How to Murder a Millionaire (1990) (TV)

User Rating:

4.4/10   

Director:

Paul Schneider

Writers (WGA):

April Kelly (written by) and
Mark Edward Edens (written by)

Release Date:

23 May 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot Keywords:

Beautiful Woman

Cast

David Eigenberg	...	Panhandler
Morgan Fairchild	...	Loretta
Telma Hopkins	...	Teresa
Susan Kellermann
Jodi Long
Joan Rivers	...	Irma
Alex Rocco	...	Walter
David Ogden Stiers	...	Gilbert
Meshach Taylor	...	Danny
Tony Tripoli	...	Dancer
Melora Walters
Carmen Zapata	...	Clara

Also Known As:

Bad Times in Beverly Hills (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

87 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Company:

Robert Greenwald Productions

Cute movie

It's a shame this was just a throw-away piece of fluff movie of the week, and won't likely be aired again, as it's really cute. We happened to tape it at the time and have watched it every once in a while over the years.

Based on the same premise as the first episode of I Love Lucy, Beverly Hills housewife Irma Summers (Joan Rivers) mistakenly believes her husband is trying to murder her. The mounting evidence eventually causes Irma to flee her home, and on the streets she hooks up with the maid of her best friend, Teresa, played by Thelma Hopkins (already a veteran TV actress at this point in her career, following Amen, Gimme A Break, Busom Buddies, and The Tony Orlando and Dawn Show).

The characters are very one dimensional (particularly Morgan Fairchild as Irma's friend) and the plot only grazes such weighty topics as the have's and have-not's in our society without ever managing to get too serious. It plays like a special hour-long episode of a sitcom, but with the talents of Hopkins and Rivers, it's a cute movie and fun to watch.