Beaches (1988)

A privileged rich debutante and a cynical struggling entertainer share a turbulent, but strong childhood friendship over the years.

Director:

Garry Marshall

Writers:

Iris Rainer (novel) (as Iris Rainer Dart), Mary Agnes Donoghue (screenplay)

Stars:

Bette Midler, Barbara Hershey, John Heard

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 win & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bette Midler	...	CC Bloom
Barbara Hershey	...	Hillary Whitney Essex
John Heard	...	John Pierce
Spalding Gray	...	Dr. Richard Milstein
Lainie Kazan	...	Leona Bloom
James Read	...	Michael Essex
Grace Johnston	...	Victoria Essex
Mayim Bialik	...	CC (age 11)
Marcie Leeds	...	Hillary - Age 11
Carol Williard	...	Aunt Vesta
Allan Kent	...	Mr. Melman
Phil Leeds	...	Sammy Pinkers
Lynda Goodfriend	...	Mrs. Myandowski
Nikki Plant	...	Iris Myandowski
Michael French	...	Head Waiter

Storyline

When the New York child performer CC Bloom and San Francisco rich kid Hillary meet in a holiday resort in Atlantic City, it marks the start of a lifetime friendship between them. The two keep in touch through letters for a number of years until Hillary, now a successful lawyer moves to New York to stay with struggling singer CC. The movie shows the various stages of their friendship and their romances including their love for the same man.

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Plot Keywords:

singer | friendship | friendship between women | female protagonist | manhattan new york city | 

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Taglines:

The Friendship You'll Always Remember... In The Film You'll Never Forget

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Music

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Certificate:

PG-13

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 January 1989 (USA)

Also Known As:

Remember Me

Filming Locations:

Tavern on the Green - Central Park at W. 67th Street, Central Park, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$198,361, 26 December 1988, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$57,041,866

Company Credits

Production Co:

All Girl Productions,Silver Screen Partners IV,Touchstone Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

123 min

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) Dolby (35 mm prints)

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Mayim Bialik did not actually sing on camera. Bette Midler wanted someone who sounded like she did at that age, so they used someone else's voice.

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Goofs

When Hilary comes to visit CC in her apartment in 1968, there is a picture of Patty Smith's 1974 album "Wild Horses" on the wall.

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Quotes

CC Bloom: OK, stay in. But will you at least get out of those pajamas? You've been in them for over a week!
Hillary: So what? Who the hell are you, the clothes police?

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Alternate Versions

Some television versions contain alternate lines in the scene where C.C. and Hilary have their argument in the department store. For example, in the theatrical version, C.C. remarks to Hilary, "You have been a total bitch ever since you came to New York!" In some TV prints, she says, "You have been completely unbearable ever since you came to New York!"

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Connections

Referenced in The Cinema Snob: Ilsa, Harem Keeper of the Oil Sheiks (2013)

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Soundtracks

Oh Industry
Music and Lyrics by Bette Midler and Wendy Waldman
Arranged by Marc Shaiman, Arif Mardin, Robbie Buchanan, and Robbie Kondor
Produced by Arif Mardin
Performed by Bette Midler

User Reviews

Simply great!

There are good movies and there are those you'll never forget that you can see many many times. Beaches definitely goes into the latter category Actually I didn't get to see it until a few years ago, maybe because I'm a guy and this kind of movies aren't what guys usually rent but as one grows up, so does the appreciations for sensitive movies like Beaches.

The book is even better and I wish they had made the movie even longer with more stories from the novel.

I recommend Beaches to both women and men, if you think you couldn't cry from a movie - watch this and see if you're wrong - I was...