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Behold! The Sallyfieldathon!

June 22, 2016

I’m doing a new and special thing called The Sallyfieldathon. As you can well imagine, this involves watching television shows and movies that feature Sally Field.

I have loved Sally Field very deeply since I was a little girl eating baked bean jaffles on a TV tray in front of The Flying Nun.

My grown-up quest – The Sallyfieldathon – began a while ago, with the box set of Gidget. After that, it moved on to the entire series of Brothers and Sisters (which is SUCH a good show and you should TOTALLY watch it/watch it again, in case you were wondering.) And of course, there are the annual Easter viewings of Steel Magnolias.

Fortunately, the release of the movie Hello My Name Is Doris has kickstarted the Sallyfieldathon again in earnest.

Last night, I watched Not Without My Daughter (which I don’t remember ever watching before.) I have to say I felt a bit awkward as I snuggled under a blanket and watched the drama unfold.

While the story is heartbreaking for all involved, FOR SURE, the film is really racist and heavy-handed in its depiction of Iran and Islam. Ugh. I think we’ve learnt a lot about balanced storytelling since this film’s release… I hope.

(I tried to find Sally Field’s own view on the film, but came up empty-handed. You can read a bit more about what’s wrong with the film here.) I am fairly sure a lot of these shows and films will not stand the test of time, but I’m committed to doing the work and toughing it out. I’m amazing like that.

The previously mentioned Hello My Name Is Doris is waiting in my iTunes rentals as we speak. That will be the next instalment of this new and special endeavour. Hopefully Doris will involve less race hate, bigotry and demonising. I will let you know.

(After that I’m going to tackle: Absence of Malice, HeroesSmokey and the Bandit and Sybil.)

Are you a bit of a Field enthusiast too?

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10 Comments

  • Reply sharon June 25, 2016 at 3:26 PM

    I’ve always loved Sally Field too. Just watched her in Norma Rae recently and loved her “you really like me” Oscar speech.
    Shirley Maclaine is another fave, I loved her in Terms of Endearment.

  • Reply Tommi T. June 23, 2016 at 1:08 AM

    Ohmygod. I just watched the Doris trailer. I’m so STOKED. I’m a big Smokey & the Bandit fan Sally and Burt are the best. xo.

  • Reply Angela June 22, 2016 at 9:20 PM

    Soapdish is one of my favorite. Such a silly movie and she plays the best over the top character.

  • Reply Jennifer June 22, 2016 at 8:55 PM

    She was on the Late Show With Stephen Colbert recently and was just adorable! I love her! I hope Mrs. Doubtfire is on your list…she plays “pushed to the absolute limit mom” in the best way. =)

  • Reply Bron from Flat BUm Mum June 22, 2016 at 6:12 PM

    Brothers and Sisters was such a great show. I loved it. Not Sally related but I also loved the show Parenthood.

  • Reply Cass June 22, 2016 at 5:16 PM

    Well.. I have mixed feelings about Sally. But I’m worried you’ll find Sybil harrowing. It is incredibly intense. But enjoy. She is mixed parts harrowing and intense to me and then she is hilarious in some movies. I’m having a Marvelathon lol. Watching them all in order.

  • Reply Melissa Gaggiano June 22, 2016 at 3:05 PM

    I don’t mind a bit of Sally Field. She cracks me up. Sometimes it’s worth watching a film even if she is in it for all of 5 minutes, as it happened in “Where the Heart Is”. Sally has the southerner thing happening. Love old and new Sally from “Smokey and the Bandit” to Andrew Garfield’s “Spiderman”.

  • Reply Judith June 22, 2016 at 12:18 PM

    Steel Magnolias was my favourite Sally role.

  • Reply Maxabella June 22, 2016 at 10:29 AM

    Brothers and Sisters enthusiast 2906-2011 because Nora. I have equal parts love and recoil with Sally though. So much earnestness. x

  • Reply Sandra June 22, 2016 at 10:05 AM

    Yes! And she seems so ageless, and just… I don’t know? Wholesome? Loved her in Gidget when I was younger. x

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