Die, Mommie, Die! (2003)

An ex-pop singer kills her much-hated husband to be with her young lover. Her daughter plots Electra-like revenge.

Director:

Mark Rucker

Writers:

Charles Busch (play), Charles Busch (screenplay)

Stars:

Charles Busch, Angela Paton, Jason Priestley

4 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Charles Busch	...	Angela Arden / Barbara Arden
Angela Paton	...	Angela's Fan
Jason Priestley	...	Tony Parker
Natasha Lyonne	...	Edith Sussman
Frances Conroy	...	Bootsie Carp
Philip Baker Hall	...	Sol Sussman
Stark Sands	...	Lance Sussman
Josh Hutchinson	...	Policeman
Victor Raider-Wexler	...	Sam Fishbein
Nora Dunn	...	Shatzi Van Allen
Christopher McDaniel	...	Moving Man #1 (as Chris McDaniel)
Tom Hughes	...	Moving Man #2
Stanley DeSantis	...	Tuchman
Paul Vinson	...	Leather Daddy

Storyline

Retired singing star, Angela Arden, heads a dysfunctional family. Her husband, filmmaker Sol Sussman, hates her and has a kissy relationship with his nubile daughter, Edith. Angela carries on an affair with Tony Parker, a lounge lizard, who sleeps with both Edith and her brother, Lance, but not before Angela plots to murder Sol when he cuts off her allowance. Bootsie Carp, the family maid loyal to Sol, is on to Angela, but the diva works quickly and poisons Sol. Edith suspects foul play and wants Lance's help in proving mom's guilt. Lance, who loves his mother deeply, is conflicted. Will Edith succeed? Does love lurk somewhere? And what about Angela's long dead sister, Barbara?

---

Plot Keywords:

love | maid | poison | singing | diva | 

---

Taglines:

Hollywood...It's a dirty town but someone has to do it!

---

Genres:

Comedy

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong sexual content, language and a drug scene

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

31 October 2003 (USA)

Also Known As:

Piccole bugie travestite

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Aviator Films, Bill Kenwright Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color Black and White

Did You Know?

Trivia

One of the framed photos the camera pans by while Angela (Charles Busch) is administering the deadly suppository to her husband is of Busch in his stage appearance as Gertrude(Gertie) Garnet in his play "The Lady in Question". The photo was used on all the play's promotional materials.

---

Goofs

Movie is set in 1967 but Angela sings the Blood, Sweat & Tears hit "Spinning Wheel" which was not released until 1969.

---

Quotes

Sol Sussman: [At the dinner table: Lance is toying with his soup, blowing on spoonfuls of it, but not actually eating it. Sol looks on, increasingly annoyed] Lance, just DRINK the goddamned soup!
Lance Sussman: Sorry, daddy.
Angela Arden: [Addressing Lance in a "secret language," apparently understood only by she and Lance. Subtitles provide the translation] I don't blame you. The soup stinks.
Lance Sussman: [Replying in the same "secret language"] It smell like dirty socks.
Angela Arden: [Again using the "secret language"] Bootsie cuts your dad's socks up and throws ...
[...]

---

Crazy Credits

After the credits, there is silent black and white footage of Angela christening a ship.

---

Connections

References What Ever Happened to Aunt Alice? (1969)

---

Soundtracks

"The Salt and Pepper Polka"
Music by Dick Gallagher
Lyrics by Dick Gallagher & Charles Busch
Vocals by Ruth Williamson

User Reviews

Intentionally campy, but not requiring any weird taste in movies!

Why am I taking the time to review this movie? Because I loved it, practically every minute of it. Even now, I'm thinking about renting it again because this is the type of movie that you don't easily forget.

The plot of Die, Mommie, Die is straightforward: a washed-up singer is trapped in a bad marriage to a movie mogul who really doesn't love her. She decides to kill him so she can have a life and a real lover. That pretty much sums up the general plot.

The only criticism I have of this movie is that it should have tried to incorporate more songs, such as was done in the great Julie Andrews hit, "Victor Victoria". The one song in Die, Mommie, Die, "Why Not Me?" is repeated in several flashbacks. I don't know if the song is original, but it was perfect for this movie, and I wished there were more songs like this because it would have been a great soundtrack to buy.

This not a movie that would appeal only appeal to a small part of the movie-going public, but rather a great, campy movie that is full of fun. Perhaps the best compliment I can give this movie is that I wish I had seen it on the big screen. It would be well worth the $9.

Addendum: Almost four years have gone by since I reviewed this movie, but I have no indication if anyone has ever read this. So, if you stopped by, please leave your thumbs up or thumbs down.