Postcards from the Edge (1990)

Substance-addicted Hollywood actress Suzanne Vale is on the skids. After a spell at a detox centre her film company insists as a condition of continuing to employ her that she live with her... See full summary »

Director:

Mike Nichols

Writers:

Carrie Fisher (book), Carrie Fisher (screenplay)

Stars:

Meryl Streep, Shirley MacLaine, Dennis Quaid

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 10 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Meryl Streep	...	Suzanne Vale
Shirley MacLaine	...	Doris Mann
Dennis Quaid	...	Jack Faulkner
Gene Hackman	...	Lowell Kolchek
Richard Dreyfuss	...	Doctor Frankenthal
Rob Reiner	...	Joe Pierce
Mary Wickes	...	Grandma
Conrad Bain	...	Grandpa
Annette Bening	...	Evelyn Ames
Simon Callow	...	Simon Asquith
Gary Morton	...	Marty Wiener
CCH Pounder	...	Julie Marsden (as C.C.H. Pounder)
Sidney Armus	...	Sid Roth
Robin Bartlett	...	Aretha
Barbara Garrick	...	Carol

Storyline

Substance-addicted Hollywood actress Suzanne Vale is on the skids. After a spell at a detox centre her film company insists as a condition of continuing to employ her that she live with her mother Doris Mann, herself once a star and now a champion drinker. Such a set-up is bad news for Suzanne who has struggled for years to get out of her mother's shadow, and who finds her mother still treats her like a child. Despite these problems - and further ones to do with the men in in her life - Suzanne can begin to see the funny side of her situation, and it also starts to occur to her that not only do daughters have mothers, mothers do too.

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Plot Keywords:

actress | hollywood | filmmaking | film camera | country and western band | 

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Taglines:

Having a wonderful time, wish I were here.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

12 September 1990 (USA)

Also Known As:

Recuerdos de Hollywood

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Gross:

$37,963,281 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min 95 min (edited)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The cop movie Suzanne works on, "LA Beat", is a reference to Fisher's Hollywood Vice Squad.

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Goofs

Shirley's head-scarf changes from loose to firmly fastened between shots at the hospital.

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Quotes

Doris: You feel sorry half the time for having a monster of a mother like me. Everything about you says 'look what you've done to me'.
Suzanne: [innocently] I never said you were a monster!
Doris: You don't say it, but you feel it. Somehow, you lay the entire blame for your drug-taking on me.
Suzanne: [annoyed] I do not! I DO not, mother. I took the drugs, nobody made me.
Doris: [darkly] Go ahead and say it: you think I'm an alcoholic.
Suzanne: Okay...I think you're an alcoholic.
Doris: Well, maybe I was an alcoholic when you were a teenager. But I ...
[...]

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Connections

Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Oscar Nomination Surprises (1991)

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Soundtracks

"I'm Checkin' Out"
Written by Shel Silverstein
Performed by Meryl Streep and Blue Rodeo
Blue Rodeo appears courtesy of Risque Disque, Inc.
WEA Music of Canada, Ltd.

User Reviews

This movie TWIRLED UP!

This is a very addictive movie. It got me hooked on its genuine and rich characters, sassy and intelligent dialogue that made fun of a serious subject. The performances were spectacular, not only by Streep and Maclaine, but also by the veteran Mary Wickes, Dennis Quaid and Robin Bartlett as Aretha ("my parents expected me to be black"). All of the cameos were enjoyable and added SO much to this fabulous film. It's refreshing to see Streep do something where you don't need to buy out a store's tissue supply to get through the movie. And Maclaine shines as this disturbed yet determined matriarch. I like almost everything about this film. Especially the singing at the end, and Maclaine's rendition of "I'm Still Here"

Great Movie!