The First Wives Club (1996)

Director:

Hugh Wilson

Writers (WGA):

Olivia Goldsmith (novel)
Robert Harling (screenplay)

Release Date:

20 September 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Getting even... this fall.

Plot:

Reunited by the death of a college friend, three divorced women seek revenge on the husbands who left them for younger women.

Plot Keywords:

Revenge | Midlife Crisis | Suicide | Reference To Sean Connery | Yuppie

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 3 wins & 3 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Fri. Nov. 13

7:00 PM

BRAVO

Cast

Bette Midler	...	Brenda Cushman
Goldie Hawn	...	Elise Elliot
Diane Keaton	...	Annie Paradis
Maggie Smith	...	Gunilla Garson Goldberg
Dan Hedaya	...	Morton Cushman
Sarah Jessica Parker	...	Shelly Stewart
Stockard Channing	...	Cynthia Swann Griffin
Victor Garber	...	Bill Atchison
Stephen Collins	...	Aaron Paradis
Elizabeth Berkley	...	Phoebe LaVelle
Marcia Gay Harden	...	Dr. Leslie Rosen
Bronson Pinchot	...	Duarto Feliz
Jennifer Dundas	...	Chris Paradis
Eileen Heckart	...	Catherine MacDuggan
Philip Bosco	...	Uncle Carmine Morelli

MPAA:

Rated PG for thematic elements, some mild language and sensuality.

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:L | USA:PG (certificate #34443) | South Korea:15 | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Chile:14 | Finland:K-8 | Germany:12 (w) | Ireland:12 | Norway:7 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:M18 | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | UK:PG | Canada:PG

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

In an interview, Bette Midler mentioned that all three main cast members wanted to make a sequel, but the studio was not agreeable, as they viewed the success of this film as a "fluke". Midler also said that just before the movie opened, she was told it would not do very well because the film was competing against action movies with male stars such as Bruce Willis. This film opened at number one and out-grossed those action movies.

Goofs:

Continuity: After the funeral, when the waiter brings the ladies drinks, he sets down a vodka during "just fine, couldn't be better" (Brenda's drink is already on the table). In the next shot, he finishes placing Brenda's drink, then the vodka, then reaches for Annie's. The next shot shows that Annie magically has a drink and the waiter is gone. Also, both the Virgin Mary and the Bloody Mary have celery stalks though Brenda's disappears during the "seperated?" line.

Quotes:

Bill: Nice car, used to have one myself.
Shelly: Thanks. So, what's going on in there? Is it just a lot of battered women dancing around or what?
Bill: Yeah, sort of. Not really my scene.
Shelly: Me neither.
Bill: So, are you here with anybody?
Shelly: Not really.
Bill: How old are you?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Benchwarmers (2006)

Soundtrack:

Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves

A Completely Winning Comedy

THE FIRST WIVES CLUB is a sparkling all-star comedy that hits all the right notes and makes you want to cheer out loud while you're watching. This is the story of three former college girlfriends (Diane Keaton, Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler) who are reunited after many years due to the suicide of a mutual friend (Stockard Channing) and all learn that they have been dumped by their husbands for younger women. They bond and not only plan revenge on their husbands but take their revenge to another unexpected level that is curiously refreshing for a comedy of this type. Keaton, Hawn, and Midler are marvelous as the women out for their ex-husbands'blood. Stephen Collins, Victor Garber, and Dan Hedaya are all on the mark as the scummy ex-husbands. There are funny bits contributed along the way by Rob Reiner as Hawn's plastic surgeon, Sarah Jessica Parker as Hedaya's mistress, Maggie Smith as a wealthy divorcée, Bronson Pinchot as a faux designer, Eileen Heckart as Keaton's mother, and Marcia Gay Harden as Collins'therapist/mistress. A wonderful script is smartly mounted by director Hugh Wilson with an energetic cast to produce a terrific film comedy which can easily be watched several times and discover new pleasures on each viewing.