The Cemetery Club (1993)

Lifelong friends meet weekly to celebrate the past and present.

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:

jewish shiva | widow | jewish | loss of husband | loss of friend | 

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Genres:

Comedy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sensuality and some language

Did You Know?

Trivia

Future Oscar nominee Catherine Keener as Ellen Burstyn's daughter.

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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

Shadow Dance
Written and Performed by Tony Kinsey

User Reviews

fun Jewish stories.... Olympia D is awesome

Well, the description on this thing sure didn't sell me, but OLYMPIA DUKAKIS ! I've never NOT liked a movie with OLYMPIA D! (gotta see her in Moonstruck, Steel Magnolias, and of course, Tales of the City). This one also has Danny Aiello, also from Moonstruck. Cemetery opens with a senior citizen couple getting married, and the crowd is telling old jokes. You can tell they are all good longtime friends, Happy Times. Speaking of Moonstruck, the cute little old couple that ran the Italian deli is in here too, as well as the "inconceivable" guy. But suddenly, people are croaking! that took a quick turn for the dark side. Lots of old Jewish jokes. some funny stuff. swearing, laughs, arguments. Ellen Burstyn seems to get top billing, but is pretty low key in this. Anyone familiar with Jewish traditions, passive aggressive behavior, or just spending time in manhattan will appreciate the humor here. some funny stuff! Love Olympia - she totally saves this, with her dry sarcastic wit. Never heard anything about this back in 1993, but it IS on DVD. Directed by Bill Duke, who directed a TON of TV in the 1980s, then started directing films in the 1990s.

Written by Ivan Menchell, as a play. Not much info available on him. Has done a lot of TV. Quite Good. I've never seen this on TV, so you'll probably have to find it on DVD, but it IS pretty good. I'll have to see it again, since i'm sure i've missed many references watching it the first time.

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

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1