sexually, verbally, and physically abusive husband. She's had enough, so she cut his off and headed for Hollywood to pursue her acting career, leaving her kids and friends behind in Alabama. She carried his dead husband's head in a big hat box along for the ride. The police are trying to track her down.She landed a gig in a TV show and became a big star over night. It's hard to believe that happened so easily. Everyone saw her on TV including the cops. A black boy was killed by a white boy accidently in Alabama and it was a huge racism scanddal. Melanie got arrested and was sent back to Alabama. Everyone treated her like a star when she arrived.The courtroom scene was the climatic part of the film when Melanie gets to tell her story as a victim of abuse and trying to win the simpathy of the jury. I was so moved by this scene, and Melanie commands absolute attention, because she's very real and powerful emotionally. Whether she was released or sent to jail, you are just going to have to watch it.It was obvious that Melanie gave her all to the direction of her husband/Antonio Banderas' debut. This is a must see for Melanie Griffith fans!