Big Business (1988)

Director:

Jim Abrahams

Writers (WGA):

Dori Pierson (written by) &
Marc Reid Rubel (written by)

Release Date:

10 June 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Mixed up at birth, two sets of twins finally meet their match.

Plot:

In the 1940s in the small town of Jupiter Hollow, two sets of identical twins are born in the same hospital on the same night...

Plot Keywords:

Twin | Big Business | Twins Separated At Birth | Businesswoman | Shakespeare's The Comedy Of Errors

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Bette Midler	...	Sadie Ratliff / Sadie Shelton
Lily Tomlin	...	Rose Ratliff / Rose Shelton
Fred Ward	...	Roone Dimmick
Edward Herrmann	...	Graham Sherbourne
Michele Placido	...	Fabio Alberici
Daniel Gerroll	...	Chuck
Barry Primus	...	Michael
Michael Gross	...	Dr. Jay Marshall
Deborah Rush	...	Binky Shelton
Nicolas Coster	...	Hunt Shelton
Patricia Gaul	...	Iona Ratliff
J.C. Quinn	...	Garth Ratliff
Norma MacMillan	...	Nanny Lewis
Joe Grifasi	...	Desk Clerk
John Vickery	...	Hotel Manager

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:PG | Argentina:Atp | Chile:TE | Finland:S | Peru:PT | Sweden:Btl | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:6 | Singapore:PG | Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

Golden Oak Ranch - 19802 Placerita Canyon Road, Newhall, California, USA

Company:

Silver Screen Partners III

Trivia:

Although Bette Midler and Lily Tomlin play twins, Tomlin is actually six years older than Midler.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Sadie and Rose are square dancing on stage, the man sitting in the first row has on dark Nike sneakers. The next shot of him shows him in white shoes and when the dancing moves to the audience, he is again in his dark shoes.

Quotes:

Sadie Shelton: I don't see how is it that you, my own sister, can stuff your face and nothing happens and I subsist on 60 calories a day or else blow up like a Macy's Day float!

Movie Connections:

References Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

Soundtrack:

REILLY THEME

Two Bettes are better than one

Why doesn't Bette Midler make movies like this anymore? This is the second most watched film that I own (Death Becomes Her being the first). Lily Tomlin and Bette Midler are on top form here (watch Bette's sudden change of expression as she orders a Campari and soda) and work wonderfully together.

Aside from the mini-golf tournament scene (which I would shorten) there isn't a thing that I would change about this movie.

It ranks up there with Ruthless People and Outrageous Fortune as Bette's best work.