crimes of the heart.

i know. i know. crimes of the heart, the deliciously black comedy about three eccentric southern belles, was actually made in 1986. however, watching and re-watching it this morning (for the 800th time), this film served as a much-needed reminder that rules are occasionally meant to be broken.

based on beth henley's pulitzer-prize winning play, crimes of the heart tells the story of the magrath sisters who reunite at their grandaddy's mississippi home after the youngest, babe, shoots her redneck husband in the stomach. flighty and fancy-free with a mellifluous drawl and a penchant for sugary lemonade, babe is one of sissy spacek's greater performances. in fact, the same can be said for jessica lange as meg, wild child extraordinaire, and diane keaton's leonora, the hapless spinster with the weight of the world on her shoulders. 

a trio of superior actresses, with help from henley's own reworked screenplay, triumphantly weaves together knee-slapping comedy and individual tales of unrequited love, suicide and a botched murder scheme...and tess harper is perfect (in an oscar-nominated performance) as their know-it-all bitch of a cousin, who ultimately gets a richly deserved backside full of broom bristles, hilariously hied up a magnolia tree by lenny the lunatic.

southern gothic at it's finest:

 

 

meg is undeniably the rock n' roll rebel, defiant in that battered jean jacket and those bright pink pumps, not to mention the bleached tina turner shag with black roots (in fact, in one scene where she is waiting for the dashing sam shepard to whisk her off of the porch, she whips out a lady bic razor and proceeds to tear into her split ends - so awesome).

lenny, the sympathetic basket case in wool socks and floppy hats, works a dowdy wardrobe abundant in fantastically drab colors and excessive lengths, often tripping on the hem of her house dress in the midst of her many over-the-top fugue states.    

and the fantastic babe, decked out in clutch-worthy pearls and head-to-toe chantilly lace, is a vision, even while gracefully sipping a bottle of peanuts and coca cola. so memorable was her style that it immediately called to mind this past spring collection for dolce and gabbana, itself overflowing with dramatic flair and dazzling sicilian lace.

 a few more thoughts...

clockwise from top left: rag & bone, denim jacket; paul & joe, ruffled off-the-shoulder dress; forever 21, floppy straw hat; valentino, pearl floral dress; manolo blahnik, patent point-toe pump; maison martin margiela, wool cardigan; proenza schouler, silk smock skirt; frenchtrotters, blutcher brown men's shoes; ray ban, original wayfarer sunglasses -- all from polyvore.com