Dolores Claiborne

 “An accident, Dolores, can be an unhappy woman’s best friend.”

Since it’s the fifth week of this month I’m covering a film that’s not horror, though horror-adjacent by virtue of the author of its source material. While potentially controversial, I’d make the argument that Dolores Claiborne is the best adaptation of a King novel.

Dolores Claiborne was written by Tony Gilroy (Michael Clayton) and directed by Taylor Hackford (Ray) and based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King (The Shining). Dolores Claiborne was made on a budget of $13 million, made $5,721,920 upon opening, and went on to make $24,361,867 worldwide. It premiered on March 24th, 1995 and received generally positive reviews from critics.

Dolores Claiborne follows its titular character (Kathy Bates, Misery) after the untimely death of her employer Vera (Judy Parfitt, David Copperfield). When Dolores is accused of murdering her, her estranged daughter Selena (Jennifer Jason Leigh, Single White Female) returns home to help. As Dolores and Selena attempt to mend their relationship, the truth about both Vera’s death and the death of Dolores’ husband (David Straitham, Good Night and Good Luck) years earlier.

The novel that Dolores Claiborne is based on is told via a stream of consciousness monologue from Dolores to the police. While the story is largely the same, the film wisely abandons that conceit in favor of bringing Selena into the present to bring the shared trauma of mother and daughter full circle. While I’m sure that Kathy Bates monologuing to the camera for two hours would be thrilling, I’m far more interested in watching Bates and Leigh share the screen and bring their dynamic to life.

Gilroy’s script and Hackford’s direction seamlessly link the past with the present. The flashbacks flow with glorious ease with the present day and allowing Bates and Leigh to interact with the flashbacks makes for an even more visceral experience. 

The script and the direction are both incredible, but this film belongs to Kathy Bates and Jennifer Jason Leigh (and the younger Selena Ellen Muth (Dead Like Me)). Bates has cited this role as one of her favorite performances and I can’t blame her. Her turn as Annie Wilkes in Misery is undoubtedly impressive, but nothing compares to the strength and vulnerability she brings to Dolores Clairborne.

Dolores Clairborne is an incredible and frequently overlooked film. It’s beautifully made and performed. I highly recommend it.

Rating: 5 bitches out of 5

Other Observations:

• Does the Dog Die? No animals are harmed, but the film does have displays of both domestic abuse and sexual assault.

• Harrison’s Favorite Scare: While not a traditional horror film, Ellen Muth’s dead-eyed stare during the sequence on the ferry is horribly haunting.

Next Week: We’re staying in the King-verse with It: Chapter One.