BIG BUSINESS (1988)

Directed By: Jim Abrahams
Written By: Dani Pierson & Marc Rubel
Cinematography By: Dean Cundey
Editor: Harry Kermidas

CAST: Bette Midler, Lilly Tomlin, Fred Ward, Edward Herrmann, Barry Primus, Deborah Rush, Michael Gross, Mary Gross, Seth Green, Lewis Arquette


In the 1940s in the small town of Jupiter Hollow, two sets of identical twins are born in the same hospital on the same night. One set to a poor local family and the other to a rich family just passing through. The dizzy nurse on duty accidentally mixes the twins unbeknown to the parents. Our story flashes forward to the 1980s where the mismatched sets of twins are about to cross paths following a big business deal to closedown the Jupiter Hollow factory.

This film was originally written to Star Barbara Streisand and Goldie Hawn. When the filmmakers couldn’t film in the Plaza Hotel The studio recreated it on sound Stages then based a Sitcom Around the sets once filming was finished. The Sitcom The NUTT HOUSE was quickly canceled and became a very expensive flop.

I am just going to admit it when I was a kid. I loved this film as I have gotten older and watched it. I see it’s limitations.

I will admit to not being the manliest person in my appreciation. I used to sing Bette Midler’s song “We’re gonna kick them”. I was huge and still am a big fan of Bette Midler from BEACHES to this film and beyond. I even saw her remake of STELLA in the theaters.

Now while I have at first never gotten Lily Tomlin’s humor, but I respect her. I love that this film feels like a 1950’s style comedy classic. From it’s premise, to it’s characters, To it’s fashion. It’s a madcap comedy involving mistaken identities, Switched at birth and let’s the leads do double duty playing dual roles and manage to create distinct different characters. Who happen to look alike.
It’s a fun if dated film. That as long as you go with it and don’t think about. It’s enjoyable almost a family film if not for a few scenes of risqué humor.

The cluelessness of Fred Ward’s southerner to realize that the men he is staying with are homosexual. No matter all the evidence they offer. The film even has a cookie cutter ending offering everything wrapped up in a nice bow.

I like the film for it’s simpleness. it’s not dead nor does it pretend to be. It is out to entertain and just have fun with it. While showing the beautiful sights of 1980’s new York. It makes you feel cosmopolitan. It also remains nice and quaint fairytale.

I guess it inspires nostalgia in me. As do most of the 80’s films. I will admit a weakness for them as they remind me of my youth and when my film education was forming. I knew I liked them, But didn’t feel a obligation to them. They weren’t something I saw as what I wanted to do with the rest of my life.

GRADE: B-