Death Becomes Her (1992)

When a woman learns of an immortality treatment, she sees it as a way to outdo her long-time rival.

Director:

Robert Zemeckis

Writers:

Martin Donovan, David Koepp

Stars:

Meryl Streep, Bruce Willis, Goldie Hawn

Won 1 Oscar. Another 4 wins & 16 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Meryl Streep	...	Madeline Ashton
Bruce Willis	...	Ernest Menville
Goldie Hawn	...	Helen Sharp
Isabella Rossellini	...	Lisle Von Rhuman
Ian Ogilvy	...	Chagall
Adam Storke	...	Dakota
Nancy Fish	...	Rose
Alaina Reed-Hall	...	Psychologist (as Alaina Reed Hall)
Michelle Johnson	...	Anna
Mary Ellen Trainor	...	Vivian Adams
William Frankfather	...	Mr. Franklin
John Ingle	...	Eulogist
Clement von Franckenstein	...	Opening Man
Petrea Burchard	...	Opening Woman
Jim Jansen	...	Second Man

Storyline

In 1978, in Broadway, the decadent and narcissist actress Madeline Ashton is performing Songbird, based on Tennessee Williams' Sweet Bird of Youth. Then she receives her rival Helen Sharp, who is an aspiring writer, and her fiancé Ernest Menville, who is a plastic surgeon, in her dressing-room. Soon Menville calls off his commitment with Helen and marries Madeline. Seven years later, Helen is obese in a psychiatric hospital and obsessed in seeking revenge on Madeline. In 1992, the marriage of Madeline and Menville is finished and he is no longer a surgeon but an alcoholic caretaker. Out of the blue, they are invited to a party where Helen will release her novel Forever Young and Madeline goes to a beauty shop. The owner gives a business card of the specialist in rejuvenation Lisle Von Rhuman to her. When the envious Madeline sees Helen thin in a perfect shape, she decides to seek out Lisle and buys a potion to become young again. Further, she advises that Madeline must take care of ...

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Plot Keywords:

egocentric woman | frenemy | betrayal | eternal life | rejuvenation | 

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Taglines:

Some people will go to any lengths to stay young forever. But Madeline Ashton and her old friend Helen Sharp are about to go TOO far.

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Genres:

Comedy | Fantasy | Horror

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some nudity and off-color humor

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

31 July 1992 (USA)

Also Known As:

La muerte le sienta bien

Filming Locations:

The Ebell of Los Angeles - 743 South Lucerne Bouelvard, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$55,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$58,422,650

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$149,000,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Meryl Streep wasn't thrilled that the film heavily relied on visual effects. Streep claimed that shooting the film was like "going to the dentist" and states that the film is her first, last, and only VFX-driven film.

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Goofs

When Ernest starts to bolt with the potion, Lisle says "Tom, Dick, Harry, get the potion from him!" He picks up the dagger she stabbed him with. As he does, you see her reflection on the glass table. Her lips do not move when she says those words.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Opening Man: [leaving the theatre in the rain] Can you believe that? A musical version of "Sweet Bird of Youth."Who are they kidding?
Opening Woman: Thank God you wanted to leave...
Second Woman: Can you believe Madeline Ashton? Talk about waking the dead.
Second Man: I gotta get a drink...
[zoom in on discarded playbill featuring Madeline Ashton]

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Connections

Referenced in Tru Calling: Death Becomes Her (2004)

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Soundtracks

Bridal Chorus
(uncredited)
Written by Richard Wagner

User Reviews

It just gets funnier every time I watch it

I love this movie and have watched it more than any other film I own. What makes it for me is the subtle face acting of the two leads whose comic timing is perfect. Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn have never been so good (plus this is the only film in which Bruce Willis doesn't do his trademark smirk even once).

Every role is played to perfection and the script is a comedy work of art.

I won't bother defending it to those people who need their jokes hammered home to them by comedy actors whose only way of getting a laugh is to gurn and fart. Each to their own.