Used People (1992)

Director:

Beeban Kidron

Writers (WGA):

Todd Graff (plays)
Todd Graff (screenplay)

Release Date:

16 December 1992 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

A story about love, family and other embarrassments.

Plot:

At her husband's funeral, Pearl (Shirley Maclean), Jewish mother of two divorced and antagonistic daughters...

Plot Keywords:

Jewish | Funeral | Dysfunctional Family | Movie Theater | Loss Of Husband

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Shirley MacLaine	...	Pearl Berman
Marcello Mastroianni	...	Joe Meledandri
Bob Dishy	...	Jack
Kathy Bates	...	Bibby Berman
Jessica Tandy	...	Freida
Marcia Gay Harden	...	Norma
Emma Tanni	...	Young Bibby
Asia Vieira	...	Young Norma
Lee Wallace	...	Uncle Harry
Louis Guss	...	Uncle Normy
Gil Filar	...	Mark
Maia Filar	...	Rhonda
Irving Metzman	...	Uncle Al
Matthew Branton	...	Swee' Pea
David Gow	...	Bill the Jeweler

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for elements of sensuality and language.

Runtime:

Argentina:115 min | Spain:116 min | UK:116 min | USA:115 min

Country:

USA | Japan

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:14A (Ontario) | Norway:10 | Australia:M | USA:PG-13 (certificate #31899) | Iceland:L | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | Spain:T | Sweden:11 | UK:12

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

JVC Entertainment Networks

Trivia:

Shirley Maclaine's character Pearl is based on writer Todd Graff's own grandmother.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Barbara is taking food from the refrigerator to take for the picnic, she removes a whole pie with a white meringue or cream topping. As she finishes packing the food, on top of the boxed food she places a half eaten chocolate pie.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Animaniacs: Video Review/When Mice Ruled the Earth (#1.47)" (????)

Soundtrack:

The Sky Fell Down

Overlooked Hollywood Gem -- MacLaine/Bates are Brilliant!

An all-star cast delivers wonderful performances in this "overlooked treasure" of a comedy drama. The main story deals with a family's loss of their patriarch, who 20 years earlier was prepared to silently exit his family's life because he saw no hope for his marriage to a dominating wife. At the funeral a man enters the picture, insisting on speaking to the widow. He reveals the secret that during that fateful evening 20 years earlier, he had convinced the now deceased husband to save his marriage by "dancing with his wife". The man watched the couple from the street as they danced in their kitchen. He was hopelessly in love with the image of this woman who had just fallen in love again with her husband. Better late than never, he now percistantly builds a relationship and eventually marries the woman.

There are many subplots to the story. One tells of the boy who feels the "presence" of his dead grandfather, and is certain that he is now invincible. This leads to several incidents where the boy tempts fate by putting his life in danger. His mother, herself dealing with the recent death of a younger child, escapes into a fantasy world by dressing up as Marilyn Monroe or "Mrs. Robinson". There is also a sub-plot discussing how elderly view their prospects of growing more dependent on others and eventually dying.

The film's main setting is NYC 1969. There are several beautiful references to the time, i. e. the Moon landing and the Mets winning the World Series. -- You gotta watch this movie carefully in order not to miss a beat, but you will enjoy it. The final scene drives it home. 5 stars for this one!