Big Business (1988)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Director:

Jim Abrahams

Writers (WGA):

Dori Pierson (written by) &
Marc Reid Rubel (written by)

Release Date:

10 June 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Mixed up at birth, two sets of twins finally meet their match.

Plot:

In the 1940s in the small town of Jupiter Hollow, two sets of identical twins are born in the same hospital on the same night...

Plot Keywords:

Twins | Big Business | Limousine | New York City | Stockholder Meeting

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Bette Midler	...	Sadie Ratliff / Sadie Shelton
Lily Tomlin	...	Rose Ratliff / Rose Shelton
Fred Ward	...	Roone Dimmick
Edward Herrmann	...	Graham Sherbourne
Michele Placido	...	Fabio Alberici
Daniel Gerroll	...	Chuck
Barry Primus	...	Michael
Michael Gross	...	Dr. Jay Marshall
Deborah Rush	...	Binky Shelton
Nicolas Coster	...	Hunt Shelton
Patricia Gaul	...	Iona Ratliff
J.C. Quinn	...	Garth Ratliff
Norma MacMillan	...	Nanny Lewis
Joe Grifasi	...	Desk Clerk
John Vickery	...	Hotel Manager

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:PG | Argentina:Atp | Chile:TE | Finland:S | Peru:PT | Sweden:Btl | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:6 | Singapore:PG | Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

Golden Oak Ranch - 19802 Placerita Canyon Road, Newhall, California, USA

Company:

Silver Screen Partners III

Trivia:

This movie was written for Barbra Streisand (Bette Midler's role) and Goldie Hawn (Lily Tomlin's role).

Goofs:

Continuity: When Sadie and Rose are square dancing on stage, the man sitting in the first row has on dark Nike sneakers. The next shot of him shows him in white shoes and when the dancing moves to the audience, he is again in his dark shoes.

Quotes:

Sadie Ratliff: That's what the French call a bedet.
Rose Ratliff: Well, those French must be taller than me.

Movie Connections:

References Over the Top (1987)

Soundtrack:

I'M IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE

Strangely overlooked cerebral farce.

That this 1988 movie contains 2 sympathetic, non-stereotypical gay characters says a lot about the movie makers. There seems to have been some real care taken over what could've ended up a cheaply made throwaway farce.

Lily Tomlin and Bette Midler are simply superb in their roles as separated twins and in my view out-do Jeremy Irons in that year's other twin movie `Dead Ringers' - and he was fantastic.

This film has been criticised for not delivering laughs where you would predict them based on the film's premise. But is that a fault? Big Business builds comedic tension early on and sustains it throughout by clever use of supporting characters and the subtle way that from their scenes with them we learn about the 4 leads.

The eternal dilemma of nature v nurture is portrayed in a fairly non-preachy way coupled with a similar approach to town v country. To do this in a farce containing 4 romances plus all the rest is a tall order for any moviemaker but this rich premise is cleverly negotiated by Jim Abrahams & the writers with only a handful of misfires.

Now I'm not one for romances but the studly Fred Ward, who was unbelievably 46 years old at the time, as the whiter than white Roone Dimmick, manages an amazing feat - his meeting and courting of Lily Tomlin in the space of a few minutes is carried off quite plausibly by this accomplished and underrated actor and is a joy to behold.

10 out of 10 and a real shame that there is no more from these 2 writers.