Miss Firecracker

Miss Firecracker is the streamlined title of the film version of Beth Henley's play The Miss Firecracker Contest. Holly Hunter plays a Mississippi girl whose sole reason for being is to enter beauty contests. Unfortunately, Holly's reputation for promiscuity is too well known in Yazoo City for her to be considered a serious contender for the "Miss Firecracker" competition. In the days before the contest, Holly attempts to rally around her those people who might enable her to win, including her cousin and idol, former "Miss Firecracker" Mary Steenburgen. The characters veer dangerously close to caricature at times but the film works for the most part, thanks to the virtuoso vitality of Holly Hunter. Watch for director Thomas Schlamme's real life wife (Christine Lahti) and child in a fleeting cameo appearance.