Kudos (& a thumbs down) to Sally Field

I usually avoid the Own Network, not that I don't respect Ms Winfrey, but the network itself sort of reminds me of visiting a Disney store. Yeah, everything is shiny and clean and everyone welcomes you and are all smiles, but you can sort of feel their distaste with the fakery and you know it must oozes out of there mouths during all the smoke breaks.

Field with son Sam

I did however set my DVR for Oprah's recent special featuring the movie Lincoln. Although I love Steven Spielberg and Daniel Day Lewis, it was not Oprah's fawning over the two men that had me set the recording. I was most interested in seeing Sally Field. I knew from previews that Sally discussed her son Sam and being the parent of a gay son. Her words were inspiring and words I wish every parent, with a gay child or not, could hear. Her support of her son was both enthusiastic and unconditional and I loved Sam saying sometimes he wished she would actually be less supportive. His line paralleled one said by the character Kevin, the gay son of Field's Nora on Brothers & Sisters.

Hawn, Lange, Fonda, Field and Streisand

It is Brothers & Sisters however that caused a turn for me as I watched. I went from loving Field to being annoyed. First off, Field would not say the name of the show (something I have seen her do twice before). She simply said 'I was doing television'. It was Winfrey that spoke the name of the show. Field spoke of the industry still having prejudices against actors working on television. Although I am sure her point has some validity, it really just seemed the prejudice was more from Field herself than anyone around her. Spielberg hired her for Lincoln, even though she was on prime time and Lewis wanted her as his co-star, despite being on television...

Brothers & Sisters

I never saw Field in her Oscar winning Norma Rae. I did see the film that won her the second statue, Places In The Heart, and frankly was bored silly. I have loved Field in many roles in film, Forrest Gump and for personal reasons, Punchline was a personal favorite. Who was not brought to tears by the funeral scene in Steel Magnolias? Field has also had her fair share of stinkers (Rosemary Harris was a much better Aunt May and what about Beyond the Poseidon Adventure). My favorite Field roles were Nora Walker on B&S and her incredible turn as Abby's mom on ER. Sadly, Field seems to think of these roles as 'fillers' between gigs on the big screen. Very few actress's besides Meryl have been able to sustain their careers on the big screen. Jessica Lang, Holly Hunter, Signorney Weaver, Shirley MacLain, Glenn Close and Jane Fonda have all moved back and forth on television the last few years. Not sure how they feel about their tv gigs, but they seem to better understand that disrespecting a show that many have invested in is more than a turn-off.

Steel Magnolias