Big Business

I just love this movie - I've seen it several times and it makes me laugh each time. The two lead actresses are wonderful, and perform their roles perfectly. Bette Midler is especially wonderful as the rich bitch.

Two pairs of mismatched identical twins (you'll understand this term when you see this movie) grow up in different American cities. One pair (Midler and Tomlin) grow up in Manhattan, the other pair (played by the same actresses) grow up in their Southern hillbilly birthplace, "Jupiter Hollow." Although this comedy lacks in some departments, it's still worth a viewing. Midler and Tomlin do an admirable job switching personalities... the rich-bungling Tomlin is a perfect match, personality wise, for the podunk Midler; and the rich-snobby Midler is the worthy challenge for the podunk-spunk of Tomlin (again, you'll understand this when you see it).

I love Big Business. The plot device of babies or twins being mixed up at birth isn't new, but it's rarely been done as well as it has here. Credit for that must largely go to the two leads - Bette Midler and Lily Tomlin. Both are outstanding and transition between their dual roles with ease. The support cast is excellent too. Not all of the scenarios that make up the plot are brilliantly funny in themselves, but they are performed so well you'll think they are. I especially love the scene where Bette Midler dances and yodels on a New York street. Something about that always makes me smile. Big Business is over 30 years old as I write this, but it's head and shoulders above lots of the so-called comedy that is foisted on us today. In this age of female empowerment there is a big push to give us movies of all types with strong female leads. Some older movies that originally had a male cast have even been rewritten as vehicles for female stars rather than men (Ghostbusters anyone??) Bette and Lily did it before this trend became a thing and they did it better. If you've never seen this movie, watch it. If you haven't seen it in a while, do yourself a favour and watch it again. It hasn't dated.

"Big Business" is a hilarious, stylish comedy starring Bette Midler and Lily Tomlin as two sets of twins mixed at birth. One mixed set has a successful company in New York City. The other mixed set lives a simpler life in the country. The Sadie twins (Bette Midler) desire the highlife of the city; with its glitz and glamour. So, the Sadie living in the country jumps at the chance to go to New York City when her "sister" Rose needs to travel there to save their local place of employment. The Rose twins (Lily Tomlin) desire a slower way of life, and the Rose living in New York City has never felt like she belonged there. What happens next is a comedy of errors and mixed identity as the Rose and Sadie from the country prepare to do battle with the company run by the Sadie and Rose of the city. Bette Midler and Lily Tomlin both shine in their roles. The finely acted supporting cast includes Fred Ward, Edward Herrmann, and Michael Gross. The movie was very well written and filmed. The use of the trick photography when both sets of twins are together looks great. The comedy in "Big Business" is constant with its sight gags and humor ranging from cheery and campy to slick and nicely sophisticated. "Big Business" is delightful, and a comedy that's hard to outsnake when it comes to laughter.

Big Business is an updated version of Shakespeare's Comedy of Errors. It is directed by Jim Abrahams with astonishing split screen photography by Dean Cundey.

Bette Midler and Lily Tomlin play dual roles. A set of twins switched at birth. Rose and Sadie Shelton were raised by a wealthy couple from New York. Rose and Sadie Ratliff were raised by farmers in Jupiter Hollow where all of them were one born but two of the babies were wrongly mixed up.

The Shelton girls run their father's business Moramax in New York City and plan to shut down the main factory in Jupiter Hollow. Rose (Midler) is tough as nails while Sadie (Tomlin) is meeker and has more scruples.

The Ratliff's visit New York in order to save the factory from closure. Sadie Ratliff (Tomlin) is the more astute and sensible one. Both sets of twins are staying at the same hotel and narrowly avoid meeting each other and not releasing that they are doppelgangers, but they cause mayhem with hotel staff, Moromax employees and even their boyfriends.

Big Business is an easy going fun film, it captures the late 80s 'greed is good' mantra. We see one of the characters modelling herself on Alexis Carrington from Dynasty. It is just a shame that it is not laugh out loud funny.