Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • Page 28

Section vAyiDlulKNiMAl Out Natraj wafts new aromas through Southfield, Molly Abraham reports. Page 9D. Friday, Jan. 12, 1990 Movies, Pages 2-4 Television, Pages 10-11 Radio, Page 12 Call Entertainment: 222-6828 1 JX its 3- 71 Il J. 1 1 1.1 L71 1 A in) Henley earns nominations MM by Gary Graff Free Press Music Writer 'Miss Daisy 'hums with pride, friendship, grace hough a commercial disappointment, Don Henley's third album, "The End of the Innocence," earned the ex-Eagle the most nominations for a Mi I Ik 1 1 Driving Miss Daisy BY LAWRENCE DEVlNE Free Press Staff Writer The big postwar four-door automobile a slinky 1948 maroon Hudson Commodore, a sculpted black 1954 Cadillac Fleetwood is an apt metaphor for the amazing movie they've 9 Rated PG; nothing objectionable.

1 1 sr made of Driving Miss Daisy. Miss Daisy, an elderly Southern Jewish widow, sits comfortably in the back seat. Her black driver Hoke works behind the wheel. In those cars, it is a long way from one person to another. Between Miss Daisy and Hoke the wide front seatback is a real barrier.

She talks to the back of his head; he talks to her image in the rearyiew mirror. That, at any rate, is how Hoke's driving Miss Daisy starts out. By the film's close, "Driving Miss Daisy" has brought them through 25 years together, to ages of near-biblical longevity and a friendship that amounts to a state of grace. The closing scene, HI "Roger Me," from Flint's Michael Moore (below), opens today at 12 area theaters (25 outstate). Now you can see for yourself what the fuss has been about A mini-review by Kathy Huffhines is on 3D.

"Driving Miss Daisy" follows Miss Daisy (Jessica Tandy) and her driver Hoke (Morgan Freeman) through 25 years. 'dory' sweeps through Stirling history on a Thanksgiving Day in an Atlanta rest home, would make that Hudson automobile teary-eyed. Over her 62-year career, Jessica Tandy of course will have looked younger than she does here, but it is unlikely that she ever looked more lovely and stately. Her Daisy Werthan, 72 when the film begins, may put on an immaculate face but she also is testy, a know-it-all and not tolerant of others' opinions. What brings her ardund is one good man and there is author Alfred Uhry's switch on everyday romance stories: The man is an amiable Atlantan who has worked for Jews before and seriously avows that he knows they are not as stingy and cheap as folks say they are; he is a grandfather and black.

And he is played by Morgan Freeman, who deserves to be accorded his place as one of our finest actors. See DAISY, Page 4D By Jay Carr Boston Globe Glory Rated bloody battlefield scenes. single performer when the contenders for the 32nd Annual Grammy Awards were announced Thursday in Beverly Hills, Calif. Henley's album which earned critical praise but hasn't lived up to the sales and hit singles racked up by his 1984 record "Building the Perfect Beast" was nominated for album of the year, while the title song was nominated in the song of the year and record of the year categories. Henley was also nominated for best male rock vocal performance honors.

The Grammy winners, selected by i voting members of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, will be announced Feb. 2 1 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles in a three- hour broadcast on CBS (Channel 2 in Detroit). Several Detroiters received my nominations, among them: Aretha Franklin, best female rhythm 'n' blues performance and two nominations in the best performance by a group or duo category; Anita Baker, best female performance; Smokey Robinson, best male perfori imance; BeBe CeCe Winans, best performance by a duo or group, best female gospel performance, best male gospel performance, and best gospel performance by a duo, group, choir or chorus; and Vickie Winans and Daniel Winans, best male or female soul gospel performance; Daniel Winans Choir, best soul gospel vocal, duo, group or choir; and Earl Hugh, best pop instrumental. This year's ceremony will also give the Rolling Stones who were given an honorary lifetime achievement award in 1986 a chance to win the first Grammy of their career. The group's single, "Mixed Emotions," was nominated for best rock performance by a duo or group.

Some acts that will soon be performing in Detroit received multiple nominations. Rock singer-songwriter Tom Petty who plays Feb. 1 1 at the Palace received an album of the year nomination for his "Full Moon Fever," and his song "Free Falling" was tapped for best male rock performance. Petty is also a member of the all-star Traveling Wilburys along with Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Roy Orbison and Jeff Lynne whose "Volume One" was nominated for album of the year, too. Billy Joel, who's at the Palace Feb.

8-9 and 22-23, received three nominations for his hit "We Didn't Start the Fire" record of the year, song of the year and best male pop performance. Besides Henley and Joel, the record of the year nominees include Bette Midler's "Beneath My Wings," Fine Young Cannibals' "She Drives Me Crazy" and Mike the Mechanics' "The Living Years." Joel, Midler, Henley, Mike the Mechanics and "Don't Know Much" by Linda Ronstadt and Aaron Neville were also nominated for song of the year. Best new artist nominees were Neneh Cherry, Indigo Girls, Milli Van-illi, Soul II Soul and Tone Loc. List of nominees, Page 6D. 9 owhere on Hollywood long list I of war movies is there anything i like "Glory." Simply put, it's the most overdue war movie I 1 ever made, filled with terrible conviction as it brings us inside the ranks of the first black combat regiment recruited in the North, the 54th Massachusetts Regiment of Volunteer Infantry.

"Glory" builds slowly, never lapsing into false heroics, giving the real valor of the soldiers a chance to move us. And it does, with a tender, tragic force you seldom encounter at the movies. To its credit, the movie doesn't gloss over the considerable obstacles the 54th faced from its own side, let alone the Confederates, who promised harsh treatment to prisoners. The Union army perpetuated paternalism by insisting that the black troops be commanded by white officers. Some in the North were beauty, richness and grandeur.

It's more accurate than all but a few, not only reflecting American history but also putting right its glaring downplaying of the pivotal role played by black troops fighting on the Union side in the Civil War. As few American films of any genre do, it musters epic sweep, dignity and leery of arming black men; others, including Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman, couldn't believe black soldiers would perform well under fire. Also, in an astonishing show of meanness, the government tried to pay black troops See GLORY, Page 4D Good old boys make a good old time Ferndale's third classical series is vision come true By John Guinn Free Press Music Critic NSlKE DUFFY Television hootenanny. "Pair of Aces" was filmed around Nelson's stomping ground of Austin, Texas.

Plus, he gets the chance to hang out again with his good buddy and fellow actor singer, Kris Kristoffer-son. "Pair of Aces" is kind of like the movie "48 HRS" done from a countrified, Texas perspective. Billy Roy Barker is a safecracker and con You can tell Billy Roy Barker is having a good bid time in life. Whenever it looks like he just might be in some serious trouble, he sort of smiles as if it no big thing at all. There's this twinkle in his eye.

And then he opens his sly mouth and says somethin' dusty and down-home like: "Shootin' ain't my style. I'm a lover and a magician and an advocate of universal har ike Dorothy Gale, Christianne McMillan ended up far away from her native Kansas. Gale, as we all know, landed in Oz. I McMillan, as you will now know, landed v'-f in Ferndale. Unlike Gale, McMillan isn't obsessed with getting back to Kansas.

Instead, she's obsesserl. with getting Ferndale citizens to come out for chamber music. She seems to be succeeding. At 3 p.m. Sunday, McMillan will be overseeing the opening of the third season of the Ferndale Music Series.

At a time when so many classical performing groups are faced with severe financial crises, McMillan's series seems to, be gathering steam. McMillan is quick to point out that the series has thrived because of help from a variety of Ferndale citizens and businesses. She mentions them reverently, like one might chant a litany: Tom Pettit of Pianoworks, who provides well-tuned and well-voiced pianos and sage artistic advice; the management of Credit Union One, uri-iis! rrsAAcko mnir iirtftinrr tto noctAro on4 Ml mony." Oh, yeah? And since Billy Roy Barker kind of resembles Willie Nelson a whole bunch, you know you can take it easy. Just gather round the video campfire, sagebrush couch potatoes. It's time for a little relaxed, hang-loose storytelling.

And that's exactly what you get with the shaggy, amiable yarn called "Pair of Aces," a colorfully told, contemporary Western. Naturally, Billy Roy Barker looks like Willie Nelson for a reason. He is Willie Nelson. Long red hair, whiskery stubble, black cow-, boy hat, that smoky, let's-get-com-1 fortable voice. Heck, Willie didn't even have to man who winds up in the custody of rugged, upstanding Texas Ranger Rip Metcah (Kris-tofferson).

Hello, cowboy odd couple. Forever running afoul of the law, Billy Roy stands a fair chance this time of being sent to prison for life for a doozy of a safecracking he may or may not have done. And now he's in handcuffs in the back of a Texas ranger's car. Meanwhile, Metcalf is trying to solve a grisly series of murders haunting the local folks. One thing leads to another, See ACES, Page 1 ID ON THE Ait "Pair of Aces" ain at 9 p.

m. Sunday on CBS, Channd 2 in Detroit. wimil piuviuvo iiiajui lunuuig, uiv Mioiuiti auu See FERNDALE, Page 5D ON STAGE: The Ferndale Music Series opens its third season at 3 p.m. Sunday at the First United Methodist Church, 22331 Woodward Ferndale. Tickets at the door.

4 Kris Kristofferson is Texas Ranger Rip Metcalf and Willie Nelson is Billy Roy Barker in "Pair of Aces." stray far from home for this acting.