TROOP BEVERLEY HILLS
US, 1989, 106 minutes, Colour.
Shelley Long, Craig T.Nelson, Stephanie Beacham, Mary Gross, Betty Thomas.
Directed by Jeff Kanew.
Troop Beverley Hills is a star vehicle for Shelley Long. She plays a Beverley Hills socialite who is in charge of a team of Wilderness Girls. If audiences have seen Private Benjamin or any other film like it, they will be in no doubt as to how Shelley handles her troop of spoilt and indulged girls - except for the fact that she teaches them survival techniques for the hotels and shops of Beverley Hills.
The film is slight, pleasantly amusing. Shelley Long is a commanding screen presence and dominates Craig T. Nelson as her estranged husband but not quite Betty Thomas as her strong arch enemy in the troop. Mary Gross has an amusing supporting role - sent to infiltrate the troop. Direction is by Jeff Kanew, whose films range from the sombre Natural Enemies to the action Eddie Macon's Run to the humour of Tough Guys and, surprisingly, The Revenge of the Nerds.
1.Enjoyable comedy? Social comment and satire? Piece of American style humour?
2.Los Angeles, Beverley Hills and its locations, wealthy homes, shops, hotels? The surroundings? Musical score and songs?
3.The title and audience expectations? Poking fun?
4.Phyllis and Shelley Long's screen presence? Her application for leadership of the Wilderness Girls and her gossip, spending money, thriftiness? Her lavish style? Cars and clothes? Her daughter? Estrangement from her husband? Their arguments about what had happened in their marriage? Her jealousy and spying on him? Entertaining the girls - and her range of incongruous costumes? The meetings? The clash with Valda at the meeting? Her decision to work with the girls? Fred's scepticism? The getting of the uniforms, getting hers tailor-made? The outing and its raining, roughing it in style? The hotel, telling the stories? Valda's reaction? Getting her underling to infiltrate? The spying, the photos - but success? Teaching the girls survival skills in Beverley Hills - and the satire on their wealth, being spoilt? The girls banding together? Phyllis and her success? The selling of the cookies - and their being outwitted? The decision to win the competition - roughing it, keeping going, winning the first competition, the clash with Valda? The breaking of the bridge? Seeing Valda injured, the decision to bring her back? Winning the race, the last one across the line? The example for the girls - charity and concern? Fred's admiration? Her bond with her daughter? Happy ending?
5.The girls, their wealthy background, actor fathers, overseas trippers? The Asian dictator and his wife? The lonely girls? Together, the troop, enjoying Phyllis's company, the stories, being spoilt, the shopping? The clash with the rugged Wilderness Girls? Working together, their final victory? The danger on the log across the river - symbol of achievement?
6.Fred, his ambitions, support by Phyllis, the advertisements? Alienation, her shopping? His moving out, trying to remind her of what she was? His girlfriends - and the socials, the parties? Exciting her jealousy? Supporting her and her achievement, the reconciliation?
7.Valda, the caricature of the tough Wilderness Woman, rousing on her daughter, her daughter calling her `Sir'? The meetings, the clash with Phyllis? At executive meetings? Her underling and the infiltration? Growing exasperation, visiting the hotel? The cookies and her techniques? The photos? The competition, her wanting to win, going with the girls, her injuries, being carried back, being sacked?
8.Valdaa's underling, under her command, the infiltration, moving in with the family, taking the photos, seemingly compromising? Reporting back? Her decision to throw the camera away, support Phyllis, share in the success?
9.The parents and their wealth, manner of living, holidays, relationship with their daughters, promises - and not fulfilled promises? Their daughters' achievements, at the end and success?
10.The light touch, expected comedy, Beverley Hills style, Shelley Long's fashions - and the number of guest stars turning up: Pia Zadora, Cheech Marron etc?
