The Butcher's Wife (1991)

Director:

Terry Hughes

Writers (WGA):

Ezra Litwak (written by) &
Marjorie Schwartz (written by)

Release Date:

25 October 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance | Fantasy

Tagline:

It's not about meat, it's about magic.

Plot:

A clairvoyant thinks she's met her husband to be because she's seen him in her dreams. They marry quickly...

Plot Keywords:

Psychic | Lighthouse | Clairvoyance | Lesbian | Lesbian Affair

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Demi Moore	...	Marina Lemke
Jeff Daniels	...	Dr. Alex Tremor
George Dzundza	...	Leo Lemke
Mary Steenburgen	...	Stella Keefover
Frances McDormand	...	Grace
Margaret Colin	...	Robyn Graves
Max Perlich	...	Eugene
Miriam Margolyes	...	Gina
Helen Hanft	...	Molly
Christopher Durang	...	Mr. Liddle
Luis Avalos	...	Luis
Charles Pierce	...	Beau
Elizabeth Lawrence	...	Grammy D'Arbo
Stephanie Laurence	...	Choir Student
Barry Neikrug	...	Bicyclist

Runtime:

107 min | Germany:98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Canada:PG (Ontario) | South Korea:15 | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Finland:S | Germany:6 | UK:15 | USA:PG-13 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Bald Head Island, North Carolina, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Demi Moore took over the lead role after 'Meg Ryan' dropped out.

Goofs:

Continuity: Stella can be seen holding her bag after she puts it down on Alex's desk.

Quotes:

Marina Lemke: Well, what I say and what people hear aren't always the same thing. Don't you find that in your calling, Doctor?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Bad Boys of Saturday Night Live (1998) (TV)

Soundtrack:

IN THE DARK

Sweet, but predictable

Demi Moore (with a blonde do) plays Marina, a clairvoyant who marries a New York butcher believing him to be the man of her dreams. Once she gets to New York she finds out that while her powers seem to be accurate when she advises other people, she may not have made the right choices for herself...

I was forced to watch this movie by my girlfriend and found myself pleasantly surprised. It's no classic, but is a sweet, enjoyable film (though it's fairly easy to spot how things will work out early on).

Over here in the UK the film received a "15" certificate, presumably for the one instance of strong language that actually jars with the rest of the film, and possibly for the lesbian character/s (though they barely touch each other on screen).

I sympathised with most of the characters, especially Mary Steenburgen's would-be singer (she has a surprisingly good voice, by the way). Marina's complete accuracy when it comes to predictions that don't involve her is a little far-fetched, especially when she gets her own life in such a mess.

Worth a look if you like low-key romantic comedies with a slightly magical twist (not a large genre!), or if you liked "Simply Irresistible" (1999) with Sarah Michelle Gellar. Not really one for most guys, though.