The Cemetery Club (1993)

This comedy filled with much Jewish humor is about the widows Doris, Ester and Lucille, whose husbands die one after another in just a few years. Even though the three friends, all in their... See full summary »

Director:

Bill Duke

Writers:

Ivan Menchell (play), Ivan Menchell (screenplay)

Stars:

Ellen Burstyn, Olympia Dukakis, Diane Ladd

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ellen Burstyn	...	Esther Moskowitz
Olympia Dukakis	...	Doris Silverman
Diane Ladd	...	Lucille Rubin
Danny Aiello	...	Ben Katz
Lainie Kazan	...	Selma
Jeff Howell	...	Paul
Christina Ricci	...	Jessica
Bernie Casey	...	John
Alan Manson	...	Abe Silverman
Sam Schwartz	...	Irving Jacobs
Stephen Pearlman	...	Rabbi
Gene Ray	...	Photographer
Allan Pinsker	...	Mel
Alice Eisner	...	Rene
Hy Anzell	...	Al

Storyline

This comedy filled with much Jewish humor is about the widows Doris, Ester and Lucille, whose husbands die one after another in just a few years. Even though the three friends, all in their 50's, react quite differently on their husbands deaths they become even closer than what they were as couples. They frequently visit their husband's graves together and talk about perspective lives.

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Plot Keywords:

widow | jewish | loss of husband | loss of friend | bridesmaid | 

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Genres:

Comedy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sensuality and some language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 February 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

Looking for a Live One

Filming Locations:

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$56,833, 7 February 1993

Gross USA:

$6,011,745

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$6,011,745

Company Credits

Production Co:

Down To Earth Productions, Touchstone Pictures, Touchwood Pacific Partners 1

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The music store used for Moskowitz Music is called Spratt Music, and it is outside of Pittsburgh, in Brentwood, PA. The Moskowitz sign created for the movie is still displayed in the window of the store as of 2000.

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Quotes

Esther Moskowitz: I think you've put too much make-up on me.
Lucille Rubin: There is no such thing as too much make-up.

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Connections

Featured in Bill Duke: Cemetery Man (2018)

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Soundtracks

Kiss Of Fire
Written by Lester Allen and Robert Hill
Performed by Diane Ladd

User Reviews

Watchable, enjoyable fluff for grown ups

By grown ups, I don't mean that it's rude. More mature. I had heard that this was a good film, and I had been searching for it for some time, so was delighted to fall over it in a bargain bin locally, and bought it when I probably shouldn't have. However, it did while away a surprisingly long couple of hours, and was a pleasant bit of fluff.

I have a lot of time for Olympia Dukakis and Ellen Burnstein, so I was a bit disappointed that the one was so miserable and the other was a bit dim - OK so she's been married for ever, but she surely didn't live under a stone with her husband? I would have thought that the way she was smuggled into the hotel room made her look more like a prostitute than anything, and I felt sorry for her having to make her way out alone in the morning. Having said that, I was delighted that she reconciled with her new man before the end.

One absolute joy was Selma (Zelma?) who was the perpetual bride, tacky and brash as all get out, but completely lovable.

A nice movie.