Isn't She Great (2000)

Director:

Andrew Bergman

Writers (WGA):

Michael Korda (article)
Paul Rudnick (screenplay)

Release Date:

28 January 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

Talent isn't everything.

Plot:

An unsuccessful over-the-top actress becomes a successful over-the-top authoress in this biography of Jacqueline Susann...

Plot Keywords:

Cancer | Son | Question In Title | Terminal Illness | Author

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Bette Midler	...	Jacqueline Susann
Nathan Lane	...	Irving Mansfield
Stockard Channing	...	Florence Maybelle
David Hyde Pierce	...	Michael Hastings
John Cleese	...	Henry Marcus
John Larroquette	...	Maury Manning
Amanda Peet	...	Debbie
Terrence Ross	...	Radio actor
Jeffrey Ross	...	Shecky
Christopher McDonald	...	Brad Bradburn (as Christopher MacDonald)
Paul Benedict	...	Prof. Brainiac
Dina Waters	...	Bambi Madison (as Dina Spybey)
Pauline Little	...	Leslie Barnett
William Hill	...	Passerby
Mal Z. Lawrence	...	Mort
Adam Heller	...	Howie
Ellen David	...	Sylvia
Dan Ziskie	...	Guy's doctor (as Daniel Ziskie)
Anna Lobell	...	Receptionist
David Costabile	...	Junior editor
Brett Gillen	...	Man with bicycle
Olga Merediz	...	Mrs. Ramirez
Jacklin Webb	...	Nurse
Clebert Ford	...	Claude
Dick Henley	...	Doorman
Sonia Benezra	...	Manicurist
Richard Litt	...	Buddy
Maurice Carlton	...	Orderly #1
Edward B. Goldstein	...	Eddie in Lindy's
Larry Block	...	Herbie
Jack Eagle	...	Waiter
Le Clanché du Rand	...	Lissy Hastings
Elizabeth Lawrence	...	Mimsy Hastings
Helen Stenborg	...	Aunt Abigail
John Cunningham	...	Nelson Hastings
Charles S. Doucet	...	Teamster (as Charles Doucet)
John Sanford Moore	...	Bob Shawcross (as John Moore)
Richard McConomy	...	Harry Gladrey
Lisa Bronwyn Moore	...	Irma Gladrey
Steven McCarthy	...	Book Nook clerk
James Villemaire	...	Jim Morrison
Karyn Quackenbush	...	TV cook
Sam Street	...	Truman Capote
Peter Blaikie	...	David
Sheena Larkin	...	Saleswoman
Frank Vincent	...	Aristotle Onassis
David Lawrence	...	Steve Lawrence
Debbie Shapiro Gravitte	...	Eydie Gorme (as Debbie Gravitte)
Mickey Toft	...	Guy at 6
Ricky Mabe	...	Guy at 14
Robin Wilcock	...	Stage murderer (as Robin Andrew Wilcock)
Jude Beny	...	Skeptical housewife
Jean-Guy Bouchard	...	Wolf-whistle Teamster
Carl Alacchi	...	Orderly #2
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Liza Case	...	Woman reading book in park (uncredited)
Dawn Douglas	...	Moviegoer (uncredited)
Patty Duke	...	Neely O'Hara in 'Valley ofthe Dolls' (archive footage) (uncredited)
Julia Garland	...	Autistic Child (uncredited)
Susan Hayward	...	Herself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Marlon Sterling Long	...	Doorman (uncredited)
Antonio Maltese	...	Extra (uncredited)
Nick Stellate	...	Cop (uncredited)

Directed by
Andrew Bergman

Writing credits (WGA)
Michael Korda		(article)
Paul Rudnick		(screenplay)

Produced by
Alex Barder	....	associate producer
Mark Gordon	....	executive producer
Ted Kurdyla	....	executive producer
Gary Levinsohn	....	executive producer
Mike Lobell	....	producer
Cathy Schulman	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Burt Bacharach

Cinematography by
Karl Walter Lindenlaub

Film Editing by
Barry Malkin

Casting by
Rosina Bucci
Kathleen Chopin
John S. Lyons

Production Design by
Stuart Wurtzel

Art Direction by
Raymond Dupuis

Set Decoration by
Amy Burt
Jean-François Campeau		(decorator)
Susan C. MacQuarrie

Costume Design by
Julie Weiss

Makeup Department
Linda Bourgon	....	assistant hair stylist
Annick Chartier	....	makeup artist
Alan D'Angerio	....	hair designer
Linda DeVetta	....	key makeup artist
Sandro Di Gioacchino	....	assistant hair stylist
Heidi Kulow	....	makeup artist
Craig Lyman	....	makeup artist
Michele Paris	....	makeup artist (as Michele Paris-Catanzarite)
Scott Hersh	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Micheline Garant	....	unit production manager
Ted Kurdyla	....	unit production manager
John A. Machione	....	production manager
Judy Richter	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Michelle Benoit	....	third assistant director
Pierre Brassard	....	key second assistant director
Dean Garvin	....	second assistant director
Matthew Jemus	....	third assistant director
Ted Kurdyla	....	second unit director
John A. Machione	....	assistant director: New York
Andy Muller	....	assistant director: New York
Glen Trotiner	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Serge Archambault	....	head scenic painter
Frances Calder	....	key set decorator
Jean-Andre Carriere	....	assistant art director
Gerald DeTitta	....	leadman: New York
George DeTitta Jr.	....	set decorator: New York
Erik Gosselin	....	custom props
Ray Kluga	....	art director: New York
Josée Létourneau	....	assistant head scenic
Kay Michaels	....	art department coordinator: New York
Brick Mason	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Ajae Clearway	....	assistant sound editor
Don Cohen	....	production sound mixer
Don Cohen	....	sound mixer
Kenna Doeringer	....	assistant adr editor
George A. Lara	....	foley mixer
Michael W. Mitchell	....	sound effects editor
Mike Schmidt	....	cable person: New York
Warren Shaw	....	sound editor
Paul P. Soucek	....	supervising sound editor
Steven Visscher	....	supervising foley editor
David Wahnon	....	assistant sound editor
Daniel Ward	....	apprentice sound editor

Special Effects by
Louis Craig	....	special effects supervisor
Steven Kirshoff	....	special effects
André Laforest	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Randall Balsmeyer	....	visual effects supervisor
Daniel Leung	....	digital compositing supervisor
Matt McDonald	....	digital compositor

Stunts
Ben Gauthier	....	stunt coordinator
Minor Mustain	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Colin Anderson	....	Steadicam operator
Alain Bisson Doyal	....	grip
James Boniece	....	best boy
James Boniece	....	grip
Renzo Spirit Buffalo	....	assistant camera
Nadine Demeule	....	video assist operator
Gilles Fortier	....	rigging gaffer
Eames Gagnon	....	best boy lighting
John Harris	....	electrician
Tommy Klines	....	assistant camera
David Knox	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Charlie Marroquin	....	dolly grip
David Norris	....	camera operator: Wescam camera
Eric Proulx	....	best boy electric: second unit
Dominique Ricard	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Ted William Ross	....	daily electrician
Jeff Scott	....	electrician
Takashi Seida	....	still photographer

Casting Department
Karen Meisels	....	casting associate
Randi Wells	....	extras casting
Eric Zuckerman	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Pattie J. Barbosa	....	costumer: re-shoots
Rosalie Clermont-Bilodeau	....	wardrobe assistant
Marie-Maude Grenier	....	dresser
Daniele Leger	....	wardrobe mistress
Lyse Pomerleau	....	costume coordinator
Melissa Stanton	....	wardrobe supervisor
Thomas Stokes	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Meredith Apel	....	apprentice editor
Andrew Weisblum	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Tim Boyle	....	score mixer: songs
Sandy DeCrescent	....	orchestra contractor
Bruce Dukov	....	concert master
Earl Dumler	....	musician: oboe
Gary Foster	....	musician: tenor saxophone
Rick Giovinazzo	....	orchestrator
Gary Grant	....	musician: flugelhorn and trumpet
Dan Higgins	....	musician: clarinet
Gary Jones	....	music supervisor
Todd Kasow	....	music editor
Dean Parks	....	musician: guitar
John Rodd	....	orchestral scoring recordist
Tom Scott	....	musician: alto saxophone
James Walker	....	musician: flute

Transportation Department
Aleck Duncan	....	driver: Nathan Lane
Joe Sanchez	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Tevin Adelman	....	production assistant
Monica Barraza	....	production assistant: New York
Jennifer Bydwell	....	clearance coordinator
Al Cerullo	....	helicopter pilot
Pierre Cheminat	....	office runner
Katherine Cohn	....	assistant production coordinator: New York
Kathleen Corgan	....	assistant location manager: New York
Teena Deocales	....	production assistant
Timothy Donohue	....	set production assistant: New York
Loren Elkins	....	assistant: Nathan Lane
John Gaskin	....	production auditor
Paule Girardin	....	travel coordinator
Sam Hutchins	....	assistant location manager
Ken Korrall	....	location manager
Phillip Kurdyla	....	production assistant: New York
Maryse Lesage	....	personal assistant: Bette Midler
Theresa Marsh	....	first assistant production accountant
Eddie Micallef	....	key production assistant
Kathy Orloff	....	unit publicist
Lois Otto	....	production coordinator: New York
Wayne Petrucelli	....	security coordinator: New York
Ellie Presner	....	script revisor
Rick Riccio	....	whistler
Andrew Saxe	....	assistant location manager
Adam Shankman	....	choreographer
Jason Stant	....	accounting clerk

Production Companies

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
• Lobell/Bergman Productions
• Marubeni
• Mutual Film Company
• Tele München Fernseh Produktionsgesellschaft (TMG)
• Toho Company
• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (video)
• MCA/Universal Pictures
• New Films International
• Odeon (Greece)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Bros. (Argentina)

Special Effects

• Intrigue (special effects)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  dollies

Also Known As:

Ist sie nicht großartig? (Germany)

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA | UK | Germany | Japan

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:L | Argentina:13 | Germany:12 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Hudson, Québec, Canada

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Goofs:

Factual errors: In scene set just prior to the publication of "Valley of the Dolls" in early 1966, a publishing house employee is seen wearing a fringed vest that wouldn't become popular for several years. Also the soundtrack plays the Deep Purple version of "Hush" which was recorded 1n 1968.

Quotes:

[About a necklace]
Florence Maybelle: If a man ever bought that for me, not only would I have sex with him, but I would ENJOY it!

Movie Connections:

References I Remember Mama (1948)

Soundtrack:

Schuebert: String Trio in B Flat, D 581 Rondo (Allegretto)

A most delightful comedy with lots of great actors.

How did I ever miss this one when it was at the theater? Found it in the Video rental and picked it because of the dozen well know actors from John Creasy to Nathan Lane, Amanda, Peets, Stockard Channing, Bev Midler, "Niles" from Fraiser, John LaRoquette...

Some were minor parts, but all did an excellent job. We laughed and laughed. If you can listen to the word F*CK used in many funny lines, you will too!