BIG BUSINESS

US, 1988, 97 minutes, Colour.
Bette Midler, Lily Tomlin, Fred Ward, Edward Herrman, Michele Placido.
Directed by Jim Abrahams.

Big Business is an entertaining comedy about big business. It is reminiscent in some ways of the Judy Holliday film of the '50s, The Solid Gold Cadillac. It is directed by Jim Abrahams, one of the team responsible for Flying High as well as the director of the Bette Midler comedy Ruthless People.

Bette Midler is in excellent form here and portrays twins. So does Lily Tomlin, who is also in excellent form. The two make a very entertaining double duo. Fred Ward, star of so many action films, is a genial leading man and there is good support from a range of character actors led by Edward Herrman.

The film satirises big business and its greediness, the death of local industry as well as some gentle spoof on rural life. There are plenty of humorous situations, one-liners, and impersonations by the two stars.

1.Entertaining comedy? Satire on business? Corporations and takeovers? The film as star vehicle for Bette Midler and Lily Tomlin (twice each)?

2.A '40s setting with Jupiter Hollow and the American countryside? The contrast with New York of the '80s? Business, fashion? Corporation boardrooms, hotels?

3.The film as a star vehicle for its stars? Their characterisations and impersonations? Music, the contrast between the backwoods and the city? Songs?

4.The styles of comedy: Marx Bros style, deadpan humour, spoofs, one-liners, farce?

5.The title, the throwback to the socially conscious comedies of Frank Capra in the '30s and '40s? The vindication of the little people? The patterns of struggle?

6.The prologue and the two sets of parents, the city couple and the cantankerous wife (the model for her daughters later)? The husband and his concern, wanting the hospital, buying Jupiter Hollow? The wife and the bribes? The country people and the overtones of Ma and Pa Kettle? The hospital, the births, the babies, the mixing of the babies - and the calling by similar names?

7.The introduction to each set of twins? The strength of Bette Midler and Lily Tomlin? The irony about their appearances, their settings, their being at home and not at home in their settings?

8.The New York couple: Sadie and her toughness, Rose and her being dithering? The company, the plans, the meetings? Sadie and her domination? Rose and her absentmindedness - and food on her teeth etc? Going to the airport and missing the visitor? Having to walk the streets? Rose and Roone and the mix-ups? Sadie and the Italian, the seduction? The blend of rudeness and charm? Rose and the campaign, the advertisements? The Jupiter Hollow couple and their arrival in town: Rose and her strength, taking charge? Sadie and her wanting to enjoy the city? Being overwhelmed by what they saw?

9.Jupiter Hollow and life in the backblocks: the campaign about the factory, Rose in charge, Sadie at home but out of place? Singing? Dresses? Wanting to go to New York? Roone and his golf, wanting them to stay?

10.... business associates, their dithering, having to get things organised, trying to track down Roone, not realising they were looking for the two sisters? Their camp style? Getting Roone, taking him to the meal, taking him home and the contrast with his macho style? Their comeuppance?

11.The Italian businessman, his appearance, suave style, arrival, the encounters with the two Sadies, the seduction and his plan?

12.The humour of the mix-ups, the desk clerk and his wanting to be a Lothario and getting his comeuppance? The timing for the two couples moving around the hotel and missing each other? The money, the buying of the dress? The ladies' room and the discovery of each? The clashes, the reconciliation?

13.The plans for the final board meeting? The two Roses on-side? Roone and his sorting everything out? The country Sadie having to take the place of the city Sadie? The holding of the meeting? The overcoming of the audience, getting them on-side? The meeting and the saving of Jupiter Hollow?

14.The happy ending with everybody reconciled? The two groups of twins aligning themselves properly? Romance, the city, the country?

15.How satisfying and entertaining comedy? Characterisations? Situations? Social message?