A really big all-girl weepie for which you'll require a bucket rather than a handkerchief.

Fortunately, its tears and tragedy are deliberately leavened with some funny dialogue, mainly stemming from the relationship of the six main characters within the confines of a hairdressing salon.

Field is the loving mother whose only daughter (Roberts) is trying to get married while their father (Tom Skerritt) shoots at birds in the trees and local granny-grump Ouiser (MacLaine) is upsetting everyone.

It transpires that Roberts is a diabetic and despite all medical advice, decides to have a baby. You won't need a diagram of the rest of the plot, but the film stays afloat on its sea of tears through a series of treasurable one-liners.

You'll sympathise with MacLaine at Christmas, when she asks Field (whose character is frankly a bit of a pain): 'What's wrong with you these days? You got a reindeer up your butt?'

There are some excellent performances, especially from MacLaine, Skerritt and, surprisingly, Hannah. You may find the characters a shade too nice, but it's this quality that gives the film some backbone and helps see it through.