Die, Mommie, Die! (2003)

An ex-pop singer kills her much-hated husband to be with her young lover. Her daughter plots Electra-like revenge.

Director:

Mark Rucker

Writers:

Charles Busch (play), Charles Busch (screenplay)

Stars:

Charles Busch, Natasha Lyonne, Jason Priestley

4 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Charles Busch	...	Angela Arden / Barbara Arden
Angela Paton	...	Angela's Fan
Jason Priestley	...	Tony Parker
Natasha Lyonne	...	Edith Sussman
Frances Conroy	...	Bootsie Carp
Philip Baker Hall	...	Sol Sussman
Stark Sands	...	Lance Sussman
Joshua Farrell	...	Policeman (as Josh Hutchinson)
Victor Raider-Wexler	...	Sam Fishbein
Nora Dunn	...	Shatzi Van Allen
Christopher McDaniel	...	Moving Man #1 (as Chris McDaniel)
Tom Hughes	...	Moving Man #2
Stanley DeSantis	...	Tuchman
Paul Vinson	...	Leather Daddy

Storyline

Retired singing star, Angela Arden, heads a dysfunctional family. Her husband, filmmaker Sol Sussman, hates her and has a kissy relationship with his nubile daughter, Edith. Angela carries on an affair with Tony Parker, a lounge lizard, who sleeps with both Edith and her brother, Lance, but not before Angela plots to murder Sol when he cuts off her allowance. Bootsie Carp, the family maid loyal to Sol, is on to Angela, but the diva works quickly and poisons Sol. Edith suspects foul play and wants Lance's help in proving mom's guilt. Lance, who loves his mother deeply, is conflicted. Will Edith succeed? Does love lurk somewhere? And what about Angela's long dead sister, Barbara?

---

Plot Keywords:

female nudity | love | singing | singer | diva | 

---

Taglines:

Hollywood...It's a dirty town but someone has to do it!

---

Genres:

Comedy

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong sexual content, language and a drug scene

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

31 October 2003 (USA)

Also Known As:

Piccole bugie travestite

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Aviator Films, Bill Kenwright Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color Black and White

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the flashback scene where Angela signs with RCA records, she is flanked by two RCA executives. These executives were played by two of the film's producers, Anthony Edwards (on the right in the glasses) and Dante Di Loreto (on the left.)

---

Goofs

Movie is set in 1967 but Angela sings the Blood, Sweat & Tears hit "Spinning Wheel" which was not released until 1969.

---

Quotes

Lance Sussman: [With Edith at a table in a diner] Edie, aren't you gonna' eat your cole slaw?
Edith Sussman: It's time you faced the truth: our mother murdered our father.
Lance Sussman: Hold the coleslaw...
Edith Sussman: She poisoned him.
Lance Sussman: He died of a heart attack.
Edith Sussman: Oh, many rich old men that die of heart attacks are really the victims of arsenic poisoning. Tony told me so.
Lance Sussman: When did he tell you that?
Edith Sussman: It doesn't matter.
Lance Sussman: Well, Bootsie told me she was with the coroner when he performed the autopsy. There was no trace of arsenic in his stomach.
Edith Sussman: What if ...
[...]

---

Crazy Credits

After the credits, there is silent black and white footage of Angela christening a ship.

---

Connections

References Dead Ringer (1964)

---

Soundtracks

(Won't You Come Home) Bill Bailey
Written by Hughie Cannon
Performed by Charles Busch

User Reviews

An instant camp classic

Beautiful, glamorous, fading singer Angela Arden (Charles Busch) is miserable. Her horrible husband is making life hell; her daughter Edith (Natasha Lyonne) loves daddy--too much; her son Lance (Stark Sands) is gay and into drugs; her lover Tony Parker (Jason Priestley) is sleeping with her and Edith and Lance....Angela suffers exquisitely.

A parody and a loving remake of the womens pictures made from the 40s up to the 60s. Busch (a man in drag) looks perfect and suffers constantly; the settings are beautiful; the dialogue high camp; everybody and everything looks picture pretty...even the flashes of (male) nudity and sleazier aspects are handled in a very "pretty" fashion. Also it includes some hilariously obvious back screening. This works beautifully because the whole cast plays it straight--there's no winking at the camera or overacting. Busch is just great in his role--he evokes Susan Hayward and Joan Crawford at their best. Lyonne and Sands are having a fun time as her seriously disturbed children--especially Sands. And who ever though Priestley could be such a great actor. He plays everything straight-faced beautifully. Also there are a TON of film references for film buffs.

My only complaint--and this is minor--is the color isn't as bright and strong as it should be. It seems kind of washed out.

That aside this is really a great film. A must for gay men and film buffs.