Dolores Claiborne (1995)


Stephen King released two books in 1992.  One was Gerald's Game, which I didn't care for.  I'm not surprised it didn't get adapted at the time for a couple reasons.  One is that the book is not one of his best and the other is that it takes place almost exclusively in the bedroom of a lady named Jessie whose husband, Gerald, dies during some non-consensual rough sex play.  Mike Flanagan managed to bring it to Netflix in 2017 and proved that he was up to the task of adapting even some of the more difficult King material, with Gerald's Game being much better than its source. 

The other book he released that year was Dolores Claiborne.  Neither book dwelt on supernatural elements as, at the time before getting into more bloated epics, King was dwelling more in reality than in his Dark Tower world or any of the usual supernatural tropes.  There is one incidence in the books, which occurs in neither movie, which is the exception.  At one point during the peak of their struggles a connection of some sort happens and the two briefly see each other.  It is one of those King touches that I've always admired but, because movies are visual storytelling, never gets added in.

As it was Tony Gilroy streamline much of Dolores Claiborne, removing her sons from the script and creating a more antagonistic relationship between her and her daughter.  Otherwise, he didn't mess with the story, a lot of which also revolves around life and attitudes on a small island off the coast of Maine.  Director Taylor Hackford takes advantage of the visual elements of his craft to bring that aspect of the book alive, while Kathy Bates and Jennifer Jason Leigh work together to give us the rest of the story. 

Dolores Claiborne (Bates) is found standing over Vera Donovan (Judy Parfitt) with a rolling pin after the latter has a tumble down the stairs.  Vera is pronounced dead and Dolores is accused of the murder.  Her estranged daughter Selena (Leigh) is contacted and returns to the island to see what has transpired, finding her mother defiant and Detective John Mackey (Christopher Plummer) of the Maine State Police investigating the matter along with local constable Frank Stamshaw (John C. Reilly).  Mackey and Claiborne have a past as he investigated the death of her husband Joe (David Strathairn) 18 years prior.

As Selena and Dolores navigate their rocky relationship the prior events are played out, showing Joe's alcoholism and abuse toward Dolores as well as the more complicated friendship that arose between Dolores and Vera.  As both women face their past demons so does Mackey, intent on finding any evidence possible to convict Claiborne in order to get even for her, as he sees it, getting away with murder the first time. 

I did not picture Kathy Bates as Dolores Claiborne when I read the book but was excited to see her starring in the movie after her portrayal of Annie Wilkes in Misery.  What I didn't know is that King, impressed with that movie, pretty much had Bates in mind when writing the book.  Even without that tidbit of knowledge it is a role that is fit for her and one of those that she is most proud of.  Jennifer Jason Leigh also is up to the task and the two work well throughout. 

One detail I appreciate from Gilroy's screen adaptation is showing Selena going down the same path as her father, just not in a violent manner.  Despite being successful at her job - and completely losing her New England accent to cut her off from her roots - she self-sabotages just like Joe did, as it is hinted that his family was successful in the past and he laid all of his blame for his failures in life on Dolores.  I am sure most of that is in the book as well, but it has been a while since I read it, and I remember the relationship between mother and daughter being a bit less broken.  

Taylor Hackford was perfect for this project.  A veteran director, he is well aware of how to use colors and settings to tell the story, with the flashbacks to the past happening in an almost idyllic summer in contrast to the emotional pain Dolores is experiencing to the current events set in a damp, cloudy New England winter.  In addition to that the acting, though it is a serious, thoughtful story, has a delightfully campy exploitation feel to it.

This has always been one of my favorite Stephen King books and also, in my opinion, one of the best adaptations of his stories.  His non-horror fiction typically does work better because he is a master of characters and that is something that translates well to film better than ghosts or vampires.  Because of The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile this one seems to fall between the cracks, but it is definitely worth it.

Dolores Claiborne (1995)
Time: 132 minutes
Starring: Kathy Bates, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Christopher Plummer, David Strathairn, Ellen Muth
Director: Taylor Hackford

 

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