SHE-DEVIL

US, 1989, 99 minutes, Colour.
Meryl Streep, Roseanne Barr, Ed Begley Jr, Lilnda Hunt, Sylvia Miles.
Directed by Susan Seidelman.

She-Devil is based on Faye Weldon's celebrated novel, The Life and Loves of a She-Devil. It was dramatised by British Television as miniseries in the mid 80s. Here it is adapted for a New York situation and Americanised.

It is a stylish blend of domestic comedy and satire. The film gives Rosanne Barr, famous for her television series in the late 80s, an opportunity to move to the big screen. She relies on her image of the large and somewhat ugly woman - who nevertheless is vindicated. She is contrasted with Meryl Streep, appearing at her most beautiful and elegant. Streep's satire of a character who writes pulp romantic novels is superb with excellent timing and gesture. Ed Begley Jnr is good as the callow husband, caught up in an affair, and betrayed by his vengeful wife. The supporting cast includes Sylvia Miles as Streep's gruff Mother and Linda Hunt as a nurse who helps Barr with her revenge.

The film is visually striking, has humorous musical background and songs, has a great deal of witty and spoof dialogue. It may not be everybody's enjoyment - and might tend to take it far too realistically. It is something of a companion piece to The War of the Roses, the black comedy with Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner, which was released at the same time.

Direction is by Susan Seidelman who made such amusing comedies as Smithereens, Desperately Seeking Susan, Cookie.

1. Comedy, Satire, Spoof? Family themes? Relationships?

2. The New York settings, the countryside? The ordinary compared with the Fashionable and the affluent? The importance of colour and design, pinks and pastel? Decor, clothing? The musical score, the satirical songs?

3. The credits: satin and fire, creating a mood?

4. The stylised nature of the film: Ruth's voiceover and the tone of her commentary? Audience sharing Ruth's perspective - or not? The importance of editing and the mood between the various characters and the comments on each of the characters by the other? The design, posturing? Dialogue and humour? The special effects to make it more stylised - Ruth and Hooper painting the office? The focus on Ruth's list? The final glint in Ruth's eye?

5. Rosanne Barr's presence and style as Ruth? Her commentary on herself and her beauty and ugliness, her size? Her need for beauty treatment? Her comment on Mary Fisher, on Bob? The audience continuing to hear her perspective on what was going on? Looking at her list? The opening, the unkind looking at her face and figure? Going in for facials, watching Mary Fisher on television? Ringing Bob, going to the social event, her awkwardness, spilling the wine, the effect on her, in the car? Waiting through the night, theories about Bob's lateness, reaction to his return? Seeing her at home with the children?

6. The build up to his parents' visit, the cooking and her failures, her failing with the tray, the food and the dead rat, angers, humiliated by Bob, announcing that Mary Fisher was his mistress? Audiences taking sides?

7. The presentation of Mary Fisher and her glamour, the TV program, the homes of the rich and famous? How unreal character did she seem? Made up, manner, walking in style, clothes? Her home? Pink as her favourite colour? Her novels, their reputation? Her age and lying? Her mother and the home? The party, the encounter with Ruth, falling in love with Bob, his driving her home, the introduction to Mary and whether audience sympathies were with her or not?

8. At home, Garcia as the butler, his appearance, reactions? Bob and the affair? Bob's lies? Her making him her accountant? The conduct of the affair, the bed, the pool? The kids and Ruth's arrival?

9. Ruth leaving the kids with her, their mess, load, on the phone, the dog, and its leaping over the cliff (and her funeral for it)? The meals and the behaviour? Her becoming more domestic, the laundry and the bleach? Garcia and his laziness? The maid and her angers? Garcia dancing with the kids? Her decision to put her foot down and demand discipline?

10. Mrs Fisher at the home, sedated, becoming lively with Ruth's help, her attitude to Mary, the arrival at the front door, her bluntness, behaviour at meals, her laughter, her interview with the magazine people and revealing the truth about Mary's age, the baby son? Her being ousted from the home and having to stay with Mary?

11. Ruth and the effect of the situation on her? Becoming a she-devil? Her revenge, her plan, burning the house down, dumping the kids with Mary and Bob? Becoming a nurse, going Into the home, the interview with the superintendent, becoming friendly, changing the pills, persuading the old women to play games? Friendship with Hooper, the temptations of the cakes? Her name of Vesta Rose? leaving with Hooper? Investing the money, cleaning up the old building, making an office, the satire on the TV commercials about opportunity for women like Hooper? The women clients, the Chinese lady going to the courts, seeming glamorous after Bob - the advertisements? His reading the advertisement? his office, Ruth egging on the girl? Her falling in love, her relief? Infiltrating the office, changing the computers, Jackie Collins accounts? Mary's account? The setup for his loss of freedom? Sending the photocopy of the sex encounter to Mary?

12. Mary and the change, her mother, attitude to Garcia? Discipline? The book: Love and the Romance Cycle? her agent's rejection and her scene in the restaurant? Her trying to keep her composure? The expose? Publishing the novel, no autographs? The clash with Bob? His behaviour, her seeing the photocopy? The party, and all the glamorous guests? Bob behaving, his speech - and arrest?

13. Bob and his character, weak, a stereotype of the fickle male? The girls, going to the lawyer? Mary dismissing him? The trial, the setup for the Judge? Ruth changing the judge? The sentence, going to prison, his life there, learning to cook? The visit of the kids? Ruth? His hopes for being letting out? Reform?

14. Ruth and her revenge, the transformation, her self-image, improving herself? Going for the autograph, the irony of Mary writing thanks? The glint in her eye? A future with Bob or not?

15. Mary, the new book, her changed appearance, the TV interviews, signing of the autographs - changed situation for her? Improvement?

16. A cautionary tale of love, family, relationships, betrayal, career, pretentiousness and truth?