How much do you know about Steel Magnolias?

By: J. Reinoehl
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
How much do you know about Steel Magnolias?
Image: Rastar

About This Quiz

Can you hold your own on this "Steel Magnolias" quiz? Prove it.

It's hard to believe that "Steel Magnolias," the quintessential mother and daughter movie, was in theaters almost thirty years ago. The movie is the big screen version of the writer Robert Harling's story about the death of his sister, Susan, from complications of Type I diabetes. In the movie, Shelby, played by Julia Roberts is the adaptation of the doomed Susan.

The movie boasted some serious star power with roles filled by Sally Field, Julia Roberts, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah, Olympia Dukakis, Sam Shepherd, and Tom Skerritt. With a cast of such greats, the movie was an automatic hit, right? Actually, reviews were mixed, with some critics insisting that the movie did not accurately depict the characteristics of Southern women and others insisting that the mixture of love, comedy, and sacrifice was perfect. The film did well at the box office and won two awards: a "People's Choice award for Favorite Dramatic Motion Picture" and a "Golden Globe award," won by Julia Roberts for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture.

A great Netflix and chill movie, Steel Magnolias remains a favorite guilty pleasure.

Find out how well you do on this quiz.



Why was Drum Eatenton shooting in the front yard as Annelle walked past?
He wanted to shoot a rabbit for dinner.
He was trying to get rid of the birds.
"Get out of them trees… Migrate south, will you?"
He was celebrating his daughter's wedding.
He was angry with his neighbors.

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Which of the ladies was married to Spud?
Annelle.
M'Lynn.
Truvy.
Robert Harling wrote the play so his nephew would not forget who his mother was after she died from complications of diabetes. The movie was filmed in Natchitoches, LA where the events had taken place in real life.
Ouiser.

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What did Shelby find that her brothers were going to put on her honeymoon car?
Soup cans.
Condoms.
On stage, the play took place entirely in the beauty parlor. There were no men in the original stage production.
Old, smelly shoes.
Shaving cream.

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Which actress played Annelle?
Daryl Hannah.
Daryl Hannah (born December 3, 1960) was raised in Chicago, IL, but received her degree in theater from the University of Southern California. "Blade Runner," "Splash," "Roxanne" and "Grumpy Old Men" are just a few of the many movies in which she has appeared.
Julia Roberts.
Molly Ringwald.
Meg Ryan.

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What was wrong with Miss Ouiser's dog?
It was upset because Miss Ouiser cut it out of her will.
It was nervous from all the shooting noise.
"Whitey Black says that all this noise that you've been making around here for the last few days has been causing a nervous condition in my dog. Look at this: All his hair is falling out."
It was dying of cancer.
She thought Drum had given it rabies.

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Why did Jackson come to see Shelby before the wedding?
He wanted to see her wedding dress.
He missed her.
So they could take photos together.
He wanted to know if she was going to marry him.
They filmed most scenes on location in local homes, including the one where Jackson climbed into Shelby's room to see if she was going to marry him or not. The beauty shop was the only set they had to build because of its size.

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Why didn't Annelle want to do M'Lynn's hair the day of the wedding?
She always made hair too pouffy when she was nervous.
"Today is a very special day, and my work tends to be too pouffy when I'm nervous… Does your dress have to go over your head?"
She wasn't good with braids.
M'Lynn's hair was falling out, and she didn't want to make it worse.
She hadn't learned how to do highlights yet.

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After M'Lynn hid Drum's handgun, what did he do to scare away the birds?
He played some old band instruments.
He used a crossbow to shoot fireworks at them.
Ouiser's dog was not well-trained, and throughout the film, she struggled with controlling it.
He cut down the tree.
He bought an air horn for him and the boys.

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What were Shelby's wedding colors?
Purple and white.
Pink and pink.
"They're Blush and Bashful." "Her colors are pink and pink."
Pink and purple.
White and pink.

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What shape was the groom's cake?
A giant octopus.
A guitar.
A cactus.
An armadillo.
The armadillo cake was purchased from a local baker. A groom's cake has been a tradition since the Victorian era. It was originally a fruit cake.

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"He's a real gentleman. I'll bet ______________________________________."
"…He doesn't just call you, 'baby;' he also treats you like one.."
"…He slaps your [rear] while he opens the door for you."
"…He takes the dishes out of the sink before he pees in it.
"He's a real gentleman. I'll bet he takes the dishes out of the sink before he pees in it."
"…He dragged you down the aisle by your hair."

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What did Shelby do for a living?
She was a hairdresser.
She was a nurse.
The hospital scenes were filmed using real hospital crews. The extras were all nurses and doctors who had worked with Harling's sister in Natchitoches .
She was a legal aid.
She was a teacher.

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What kind of drink did Sammy make for Annelle at the reception?
Champagne.
A screwdriver.
A Shirley Temple.
A cherry coke.
"I'm Sammy, and this here is the best cherry Coke in the history of the world."

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Which actress played Shelby?
Jodie Foster.
Julia Roberts.
Julia Roberts (born October 28, 1967) was a relatively new actress at the time the film was released. Herbert, Ross, the director, was difficult to work with and was reportedly hard on Roberts.
Kyra Sedgwick.
Sandra Bullock.

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Why didn't Shelby and Jackson adopt?
They would not let them because of Shelby's health.
"Mama, no judge is going to give a baby to someone with my medical record. Jackson even put out feelers about buying one."
Jackson did not want someone else's children.
They did not want to be on a waiting list for five years.
They could not afford it.

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What had happened to Annelle's "husband" by Christmas?
He was in prison.
Daryl Hannah begged for the role of Annelle to stretch her acting career. Prior to this movie, she had not done any character acting.
He came crawling back to her.
He wrote her a letter saying they were not married.
He died in a shootout.

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What was Jackson getting Shelby for Christmas?
Designer clothing.
A romantic getaway.
Furniture.
"Furniture, well my, must be nice to be married to a rich lawyer. What's it for, the living room?"
Jewelry.

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What shocking news did Shelby give her mother at Christmas?
Jackson lost his job.
Shelby was pregnant.
The person on which based the character of Ouiser owned the house where they filmed the Christmas party. The woman is an extra in the scene where Drum announced he was going to be a grandfather.
They were moving back home.
Shelby had cancer.

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"The sanctuary looks like it's been hosed down with ____________."
Pepto-Bismol.
"The sanctuary looks like it's been hosed down with Pepto-Bismol."
Grape juice.
Tomato juice.
Margaritas.

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What holiday did they celebrate during the wedding at the beginning of the movie?
Christmas.
Thanksgiving.
Easter.
"Spud, turn off that stupid television. Spud, get in here and finish dyeing these Easter eggs."
Independence Day.

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Who did Shelby bring to the Christmas party to fix up with Mrs. Ouiser?
Mayor Van Meter.
Owen Jenkins.
Bill McCutcheon (1924-2002), who played Owen Jenkins in Steel Magnolias, started on the "Howdy Doody Show" as Leo the Leprechaun. He had a long career as a character actor, primarily on television, and won an Emmy for his work as Uncle Wally on "Sesame Street."
Dr. Judd.
Sheriff Marmillion.

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Finish the quote "Well, that's why God invented ______________________."
"…hairdressers."
"…hot wax."
"…chocolate."
"…the A & P."
"Well, that's why God invented the A & P… You gotta get the lead out."

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What did Truvy do to Shelby's hair that upset her?
Changed its color.
Permed it.
Put in red highlights.
Cut it short.
"I think I'll come with you. I want to get my hair cut—short—and I want Truvy to do it."

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What was the real cause of the bruises on Shelby's arm?
She fell on a nail.
Dialysis.
On average, it takes five to ten years to find a kidney for a transplant. The dialysis machine frequently causes bruises and welts, especially when people first start using it. In most cases, patients are hooked up to the machine three times a week for four hours each.
Jackson abused her.
She had a seizure and had bumped into things.

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Why didn't Shelby have to wait long for a kidney?
Her brother was giving her one.
Her father was giving her one.
Her mother was giving her one.
"I don't have to wait anymore. Mama's going to give me one of her kidneys."
Truvy volunteered to give her one.

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During the summer when Jack, Jr. was one, what did Annelle keep doing that drove Sammy crazy.
Praying.
Olympia Dukakis (who played Clairee) spent days with a mayonnaise and egg mixture on her head. The local beauty shop used the homemade concoction to condition hair deeply, and it was used on her during the summer beauty shop scene.
Wearing sexy clothing.
Asking for a baby.
Trying new hairstyles with his hair.

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What did Owen Jenkins send Ouiser at least twice a week?
A new hat.
Chocolates.
Fresh flowers.
"I can report that the Sherwood Florist delivery truck stops by her house at least twice a week." "He knows I like fresh flowers."
Tomatoes.

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On which holiday did Shelby collapse?
New Year's Eve.
Halloween.
The director lost his wife just before filming "Steel Magnolias." It was very heart-wrenching for him to shoot the scenes in the hospital.
Independence Day.
Easter.

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Why did the doctors say Shelby went into a coma?
She had a stroke.
She had gone into insulin shock.
She had an infection.
She rejected the kidney transplant.
"…rejection of her kidney… The coma may be irreversible."

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How did Shelby eventually die in the movie?
She had a stroke while in the coma.
One of the nurses accidentally gave her the wrong medicine.
The family decided to take her off life support.
In real life, Susan Harling died when she was given general anesthesia for minor surgery and had a heart attack. Much of the plot during her final illness—such as her husband coming home and finding her on the floor with the baby crying—was added for dramatic effect.
There was a power outage, and the machines faltered.

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"I'm not crazy; ________________________."
"I'm your wife."
"I've just been in a very bad mood 40 years."
"I'm not crazy; I've just been in a very bad mood 40 years."
"Everyone else is."
I'm just very passionate.

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Sally Field played which character?
Ouiser.
Truvy.
M'Lynn.
To sate, Sally Field (born November 6, 1946) has won two Academy Awards: one for "Places in the Heart" (1984) and one for "Norma Rae" (1980). Although nominated for a Golden Globe for her performance in Steel Magnolias, she did not win.
Clairee.

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Why did Annelle say she believed Shelby died?
She sinned by having the baby.
She wanted to be a guardian angel.
"…she just wanted to take care of that little baby, and of you, of everybody she knew, and her poor little body was just worn out… It just wouldn't let her do all the things she wanted to, so she went on to a place where she could be a guardian angel.
God needed time with her more than her mama did.
The doctors were incompetent.

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Who did Clairee say M'Lynn should hit?
Drum.
Annelle.
Sammy.
Ouiser.
"Here… hit her… We'll sell T-shirts saying, 'I slapped Ouiser Boudreaux!'"

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Who drove Sammy to the hospital when Annelle went into labor?
M'Lynn.
Louie.
Jackson was Shelby's husband's name. Tommy and Jonathan were her brothers. Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson (1824-1863) was a famous Confederate general.
Spud.
Owen.

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