Used People

Last updated
Used People
Used people poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Beeban Kidron
Screenplay by Todd Graff
Based onThe Grandma Plays
by Todd Graff
Produced by Peggy Rajski
Starring
Cinematography David Watkin
Edited by John Tintori
Music by Rachel Portman
Production
companies
Distributed by 20th Century Fox [1]
Release date
  • December 16, 1992 (1992-12-16)
Running time
115 minutes
Countries
LanguageEnglish
Budget$16 million [2]
Box office$28 million [3]

Used People is a 1992 romantic comedy film directed by Beeban Kidron. [4] The film stars Shirley MacLaine, Marcello Mastroianni, Bob Dishy, Kathy Bates, Marcia Gay Harden, Jessica Tandy, Doris Roberts and Joe Pantoliano. The screenplay by Todd Graff, [4] adapted from his 1988 off-Broadway play The Grandma Plays, [5] takes a humorous look at a highly dysfunctional family living in the New York City borough of Queens circa 1969. It is an international co-production between Japan and the United States.

Contents

Plot summary

In 1969, Pearl Berman has just returned home from her husband Jack's funeral, her grief disrupted by her many relatives animatedly discussing which parkway offered the best route to the cemetery. Pearl's family tackles any and every subject – from body odor to toilets to Tupperware to borscht – as if it is worthy of a major debate.

Into a household filled with kvetchers steps Joe Meledandri, a distinguished Italian who years ago met Pearl's wayward husband in a bar, and convinced him to return to her. He has desired her ever since, and now that Pearl is a widow, Joe feels the time is right to make his move. He invites her for coffee, his first step on the road to seduction.

What remains to be seen is if he can overcome family objections to religious differences and if he is willing to accept Pearl's daughters: the lonely, overweight Bibby and the pretty but psychologically unstable Norma, who dresses up as celebrities to escape the grief that has overwhelmed her since the death of one of her children and divorce from her husband. At her father's funeral, Norma dresses up the way Jackie Kennedy appeared at the funeral of her husband; appears as Marilyn Monroe as she serves her surviving son his breakfast; and also impersonates Faye Dunaway and Barbra Streisand, among others, and those are just some of the crazy relatives who come as part of the package.

Cast

Principal production credits

Reception

As of October 2019, Used People holds a rating of 44% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 16 reviews. [6]

In her review in The New York Times , Janet Maslin observed, "As directed by Beeban Kidron, [the film] makes an international issue out of an Italian-Jewish courtship. It also slathers the ethnic equivalent of corn onto every sentimental scene." [7]

Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote, "The movie is by turns serious, satirical, bittersweet, maudlin, satirical, romantic, and farcical... MacLaine is a pro and survives the material... We care about her enough, indeed, to wonder if meeting the Mastroianni character is really the best thing that could have happened to her. He doesn't often seem like a real human in this movie; he's more like an all-purpose writer's device. The odds are against any sane person being able to behave like this man... what the movie could not overcome, for me at least, is the lack of any convincing romantic chemistry between [the two]." [8]

Variety stated, "A modern, absurdist sensibility informs the soap opera Used People... which harks back to '50s weepies... MacLaine's precise acting is laudatory and balanced by a very sympathetic turn by twinkle-eyed Mastroianni, in his best English-language role by far. The support ensemble is excellent." [9]

Rita Kempley of The Washington Post said, "Used People wants to be Moonstruck with matzo balls, but it's less an eccentric romantic comedy than an icky, three-layered Jewish mother joke... it's rich in character if rather trite in theme and scene." [10]

In The New Yorker , Michael Sragow observed, "Life goes on – for the audience, seemingly forever — in yet another ethnic comedy-drama ... In the end, love conquers everything from religious differences to mental illness: everything, that is, except the forced eccentricity and bickering stereotypes in Todd Graff's script." [11]

In his review of the videotape release, Ty Burr of Entertainment Weekly rated the film C− and added, "Everything's in italics in this Jewish Moonstruck... MacLaine honks nasally ... Mastroianni talks in spumoni aphorisms... the score oompahs with grating merriment as characters parade cutesy tics instead of human traits. With stars as gifted as Jessica Tandy, Sylvia Sidney, and Kathy Bates drowning in the tough-talking treacle, it's one of those movies that gives New York a worse name than it already has." [12]

The film grossed $18 million in the United States and Canada, [13] and $10 million overseas for a worldwide total of $28 million. [3]

Accolades

Marcello Mastroianni was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy and Shirley MacLaine was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. The Casting Society of America nominated Mary Colquhoun for the Artios Award for Best Casting for a Dramatic Feature Film.[ citation needed ]

Home video

Initially distributed by 20th Century Fox on its initial release in 1992, Warner Home Video released a DVD on March 22, 2011 as part of the Warner Archive Collection.

Related Research Articles

<i>The Apartment</i> 1960 film by Billy Wilder

The Apartment is a 1960 American romantic comedy film directed and produced by Billy Wilder from a screenplay he co-wrote with I. A. L. Diamond. It stars Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, Fred MacMurray, Ray Walston, Jack Kruschen, David Lewis, Willard Waterman, David White, Hope Holiday and Edie Adams.

<i>Terms of Endearment</i> 1983 drama film directed by James L. Brooks

Terms of Endearment is a 1983 American family tragicomedy film directed, written, and produced by James L. Brooks, adapted from Larry McMurtry's 1975 novel of the same name. It stars Debra Winger, Shirley MacLaine, Jack Nicholson, Danny DeVito, Jeff Daniels, and John Lithgow. The film covers 30 years of the relationship between Aurora Greenway (MacLaine) and her daughter Emma Greenway-Horton (Winger).

<i>Moonstruck</i> 1987 film by Norman Jewison

Moonstruck is a 1987 American romantic comedy film directed by Norman Jewison and written by John Patrick Shanley. It stars Cher as a widowed Italian American woman who falls in love with her fiancé's hot-tempered, estranged younger brother, played by Nicolas Cage. The supporting cast includes Danny Aiello, Olympia Dukakis and Vincent Gardenia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shirley MacLaine</span> American actress, and author (born 1934) .

Shirley MacLaine is an American actress and author. With a career spanning over 70 years, she has received numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, an Emmy Award, two BAFTA Awards, six Golden Globe Awards, two Volpi Cups, and two Silver Bears. She has been honored with the Film Society of Lincoln Center Tribute in 1995, the Cecil B. DeMille Award in 1998, the AFI Life Achievement Award in 2012, and the Kennedy Center Honor in 2014. MacLaine is one of the last remaining stars from the Golden Age of Hollywood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marcello Mastroianni</span> Italian actor (1924–1996)

Marcello Vincenzo Domenico Mastroianni was an Italian film actor and one of the country's most iconic male performers of the 20th century. He played leading roles for many of Italy's top directors in a career spanning 147 films between 1939 and 1996, and garnered many international honours including two BAFTA Awards, two Best Actor awards at the Venice and Cannes film festivals, two Golden Globes, and three Academy Award nominations.

<i>To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar</i> 1995 film by Beeban Kidron

To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar is a 1995 American road comedy film directed by Beeban Kidron and starring Wesley Snipes, Patrick Swayze, and John Leguizamo as three New York City drag queens who embark on a road trip. Its title refers to an iconic autographed photo of Julie Newmar that they carry with them on their journey. Newmar also has a cameo appearance in the film as herself.

<i>What a Way to Go!</i> 1964 film by J. Lee Thompson

What a Way to Go! is a 1964 American black comedy film directed by J. Lee Thompson and starring Shirley MacLaine, Paul Newman, Robert Mitchum, Dean Martin, Gene Kelly, Bob Cummings and Dick Van Dyke.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chiara Mastroianni</span> French actress and singer (born 1972)

Chiara Charlotte Mastroianni is a French actress and singer. She is the daughter of actors Marcello Mastroianni and Catherine Deneuve.

<i>Rumor Has It</i> (film) 2005 American film

Rumor Has It is a 2005 American romantic comedy film directed by Rob Reiner, and starring Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Costner, Shirley MacLaine and Mark Ruffalo. The concept of the screenplay by Ted Griffin is that a woman learns that her mother and grandmother may be the inspiration for the 1963 novel The Graduate by Charles Webb. The film received negative reviews from critics and was a box office disappointment, grossing $88.9 million against its $70 million budget.

<i>Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow</i> 1963 Italian film

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow is a 1963 comedy anthology film by Italian director Vittorio De Sica. It stars Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni. The film consists of three short stories about couples in different parts of Italy. The film won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film at the 37th Academy Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beeban Kidron</span> British film director and politician (born 1961)

Beeban Tania Kidron, Baroness Kidron,, is a British politician. She is an advocate for children's rights in the digital world and has played a role in establishing standards for online safety and privacy across the world.

<i>Loving Couples</i> (1980 film) 1980 film by Jack Smight

Loving Couples is a 1980 American romantic comedy film written by Martin Donovan and directed by Jack Smight. It stars Shirley MacLaine, James Coburn, Susan Sarandon and Stephen Collins.

<i>The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom</i> 1968 British film by Joseph McGrath

The Bliss of Mrs. Blossom is a 1968 British comedy film directed by Joseph McGrath and starring Shirley MacLaine, Richard Attenborough and James Booth. The screenplay by Alec Coppel and Denis Norden was adapted from a play by Coppel that was based on a short story by Josef Shaftel, who served as the film's producer.

<i>Ask Any Girl</i> (film) 1959 film

Ask Any Girl is a 1959 American romantic comedy film directed by Charles Walters and starring David Niven, Shirley MacLaine, and Gig Young. It was produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and based on a novel by Winifred Wolfe.

<i>Bruno</i> (2000 film) 2000 American film

Bruno is a 2000 American comedy film starring Alex D. Linz and Shirley MacLaine. The film is the first and, as of 2024, the only film ever directed by MacLaine.

<i>Woman Times Seven</i> 1967 film by Vittorio De Sica

Woman Times Seven is a 1967 sex comedy anthology film directed by Vittorio De Sica. It consists of seven segments, all starring Shirley MacLaine, most of which deal with aspects of adultery.

Largo Entertainment was a production company founded in 1989. It was run by film producer Lawrence Gordon and was backed by electronics firm Victor Company of Japan, Ltd. (JVC) in an investment that cost more than $100 million. The production company released their first film, Point Break in 1991 and their last film was Grey Owl in 1999.

<i>Tammy</i> (film) 2014 American film by Ben Falcone

Tammy is a 2014 American road comedy film directed and co-written by Ben Falcone and produced, co-written by, and starring Melissa McCarthy as the title character. The film also stars Susan Sarandon, Allison Janney, Gary Cole, Mark Duplass, Nat Faxon, Toni Collette, Sandra Oh, with Dan Aykroyd, and Kathy Bates. The film tells the story of a woman named Tammy who hits the road with her profane, alcoholic grandmother after finding out her husband is cheating. Tammy was released in theaters on July 2, 2014.

Elsa y Fred is a 2005 Spanish-Argentine film co-production directed by Marcos Carnevale and starring Manuel Alexandre, China Zorrilla and Federico Luppi. An American remake of the film was released in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David di Donatello for Best Foreign Actress</span> Former annual Italian film award

The David di Donatello for Best Foreign Actress is a category in the David di Donatello Awards, described as "Italy's answer to the Oscars". It was awarded by the Accademia del Cinema Italiano to recognize outstanding efforts on the part of non-Italian film actresses during the year preceding the ceremony. The award was created during the second edition of the ceremony, in 1957, and cancelled after the 1996 event. The award was not granted in 1958.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Used People". American Film Institute . Retrieved 2015-12-09.
  2. ↑ Gritten, David (1992-12-19). "A Director's Coming of Age : Beeban Kidron Moves Into Big Budgets and Top Stars With Bittersweet Dramatic : Comedy 'Used People'". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 2015-12-09.
  3. 1 2 Klady, Leonard (January 3, 1994). "Warner Bros. tops hot box office 100". Variety . p. 42.
  4. 1 2 "Used People". Turner Classic Movies . Retrieved April 19, 2016.
  5. ↑ The Grandma Plays at the New York Times
  6. ↑ "Used People". Rotten Tomatoes .
  7. ↑ New York Times review
  8. ↑ Chicago Sun-Times review
  9. ↑ Variety review
  10. ↑ The Washington Post review
  11. ↑ The New Yorker review
  12. ↑ Entertainment Weekly review
  13. ↑ "Used People". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved 2015-12-09.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.