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 | Small Town | Hospital | Nurse | Big Business

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Bette Midler	...	Sadie Shelton / Sadie Ratliff
Lily Tomlin	...	Rose Shelton / Rose Ratliff
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
John Hancock	...	Older Harlan
Mary Gross	...	Judy
Seth Green	...	Jason
Leo Burmester	...	Bum
Lucy Webb	...	Wenona
Roy Brocksmith	...	Dr. Parker
Lewis Arquette	...	Mr. Stokes
Eddie Cordell	...	Young Harlan
Ritch Brinkley	...	Mayor Bill Finker
Tony Mockus Jr.	...	Board Member #1
Carmen Argenziano	...	Board Member #2
Maureen McVerry	...	Hilda
Fred Parnes	...	Bellboy
Danny Chambers	...	Male Staffer #2 (as Dan Chambers)
Lois De Banzie	...	Edwardian Room Hostess
Al Mancini	...	Waiter
Nicholas Rutherford	...	Lil Levon
Hunter von Leer	...	Petey
Andy Epper	...	Zeke
Andi Chapman	...	Sadie's Secretary
Chick Hearn	...	Sports Announcer
Troy Damien	...	Hank Ratliff
Ryan Francis	...	Merle Ratliff
Louis Rukeyser	...	Taxi Victim
Kymberly Gold	...	Triplet #1 (as Kymberly Goldman)
Michelle Gold	...	Triplet #2 (as Michelle Goldman)
Traci Lee Gold	...	Triplet #3 (as Traci Goldman)
Crystal Field	...	Bag Lady
Everett Quinton	...	Window Dresser
Sandy Davis	...	Saleslady in Dress Shop
Natalie Dolishny	...	Moramax Employee #1
Nancy Lazarus	...	Moramax Employee #2
Shirley Mitchell	...	Stockholder
Charles Middleton	...	Stockholder #2 (as Charles J. Middleton)
Irving Hellman	...	Stockholder #3
Judy Armstrong	...	Y.M.C.A. Desk Clerk
Tom La Grua	...	Cab Driver
Matthew James Carlson	...	Eufus
Brianne Sommers	...	Woman with Whippet
Alice Gruenberg	...	Attractive Woman with Yorkies
Jane Butenoff	...	Professional Hooker in Time Square
Louise Yaffe	...	Director's Mother in Lobby
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Nancy Cohen	...	Steel Drum Dancer (uncredited)
Lynne Lerner	...	Blood Clot Lady (uncredited)
Christine MacDonald	...	Dancing Woman (uncredited)

Directed by
Jim Abrahams

Writing credits (WGA)
Dori Pierson		(written by) &
Marc Reid Rubel		(written by) (as Marc Rubel)

Produced by
Bonnie Bruckheimer	....	associate producer (as Bonnie Bruckheimer-Martell)
Michael Peyser	....	producer
Steve Tisch	....	producer

Original Music by
Lee Holdridge

Cinematography by
Dean Cundey		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Harry Keramidas

Production Design by
William Sandell

Set Decoration by
Richard C. Goddard

Costume Design by
Michael Kaplan

Makeup Department
Laura De'Atley	....	body makeup
Susan Germaine	....	hair stylist
Barbara Lorenz	....	hair stylist
Michael Lorenz	....	makeup artist
Eugenia Weston	....	makeup artist

Production Management
William S. Beasley	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Tony Adler	....	second assistant director: New York
Richard Coad	....	second assistant director
Bruce Humphrey	....	first assistant director (as Bruce A. Humphrey)
Eric Jewett	....	second assistant director
Debra Kent	....	DGA trainee: New York
Michael Peyser	....	second unit director
Dannielle J. Weiss	....	second second assistant director
Stephen Wertimer	....	second assistant director: New York (as Steve Wertimer)

Art Department
Barbara Adamski	....	property master
William Barclay	....	art director: New York
Richard Baum	....	assistant property master
Leslie Bloom	....	set decorator: New York
William Boyd	....	mill foreman
Bruce Di Valerio	....	construction foreman
Cal DiValerio	....	construction coordinator
Martha Johnston	....	set designer
John McDonnell	....	property master: New York
Gayle Simon	....	assistant art director
James E. Tocci	....	set designer
Tom von Badinski	....	welder

Sound Department
Raul A. Bruce	....	boom operator
Thomas Causey	....	sound mixer
John S. Coffey	....	utility sound
Greg Curda	....	foley mixer
David Gertz	....	dubbing recordist
Pieter Hubbard	....	sound editor
David J. Hudson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bruce Lacey	....	sound editor
Dennis Maitland	....	sound mixer: New York
Kim Maitland	....	boom operator: New York
Mel Metcalfe	....	sound re-recording mixer
Sarah Monat	....	foley sound effects
Bill Phillips	....	supervising sound editor
John Phillips	....	sound editor
Terry Porter	....	sound re-recording mixer
Hal Sanders	....	sound editor
Edward M. Steidele	....	foley sound effects

Visual Effects by
Ken Allen	....	special visual effects
Michael Backauskas	....	visual effects optical line-up
Philip Barberio	....	special visual effects
Eric Brevig	....	visual effects supervisor
C. Marie Davis	....	visual effects editor
Michael Ferriter	....	special visual effects
Rick Johnson	....	special visual effects
Patric Kenly	....	special visual effects
Ronald Longo	....	special visual effects
Jeff Matakovich	....	special visual effects
David McCue	....	special visual effects
Terry Moews	....	special visual effects
Marlo Pabon	....	special visual effects
Michelle Porter	....	special visual effects
Jody Rogers	....	special visual effects
Robert Scifo	....	special visual effects
Keith Shartle	....	special visual effects
Leon Stankevich	....	special visual effects
Michael Talarico	....	motion control cameraman
James Valentine	....	special visual effects

Stunts
Danny Aiello III	....	stunt double: Louis Rukeyser
Danny Aiello III	....	stunts
Bill Erickson	....	stunt coordinator: Los Angeles (as William Erickson)
Frank Ferrara	....	stunt coordinator: New York
Rosine 'Ace' Hatem	....	stunt double
Paul E. Short	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Clyde E. Bryan	....	first assistant camera
Ron Cardarelli	....	key grip
Larry D. Davis	....	second assistant camera
James A. Dolan	....	gaffer
James P. Dolan	....	gaffer: New York (as James Dolan)
John Donohue	....	key grip: New York
Gary B. Kibbe	....	additional photographer: second unit
Dick Mingalone	....	camera operator: New York
Laurel Moore	....	still photographer
Frederick Louis Perdue	....	key grip: second unit
Tom Priestley Jr.	....	director of photography: New York second unit
Andrew D. Schwartz	....	still photographer: New York
Raymond Stella	....	camera operator
Michael Stone	....	camera operator: New York
Monte Swann	....	video playback operator
Dave Wachtman	....	dolly grip
Mark Walthour	....	chief lighting technician
Rick Wilhoit	....	best boy electric
Anthony Wong	....	best boy electric

Casting Department
Howard Feuer	....	casting
Todd M. Thaler	....	extras casting: New York
Franklyn Warren	....	extras casting
Kristine Weaver	....	casting assistant
Judith Bouley	....	casting: doubles (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Linda Matthews	....	costume supervisor
Diana Wilson	....	costumer
Pamela Wise	....	costumer
Mark Burchard	....	costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Debbie Goldsmith	....	apprentice editor
Alexandra Leviloff	....	first assistant editor
Janet Fiona Mason	....	second assistant editor
Bruce Pearson	....	color timer
Lewis Schoenbrun	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
George Brand	....	music editor
Gene N. Fowler	....	assistant music editor
Michael Fowler	....	assistant music editor
Ira Hearshen	....	orchestrator
Brian L. McCarty	....	music playback operator
Rick Riccio	....	music recording engineer
Marc Shaiman	....	music arranger: vocal arrangements

Transportation Department
Randy Burke	....	transportation captain: second unit
Bill Curry Jr.	....	transportation captain: New York (as William J. Curry Jr.)
Dan Marrow	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Lauren B. Caplan	....	production associate
Christopher Ciaffa	....	production associate
Robin Citrin	....	location manager
Gregg L. Daniel	....	production associate
Melanie Doctors	....	photo double: Bette Midler
Jane Nerlinger Evans	....	production coordinator: New York
Mauri Syd Gayton	....	production coordinator
Alan Hoffman	....	technical advisor
Nancy Hopton	....	script supervisor
Lisa Lynn Kearsley	....	production coordinator
Charlie McNamara	....	production assistant
Maureen McVerry	....	photo double: Lily Tomlin
Stan Mendoza	....	location manager: New York
Janice Polley	....	location manager
Brian Pulido	....	production assistant
Ronald M. Quigley	....	location manager
Bryan Renfro	....	dog trainer
Tonya Richardson	....	production intern
Steve Rose	....	location manager: New York
Reid Rosefelt	....	unit publicist

Production Companies

• Touchstone Pictures (presents)
• Silver Screen Partners III (in association with)

Distributors

• Buena Vista Pictures (1988) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1991) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1988) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Abril Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2003) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2002) (Canada) (DVD)
• Gativideo (Argentina) (video)
• Mill Creek Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-Ray)
• Touchstone Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Touchstone Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)

Other Companies

• Birds & Animals Unlimited  animals provided by
• Central Casting  extras casting
• Central Coast Production Services  doubles casting
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• Saxon/Ross Film Design  titles
• Video Image Associates  video playback services

Also Known As:

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Chile:TE | Finland:S | Peru:PT | Sweden:Btl | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:6 | Singapore:PG | Iceland:L | Australia:PG | Portugal:M/12 | Portugal:M/6

Filming Locations:

Santa Clarita, California, USA

Company:

Touchstone Pictures

Trivia:

After the two sets of miss-matched twins meet for the first time, Country Sadie comments about City Sadie, "Isn't she divine?" An obvious reference to Bette Midler's stage and screen title,"Divine Miss M".

Goofs:

Continuity: When Sadie Ratliff spills the syrup on her white jacket, the syrup stain changes throughout the scene.

Quotes:

Sadie Shelton:Is this how we dress for the office? You look like a blood clot!

Movie Connections:

References First Blood (1982)

Soundtrack:

ON BROADWAY

Terribly underrated

Terribly underrated, this little comic jewel may rank with 'Clue' and 'Noises Off!' as one of the greatest film farces ever. Repeat viewings reveal an attention to detail one wouldn't expect from a big-budget comedy of this period, and most of the jokes work very well indeed. As others have pointed out, the film resists the temptation to stereotype its characters, and the script is wonderfully quotable. If the resolution seems a little silly, well, what did you expect?

As for the performances, I know Pauline Kael said this was Midler's movie, but for my money there's no question that Lily Tomlin's the star of the show, especially as country Rose. Her delivery of such simple lines as 'Boy, are you bossy' and 'I am gonna kick yer ass' are priceless. Highly recommended; it gets funnier every time. 8.5 out of 10.