Soapdish (1991)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Michael Hoffman

Writers (WGA):

Robert Harling (story)
Robert Harling (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

31 May 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

All that glitter... All that glamour... All that dirt.

Plot:

An ambitious TV soap actress connives with her producer to scuttle the career of the show's long-time star, but nothing works as they plan.

Plot Keywords:

Star | Producer | Actress | Soap Star | Niece

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe.

Cast

Sally Field	...	Celeste Talbert / Maggie
Kevin Kline	...	Jeffrey Anderson / Dr. Rod Randall
Robert Downey Jr.	...	David Seton Barnes
Cathy Moriarty	...	Montana Moorehead / Nurse Nan
Elisabeth Shue	...	Lori Craven / Angelique
Whoopi Goldberg	...	Rose Schwartz
Teri Hatcher	...	Ariel Maloney / Dr. Monica Demonico
Garry Marshall	...	Edmund Edwards
Kathy Najimy	...	Tawny Miller
Arne Nannestad	...	Director Burton White
Paul Johansson	...	Blair Brennan / Bolt
Sheila Kelley	...	Fran
Leeza Gibbons	...	Herself
John Tesh	...	Himself
Stephen Nichols	...	Himself

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:M | Iceland:L | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Germany:12 | Spain:T | Sweden:Btl | UK:12 | USA:PG-13 | Singapore:PG | Canada:PG

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

According to a Baltimore newspaper article, Patty Duke was announced for the lead part in this comedy about a zany soap opera star-a role that was actually written with Patty Duke in mind.

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: A poster in Kevin Kline's dressing room lists him as playing "Willie Loman." The correct spelling should be "Willy." But the production wasn't all that great to begin with, so it wouldn't be surprising if they were careless and didn't bother to proof-read the poster.

Quotes:

David Barnes: Listen, she just won her 8th Schmenger, right? Edmund's crazy about her. She's got a lot of juice.
Montana Moorehead: Well, that's when you dump people, okay? When they're still on top, before they lose their popularity and drag the show down with them.

Movie Connections:

Featured in 1992 MTV Movie Awards (1992) (TV)

Soundtrack:

El sol también se pone

A glittering winner.

Soapdish is certainly a flashy affair; taking us on a glitzy journey through everyday life on one of America's biggest soap opera's, The Sun Also Sets. Celeste Talbert is the star of the show, a veteran of more than twenty years but also awfully unstable. After another win as Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama at the American Soap Awards, her lover leaves her, throwing her life into chaos. Life on set is equally strenuous. Sassy script writer Rose is Celeste's rock, forever trying to keep her in line. Producer David Seton Barnes is a shameless sycophant, and also infatuated with Montana Moorehead, a bitter, crazed woman, desperate to get Celeste off the show so she can become America's sweetheart. Montana proceeds to use her dubious charms to entice David to do anything possible to get Celeste out of the picture. The solution lies in Jeffrey Anderson, Celeste's ex-lover and a former cast member on the show. Celeste had him written out of the show years earlier, but being reduced to performing in dinner theatre has left Jeffrey sour, and he's back for revenge. As if life couldn't get anymore complicated, Celeste's niece Lori, an aspiring actress, has just joined the show, and things are about to become very difficult for them. Celeste, Jeffrey and Lori are about to become entwined in the biggest scandal in the show's history, and a special live show will decide their fate. But this is the world of daytime television, and things never run as smoothly as people had anticipated.

I can't understand why Soapdish hasn't become a camp classic after all these years. It has everything going for it, an excellent cast, a gloriously bitchy script, and some snappy direction. It's simply a fluffy, fun film, with a delightfully nasty charm that's impossible to resist. Since the film revolves around life on a soap opera, the cast all seem to be on a mission to play everything deliriously over the top, but there's never a point where it becomes tiresome. Sally Field is just fabulous as Celeste, an explosion of neurosis and insecurities. Her character is both magnificent and pathetic, but always hilarious. Kevin Kline is usually a reliable performer, but his portrayal of Jeffrey does come across as rather lazy at times. Robert Downey, Jr. is amusing as David, Whoopi Goldberg perfect as always as Rose, and Cathy Moriarty is a scream as malicious Montana. Teri Hatcher and Kathy Najimy pop up in minor roles, but do make an impression, with Hatcher's spiteful actress Ariel and Najimy's eccentric costume designer Tawny providing some memorable moments. Only Elisabeth Shue disappoints as Lori, stumbling her way ineptly through the film and becoming one of it's few failings. Soapdish isn't perfect, however. There are moments where it becomes a little hard to take, treating the soap format a little too carelessly at times. You do begin to wonder just how exaggerated it will become, but it's easily forgivable when you remember what's on offer. Soapdish is not a life-changing experience, but it's still a hugely enjoyable film. If a sizeable amount of colourful trash is your thing, then look no further. This is definitely the film for you.