These Old Broads (2001)

A 40 year old movie's re-release is a hit and there's focus on the 3 main actresses. The adopted son of one has to make these old broads attend a show together. One problem: they hate each other.

Director:

Matthew Diamond

Writers:

Carrie Fisher, Elaine Pope

Stars:

Shirley MacLaine, Debbie Reynolds, Joan Collins

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Shirley MacLaine	...	Kate Westbourne
Debbie Reynolds	...	Piper Grayson
Joan Collins	...	Addie Holden
Elizabeth Taylor	...	Beryl Mason
Jonathan Silverman	...	Wesley Westbourne
Nestor Carbonell	...	Gavin
Peter Graves	...	Bill
Carlos Jacott	...	Tom
Pat Crawford Brown	...	Miriam Hodges
Suzanne Carney	...	Connie
Heath Hyche	...	Ben Collier
Gene Barry	...	Mr. Stern
Pat Harrington Jr.	...	Tony Frank (as Pat Harrington)
Hinton Battle	...	Pete
Betty Carvalho	...	Rosa

Storyline

After a re-release of their 60's movie hit "Boy Crazy" becomes a smash, three actresses, Piper Grayson (Debbie Reynolds), Kate Westbourne (Shirley MacLaine), and Addie Holden (Dame Joan Collins), reunite for a reunion show, with help from Kate's son Wesley (Jonathan Silverman) and their manager, Beryl Mason (Dame Elizabeth Taylor). The problem? The three actresses and their manager all loathe each other.

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Plot Keywords:

reunion | three word title | author cameo | nostalgia | irreverence | 

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Taglines:

Still throwing tantrums. Still stealing headlines. Still making producers cry!

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

Screenwriter Carrie Fisher, Shirley MacLaine, and Executive Producer Laurence Mark attended a party thrown by Dame Elizabeth Taylor. During a conversation about the lack of roles for older actresses, this movie was first conceived.

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Quotes

Beryl Mason: I think of sex as a language and I'm fluent in it. You? Well, for you it's... a second language.

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Alternate Versions

The DVD version differs from both the original TV version and subsequent VHS release: -The film opens without the credits sequence from the VHS version, though the extended version of the opening scene in Gavin's office is intact. -After Piper's line, "I had to beg him to look away...," she continues, "and get a vasectomy." -A moment where Kate leads Wesley in a relaxation breathing exercise immediately before revealing she's going to be late to work the next morning has been removed. -While lying in bed, Addie asks, "You were never anybody's... girl, were you, Tony?" -There's additional dialogue between Miriam, Piper and Kate in the bedroom about Tony's oversized penis. -The brief prison scene with Carrie Fisher is included. -The club sequence is entirely re-edited, with "Get Happy" interspersed throughout Kate and Wesley's conversation. Most of the footage of Shirley MacLaine and Jonathan Silverman is edited from alternate takes, and some of the dialogue that was included on the VHS version is missing.

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Connections

References The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)

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Soundtracks

High Hopes
Written by Jimmy Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn

User Reviews

"One more face lift and she'll be able to blow her nose through her forehead."

All I can say is I wish it could have lasted longer! Four absolutely brilliant actresses in one absolutely hilarious movie. Reynolds is darling as well as hilarious as girl-next-door type Piper Grayson, MacLaine is funny as eccentric Kate Westburn, Joan Collins is great as sex-pot type Addie Holden and Elizabeth Taylor is remarkable as tough agent Beryl Mason. Chalk one up for Jonathan Silverman as MacLaine's son Wesley, and for Peter Graves as Reynolds' husband Bill. Although at times rather... risque (it's a bit odd to hear sweet Debbie Reynolds say words such as *screw*), it's a TV movie that will be remembered, if only to be remembered as the film that rekindled the friendship between Debbie Reynolds and Liz Taylor. It's an absolute riot of a movie!

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 February 2001 (USA)

Also Known As:

As Damas de Hollywood

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

American Broadcasting Company (ABC), Berger Queen Productions, Columbia TriStar Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.77 : 1