Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999)

A small-town beauty pageant turns deadly as it becomes clear that someone will go to any lengths to win.

Director:

Michael Patrick Jann

Writer:

Lona Williams

Stars:

Kirsten Dunst, Denise Richards, Ellen Barkin

2 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kirsten Dunst	...	Amber Atkins
Ellen Barkin	...	Annette Atkins
Allison Janney	...	Loretta
Denise Richards	...	Rebecca 'Becky' Ann Leeman
Kirstie Alley	...	Gladys Leeman
Sam McMurray	...	Lester Leeman
Mindy Sterling	...	Iris Clark
Brittany Murphy	...	Lisa Swenson
Amy Adams	...	Leslie Miller
Laurie A. Sinclair	...	Michelle Johnson (as Laurie Sinclair)
Shannon Nelson	...	Tess Weinhaus
Tara Redepenning	...	Molly Howard
Sarah Stewart	...	Jenelle Betz
Alexandra Holden	...	Mary Johanson
Brooke Elise Bushman	...	Tammy Curry

Storyline

In a small Minnesota town, the annual beauty pageant is being covered by a TV crew. Former winner Gladys Leeman wants to make sure her daughter follows in her footsteps. Explosions, falling lights, and trailer fires prove that. As the Leemans are the richest family in town the police are pretty relaxed about it all. Despite everything, main rival (but nice) Amber Atkins won't be stopped. There could well be more death and disappointment to come.

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Plot Keywords:

beauty pageant | small town | minnesota | murder | sabotage | 

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Taglines:

The battle between the good and the bad is about to get ugly.

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for irreverent and crude humor, sex-related material and language

Details

Country:

Germany USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 July 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

Dairy Queens

Filming Locations:

Jordan, Minnesota, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$15,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,986,269, 25 July 1999, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$10,561,238, 12 September 1999

Company Credits

Production Co:

New Line Cinema,Capella International,KC Medien

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The mall parking lot Gladys' pulls into to pick up the dresses is Eden Prairie Center in Eden Prairie (not the Mall of America), the same mall that was used in Mallrats (1995)

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Goofs

Before performing the physical fitness routine, the girls say their step ladders are still wet with paint, but when the Vaseline is brought around to them, their hands are clean. Later, when they are on the stage, their hands are covered in paint.

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Quotes

Colleen Douglas: [with forced sobriety] People, people - wait, wait a minute, here. Uh, while we haven't ruled out sabotage from neighboring state pageants - Iowa, Wisconsin, North Dakota...
Terry Macey: Yeah.
Colleen Douglas: Dakota.
Terry Macey: Ohio...
Colleen Douglas: That bitch from...
Terry Macey: What?
Colleen Douglas: Wisconsin.
Terry Macey: All right, then.
Colleen Douglas: The bitch.
Terry Macey: The important thing is that we have a winner...

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Crazy Credits

(referencing Hank's request to be freed from the car door) It is the policy of the documentary crew to remain true observers and not interfere with its subjects.

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Connections

Referenced in The Tracey Fragments (2007)

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Soundtracks

Fanfare For The Common Man
Written by Aaron Copland
Performed by London Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Aaron Copland
Courtesy of Sony Classical

User Reviews

Very, very funny.

This is probably one of the funniest movies I've ever seen. Kirstie Alley, Ellen Barkin, Kirsten Dunst and Denise Richards are all perfectly cast. Not your ordinary comedy, much more akin to the humor in Very Bad Things.

As good as the whole cast is, Ellen Barkin really steals the show in this movie playing a beer guzzling, trailer park, hairdressing single mother with faults aplenty-but a heart of gold. I own this one, and every time I watch it I find something else that makes me laugh. Well written, incredibly well cast and exceptionally well acted. 10/10 for this one, highly recommend (unless you're easily offended.)