Wicked Stepmother
Wicked Stepmother | |
---|---|
Directed by | Larry Cohen |
Written by | Larry Cohen |
Produced by | Robert Littman |
Starring | Bette Davis Barbara Carrera |
Cinematography | Bryan England |
Edited by | David Kern |
Music by | Robert Folk |
Production company | |
Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
Release date |
|
Running time | 93 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $5 million |
Box office | $70,580 (North America) |
Wicked Stepmother is a 1989 American black comedy fantasy film written, produced, and directed by Larry Cohen and starring Bette Davis and Barbara Carrera.
It is best known for being the last film of Bette Davis, who withdrew from the project after filming began, citing major problems with the script, Cohen's direction, and the way she was being photographed.[1] Cohen later claimed she really dropped out due to ill health but avoided publicizing the truth for fear it would affect potential future employment.[2] Davis disputed this claim.[1]
Synopsis
The original plot cast Davis as the title character, a chain-smoking witch named Miranda, who has married Sam while his
The film ends with a hint at a possible sequel.
Cast
- Bette Davis as Miranda Pierpoint
- Barbara Carrera as Priscilla Pierpoint
- Lionel Stander as Sam
- Colleen Camp as Jenny Fisher
- David Rasche as Steve Fisher
- Shawn Donahue as Mike Fisher
- Tom Bosley as Lt. MacIntosh
- Richard Moll as Nathan Pringle
- Evelyn Keyes as Witch Instructor
- James Dixon as Detective Flynn
- Seymour Cassel as Feldshine
Joan Crawford appears in a photo as the deceased wife of Sam and mother of Jenny. The estranged relationship between Jenny and her late mother is a reference to the exposé memoir Mommie Dearest, written by Crawford's adopted daughter, Christina Crawford. Crawford was also known for her feud with Davis during the filming of What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?.
Reception
Box office
Wicked Stepmother was released in the United States on February 3, 1989, and became a box-office bomb, grossing $43,749 in its opening weekend and $70,580 in North America on a budget of $5 million.[3]
Critical response
A review in Fangoria lambasted Wicked Stepmother, stating that "this mind-boggingly awful comedy/fantasy offers no laughs, but does provide some of the creepiest moments of half-dead acting ever committed to film" and "emerges as the first unmitigated disaster from the usually reliable Cohen and a tarnish on the memory of Bette Davis".[4] VideoHound's Golden Movie Retriever gave the film one and a half bone out of four in its 1991 edition,[5] but revised it to one later on, concluding that "Davis's move was wise; the result is dismal, and would have been had she stayed".[6] Blockbuster Entertainment's Guide to Movies and Videos labeled Wicked Stepmother a "horror cheapie" and rated it one out of five stars.[7] In contrast, TV Guide calls the film "a good-natured, occasionally hilarious spookshow, graced with a few ingenious special effects and sassily acted—with Davis giving a gleefully nasty, if abbreviated, last film performance".[8]
Accolades
Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1990 | 12th Stinkers Bad Movie Awards | Worst Picture | Wicked Stepmother | Nominated | [9] |
See also
References
- ^ a b Easton, Nina J. (January 3, 1989). "Bette Davis Smoking Over 'Stepmother'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 15, 2018.
- JSTOR 43459330. Retrieved November 3, 2016.
- ^ "Box office takings in North America, 1988-1999" (XLS). Economics Network. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
- ^ Dr. Cyclops (July 1990). "Wicked Stepmother (MGM/UA)". The Video Eye of Dr. Cyclops. Fangoria. No. 94. p. 30. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
- ISBN 0-8103-9404-9. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
- ISBN 0-8103-9425-1. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
- ISBN 0-440-22275-3. Retrieved November 6, 2023.
- ^ "Wicked Stepmother Review". TV Guide. Archived from the original on August 6, 2012. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
- ^ "The Stinkers 1989 Ballot". Stinkers Bad Movie Awards. Archived from the original on January 16, 2000. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
External links
- Wicked Stepmother at IMDb
- Wicked Stepmother at Rotten Tomatoes