Postcards from the Edge (1990)

Director:

Mike Nichols

Writers (WGA):

Carrie Fisher (book)
Carrie Fisher (screenplay)

Release Date:

12 September 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Having a wonderful time, wish I were here.

Plot:

Substance-addicted Hollywood actress Suzanne Vale is on the skids. After a spell at a detox centre her...

Plot Keywords:

Mother | Daughter | Actress | Hollywood | Movie Director

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Meryl Streep	...	Suzanne Vale
Shirley MacLaine	...	Doris Mann
Dennis Quaid	...	Jack Faulkner
Gene Hackman	...	Lowell Kolchek
Richard Dreyfuss	...	Doctor Frankenthal
Rob Reiner	...	Joe Pierce
Mary Wickes	...	Grandma
Conrad Bain	...	Grandpa
Annette Bening	...	Evelyn Ames
Simon Callow	...	Simon Asquith
Gary Morton	...	Marty Wiener
CCH Pounder	...	Julie Marsden (as C.C.H. Pounder)
Sidney Armus	...	Sid Roth
Robin Bartlett	...	Aretha
Barbara Garrick	...	Carol

Runtime:

101 min | Canada:95 min (edited version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Canada:14A (Ontario - 2006) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:S | France:U | Germany:12 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R | Singapore:PG | Canada:A

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Debbie Reynolds reportedly wanted to play the role of Doris Mann, loosely based on herself. However, director Mike Nichols personally requested Shirley MacLaine.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: Lowell tells Suzanne that none of the airport scene can be saved because it was shot without any cutaways. However, the scene is obviously edited as the characters jump about 3 feet farther from the camera as they walk from past a pole between the ticket counter and the passport control desk.

Quotes:

Doris Mann: Never let 'em see you ache. That's what Mr. Mayer used to say. Or was it "ass"? Never let 'em see your ass.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Kids in America (2005)

Soundtrack:

You Don't Know Me

One of the best American screenplay of the last 50 years.

This is easily one of the best American films of the 90s and certainly one of the best screenplays of the last 50 years.

Carrie Fisher writes dialogue like nobody else in show business and she outdoes herself with this semi-biopic about her life growing up in the biz with her actress Mom, Debbie Reynolds.

The film is loosely based on the novel of the same title by Fisher, and I say "loosely", because Nichols asked Fisher to re-write several parts to make them more "film-friendly". The book is more about drug addiction and the character of the mother (played brilliantly by Shirley MacLaine) is barely involved.

The film focuses (smartly) on the relationship between mother and daughter and Maclaine and Streep have a field day and create some of the most memorable mother-daughter scenes in American cinema history, thanks to the able direction of Mike Nichols. Dennis Quaid is also wonderful as the narcissistic drug addicted man that plays with Streep's character's emotions.

This is one of my all time favorite films, it's the only film on my top 10 list made in the last 25 years, and will be remembered for generations to come as the gem that it is. The screenplay is so amazing that about 80% of the dialogue is totally quotable and can be repeated ad nauseum to the delight of its fans (and annoyance of their relatives and significant others).

Wonderful cameos from everyone from Mary Wickes, Rob Reiner, Gene Hackman, Annette Benning, Oliver Platt and more...if you can get your hands on the DVD with Carrie Fisher commentary, it's just as hilarious as the film itself. The woman is a genius and it's a crime she wasn't nominated (or won) an Oscar for Best Screenplay for this film.