Steel Magnolias is a drama/comedy about the lives of six close friends in a small town in Louisiana. The focal location of the movie is Truvy's (Dolly Parton) beauty parlor where the women often come together to gossip and support each other through their individual trials and tribulations. M'lynn (Sally Field) is the strong as nails mom of stubborn daughter Shelby (Julia Roberts) who has medical problems due to Type I Diabetes. Annelle (Darryl Hannah) is the new girl in town who struggles to find herself after her marriage ends, going from party animal to religious fanatic during the course of the movie. Ouiser (Shirley MacLaine) and Claire (Olympia Dukakis) have an unlikely friendship and are constantly ribbing each other and Truvy is struggling with the two men in her life (her husband and her son) who don't make much time for her. It's a wonderful story about the unique bond that only women can share as friends and how they draw strength from each other in good times and in bad.