PowerpuffNita2
If you're fed up to the back teeth with pretty young things with silicone enhanced breasts and un-enhanced talent, this is the movie for you! The team of Collins, Reynolds, and McClaine are a laugh riot in their roles as mature actresses with less-than mature mentalities, libidinous tendecies, and old grudges. And speaking of mature...well...let's just say that most of the humor is a bit too hot for children. (Especially when Collins' Mobster boyfriend...Nah, I'm not givin' it away!)
Tommy-92
Okay, so the film is almost totally witless, crude, vulgar, and silly, and heavy-handed in its treatment of the homosexual subplot. The script could've done better justice to these stars, but the stars, or at least two of them, generally execute the professionalism we have come to admire so much in them. And they do have fun spoofing their reputations and public personas... Debbie Reynolds, in particular, seems to be having the time of her life making fun of her eternally perky, virginal persona. I am not familiar with Joan Collins' other work, but though she looks great 'cause of all those fac... uh, never mind, and can toss off a good bitchy line or three, and the sight of her Italian digs is one of the only funny moments in the film, she really doesn't seem to be that good an actress. Elizabeth Taylor's cameo is generally embarrassing (What was with that accent?), but even she has a good moment, dishing with Reynolds about the husband she stole from her. Is it a coincidence that Shirley Maclaine, who looks embalmed compared to her costars (Or at least doesn't mind not trying to age naturally-in preparation for her next life, perhaps) gives the only truly genuine performance in the film? The USA Today review mentioned that it's weird that, of the three stars of the cult hit movie musical "Boy Crazy," Reynolds is really the only one of these stars to have truly made a name for herself in the real-life golden age of movie musicals, and then usually in supporting roles, (Maclaine made a few movie musicals near the end of this golden age which are forgotten today,anyway, and Collins never made a movie musical and was never a "movie star" in any case, finding her greatest success on TV). This perhaps accounts for why we don't see that much singing and dancing, except in several quick glimpses of rehearsals, until the "grand finale," if it can be called that. And then there's the sight of Reynolds and Collins singing (Well, Reynolds singing and Collins attempting to sing) "Get Happy" in the gay dance club. It's cheap and debasing, and guaranteed to find its way into the Great Camp Movie Moments some day soon. I hope that was intentional. But all in all, these ladies go out there and give their all, or attempt to as long as they can, which is really all we can ask for in such a sorry showcase as this.Perhaps the most telling sequence in the film is the first run-through of the special that salutes "Boy Crazy," with the network brass and the sponsers watching. The ladies' dance steps are off, their dubbed-in singing goes out of sync, a load of fake snow gets dumped on them, and all the boys, real and cardboard, fly everywhere. But they keep going and attempting to do something with it, until they're finally exhausted and overwhelmed by all the snow getting in their eyes and throats. Maclaine even huffs out a "Yeah!" at the end before collapsing. That is exactly what this movie is about... eventually even these, uh, dames can't get past this mess of a script and finally resort to petty bitchiness because they have no other way out, it seems. But through it all they attempt, professionally, to make something out of this, (Maclaine most of all) and for that they must be commended.The last line of the film is Taylor's: "Get off your asses for these old broads!" Crude, natch, but the point is certainly taken. They deserve it.And oh, yeah, Liz really did steal Debbie's husband. "Freddie Hunter's real name was Eddie Fisher, the father (with Debbie) of Carrie Fisher, alias Princess Leia, who was partially responsible for this script. Carrie also wrote a fictionalized memoir, "Postcards From the Edge," (Please God it was better than this!) and in the film version of that, Maclaine played the character based on Reynolds. Collins was one of the actresses considered for the role of Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile, before Liz got that one and began her legendary love affair with Richard Burton... while she was still married to Eddie Fisher! ANd then Liz and Collins both played the same role, Pearl Slaghoople, in, respectively, "The Flintstones" movie and its sequel, "Viva Rock Vegas." See, it's a lot more fun to ponder the various connections these ladies have had to each other over the years than to wonder why, despite their valient attempts to make something of it, they decided to do this.
Aussie Stud
Or perhaps this movie should have been titled "Endless Arguing".After watching this original made-for-television movie, I started to wonder just what on Earth everyone involved had been thinking? I can understand the CEOs at ABC nodding their heads in approval at reuniting actresses from the silver screen (I suppose Joan Collins would be included in that category). But what on Earth was Debbie Reynolds, Shirley MacLaine, Joan Collins and Elizabeth Taylor thinking?Okay, maybe Joan Collins knew what she was doing. After all, she did headline that hilarious 1978 film "Empire Of The Ants" and she did play Alexis Carrington for all of Dynasty's entire 80's run on television. Looking timeless as always, she spent the entire movie arguing with everyone who stepped in her path. Her wigs and wardrobe were fantastic. Her acting was a notch below embarrassing. The only slightly amusing thing about her character was that she called her British accent her 'Hollywood accent'.When Elizabeth Taylor appears in the earlier part of the movie, her performance was reminiscent of the blunders she made at the Golden Globe Awards earlier this year. She appeared discombobulated, jittery and somewhat scary. No doubts, she is still in remission after her brain tumor operation, but she didn't have to appear in this dull telemovie to show it! I kept wondering how many takes the director had to make while she tried to memorize her lines. Half the time her accent changed from "Noo Yawk" to Australian. I love Elizabeth Taylor, but this telemovie exploited her for all she is currently worth. The most unfortunate thing is, the most laughs in this telemovie were during Elizabeth Taylor's scenes and the sad thing is, I don't think she was trying to be funny either.Debbie Reynolds barely got enough screen time. She made several references to her ex-husband Eddie Fisher, disguising him as "Freddie". Most of the time she spent bickering with Joan Collins who kept trying to make a move on her husband, played by Peter Graves. I started to wonder what exactly her character meant to the movie's plot. She seemed to appear only to either get into an argument or break one up.And last but not least, Shirley MacLaine. You might have thought after "Mrs Winterbourne", she would have changed agents. I'm sure whoever her agent is now will receive the full brunt of her anger after starring in this movie. She spends half the time portraying her real-life persona and the other half arguing with her co-stars. The sub-plot involving her gay son was written into the movie to bring out her emotional side. It didn't work. Considering that not even five minutes after she confides in her son about his sexuality, she's driving off in an automobile on hot pursuit of Joan Collins and Debbie Reynolds to engage in yet another countless argument.Sure, there were a few referrals to each actresses' real-life issues, but it was really a tongue-in-cheek joke to appreciate among themselves. When Debbie, Shirley and Joan appeared on stage for their final performance, the build-up of anticipation was almost non-existent. I wondered at the time if this part was the big hurrah? They really didn't spend that much time rehearsing for the performance, and what scenes they did show rehearsing, they always ended up arguing. At the end, there was really nothing to appreciate or applaud for.I felt really sorry for these gifted actresses. The story was tired. The jokes got old really quick and became tired. They deserve better than telemovies, and certainly better than this garbage. ABC should be ashamed of themselves. As was the plot in the movie, this was obviously nothing more than shameless corporate thinking to obtain ratings at the expense of good talent.1/10
