Goldie & Meryl are "Perfection" in ‘Death Becomes Her’ 1992

Goldie Hawn & Meryl Streep: Best frenemies in 1992's satire "Death Becomes Her."

The particulars of plastic surgery and cosmetic enhancements had just become common knowledge when Death Becomes Her was released in 1992. Three decades of Internet and social media later, critiques of who’s had what done has become a 24/7 public pastime. Death Becomes Her took it one step further, adding a youth serum that is also the stuff of eternal life. The black comedy revolves around a dysfunctional romantic triangle, so comedic chaos ensues.

Meryl Streep's showbiz vixen vamps Bruce Willis' agog plastic surgeon, with
Goldie Hawn as his fiancée who looks on nervously, in 1992's "Death Becomes Her."

Death Becomes Her reminds me of 1987's The Witches of Eastwick, where another eternal topic (male/female relations) boasts a starry cast, but gets upstaged by special effects, with a summer action flick style finale. In Death Becomes Her, the effects still hold up very well and provide solid laughs. But it's the cast, situations, and some memorable lines that give this movie its eternal glow.

Two competing females/frenemies fight over a renowned plastic surgeon, nerdish Ernest Menville. Helen Sharp is the wannabe writer/fiancee who introduces her man to hack actress/narcissist Madeline Ashton. Guess what? Like Jolene, “Mad” takes Ernest away from “Hel,” just because she can.

Meryl Streep is a riot as hack actress Madeline Ashton in "Death Becomes Her."
Here, Ashton tries a musical version of Tennessee Williams' "Sweet Bird of Youth!"

We first meet the trio at Madeline’s musical version of Sweet Bird of Youth, called Songbird! This hooty homage to an era when classic movies were turned into cheesy musicals lets Meryl show off her musical and comedic chops. As audience members disgustedly leave, Ernest is enthralled. And Helen’s worried.

Goldie Hawn as Helen goes big when she loses her man to Meryl Streep's star in
 "Death Becomes Her." Comfort is canned frosting, kitties, and movies where
 Madeline Ashton dies!

Seven years later, Helen becomes an obese cat lady, nursing her grudge with frosting from a can. Helen watches Madeline in an old “woman in jeopardy” movie on TV, just so she can rewind the scene where Ashton gets strangled!

Goldie’s hilarious as delusional Helen, in group therapy, when she hesitates and then says, "I would like to talk about Madeline Ashton..." Then her group starts screaming in unison... I know people who inspire the same reaction!

 

Bruce Willis & Meryl Streep as the unhappy couple who see Goldie Hawn's writer
for the first time in 14 years, in "Death Becomes Her." 

Madeline is even more washed up and dissatisfied with her marriage, after she wore down Ernest from a brilliant plastic surgeon to drunken undertaker. It’s now another seven years later, the unhappy couple accepts an invite to Helen’s book signing party, who seemingly has worked through her issues. “Hel” is now a self-help author, slimmed down and sexed up, and she can lord it over “Mad,” who looks well past her sell-by date.

"Hel" looks hella fine now! Goldie Hawn in 1992's "Death Becomes Her."

After a humiliating trip to the beauty spa and her young beau, Madeline seeks out mysterious guru Lisle, from a tip at the spa. I love the scene that is a comic ode to Lana Turner’s hysterical rainy night drive after fleeing her cad’s house in The Bad and the Beautiful. Death tweaks this as “Mad” catches a look at her haggard self in the rear view mirror and screams! The scenes between Isabella Rossellini’s grandiose youth guru and Streep’s desperate actress are delicious. Lisle looks like a soft core Disney villainess, opposite a drenched and bedraggled Madeline, peering over her sunglasses, with blunt comments. Lisle’s house looks like Cher would live there—who might have made a terrific Lisle herself!

And never ask another woman, “How old do you think I am?”

Isabella Rossellini as Lisle & Meryl Streep as fading star Madeline Ashton have the most hilarious scenes together in "Death Becomes Her."

After the deal is struck for the potion, Madeline heads home, only to find out that Helen's been scheming with Ernest and their plan does not include eternal life for her. The star’s “eternity” potion didn't even get a test drive, and this time she gets strangled for real. But “Mad” ain’t over yet!

While entertaining, this is where the movie begins to go from smart satire and gives over to slapstick and special effects. And like The Witches of Eastwick, there was some significant re-shooting regarding the later scenes. Thankfully, there are still some good lines along the way, but the premise which is wicked and smart, loses out to the cartoon-style wrap-up. Watch the trailer for Death Becomes Her on YouTube and you’ll see a number of bits that didn’t make it into the final film.

Madeline just needs a little tweaking after her accident in "Death Becomes Her."

Meryl Streep is terrific as the comic villain, the aging bimbo actress. I've often enjoyed her more in comedy than drama. Meryl's a bit miscast as the hack glam actress (think Morgan Fairchild or Joan Collins), so this isn't Meryl’s natural habitat. But Streep’s comedic acting is hilarious and she's a good sport for looking and acting awful as the aging showbiz shrew. 

Goldie Hawn's "Hel" is going to need a lot of "filler!" 1992's "Death Becomes Her."

Goldie Hawn is a natural at comedy, of course, and she's quite skilled here, though her role isn't quite as big and flashy as Meryl's. The scene where the cops bust in on reclusive Helen and her cats and canned frosting indulgences is a riot.

Maybe Madeline Ashton should have done a musical version of "Who's Afraid of
 Virginia Woolf?" with hubby Ernest as George! Meryl Streep & Bruce Willis
in "Death Becomes Her."

Bruce Willis has the straight man role and is quite good with his humorous but natural reactions, and gets to be a comic nerd, instead of the smirking hero.

Director Sydney Pollack has an amusing cameo as the doc who can’t believe that dead Madeline seems very much alive.

Director Sydney Pollack was also a fine comic actor. Here as Meryl Streep's
shocked doc in 1992's "Death Becomes Her."

There's some fun symmetry between Madeline and Helen's behavior. “Mad's” bit in her dressing room before receiving guests, practicing her “surprised” reaction to them, is a giggle. Later, “Hel” first rehearses tears for Ernest on his doorstep in front of her mirror!

Also noteworthy: First Madeline takes the plunge down the staircase, then later Ernest does so as he tries to flee these divas, and when Helen needs a hand on the steps at Ernest’s funeral, both women go flying.

My favorite moment is accompanied by “Mad” clawing at the staircase while overhearing this assessment of Ashton by “Hel”:  “She was a home wrecker, she was a man-eater, and she was a BAD actress!”

Isabella Rossellini as Lisle steals her handful of scenes in 1992's "Death Becomes Her."

Director Robert Zemeckis gives Death Becomes Her superb visual style and keeps the craziness moving at a brisk clip. But one wonders what his greater statement was about this satire on seekers of eternal youth, as the movie gives in to slapstick. Screenwriters Martin Donovan and David Koepp supply a number of memorable one-liners and visual gags, right up to the movie’s final line.