Customer Reviews

The First Wives Club

5 star:		(68)
4 star:		(24)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(13)

 

 

In 1996, Hugh Wilson directed a very funny comedy about three friends that were all dumped by their husbands for younger women in the film "First Wives Club". Based upon the 1992 novel of the same name by Olivia Goldsmith (1949-2004), the three friends (who had met in college) are brought back together after their fourth friend, Cynthia Swann Griffin (Stockard Channing), jumped from her penthouse apartment in Manhattan after her husband left and she felt totally alone. Upon learning about each others similar marital problems, the surviving friends, which include the boisterous Brenda Cushman (Bette Midler), the movie actress Elise Elliot (Goldie Hawn) and the timid Annie Paradis (Diane Keaton), decide to work together to attain vengence upon their ex-husbands. Brenda's ex-husband, Morton 'Morty' Cushman (Dan Hedaya), wants to marry the very young and shallow Shelly Stewart (Sarah Jessica Parker). Elise's ex-husband, Bill Atchison (Victor Garber), is dating the very young aspiring actress Phoebe LaVelle (Elizabeth Berkley). Annie's separated husband, Aaron Paradis (Stephen Collins), is having an affair with Annie's therapist, Dr. Leslie Rosen (Marcia Gay Harden). To assist them, the trio of first wives enlist help from their friends, which include the interior decorator Duarto Feliz (Bronson Pinchot), Annie's daughter Chris Paradis (Jennifer Dundas), the socialite Gunilla Garson Goldberg (Maggie Smith) and Brenda's Uncle Carmine (Philip Bosco).

Though the plot was somewhat weak and the acting and screen writing were not Oscar-worthy, "First Wives Club" is still very entertaining and engaging. The most memorable acting comes from Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler, Diane Keaton, Sarah Jessica Parker and Victor Garber. The film did receive an Oscar nomination for Best Original Score. Memorable scenes in the film include Cynthia on her balcony, her funeral, the trio at the restaurant, Elise visiting Bill's office, Annie's visits with Dr. Leslie Rosen, Morty's commercial, Shelly with Gunilla, Morty's apartment, the auction, the fight, Annie's purchase, Chris' announcement and the closing scenes. Other memorable characters include Annie's mother Catherine MacDuggan (Eileen Heckart, 1919-2001), Dr. Morris Packman (Rob Reiner) and Brenda's son Jason (Ari Greenberg), as well as cameos by Ivana Trump, Kathie Lee Gifford, Gloria Steinem and former NYC mayor Edward I. Koch. Olivia Goldsmith also made an unaccredited cameo. Overall, I rate "First Wives Club" with 4 out of 5 stars. It's a fun film that both women and men can enjoy, though women may enjoy it more since the men in the film are the bad guys.

I guess I'm a bit behind the eight ball - I just watched this movie for the first time last week - and it was great!!!

Goldie Hawn, Diane Keaton & Bette Midler work wonderfully together in this movie, and they each play their characters to the hilt!!!

The gist of the movie is that these women were all great friends during their teen years but had lost touch through the years. The suicide death of one of their "group" brought them all together once again. While catching up, they realized that they were all going through similar situations in their marriages - they were all being cheated on by their husbands!

Once they figure this out, they decide to put their heads together to come up with inventive ways to get back at their husbands for doing this to them - and I must say they do an excellent job at it!!!

Overall, this is a great comedy to watch with your girlfriends -I'm not sure if the men would be as eager to watch it with you. I give "The First Wives Club" 2 thumbs up!

I love and admire this movie its a make you wanna feel good movie if your going through braking up or the D word..
even if your not going through it its still enjoyable, fun and entertaining.....

I watched this movie as a favorite for a long while and then decided to read the book- and I realized after a few chapters how different the book is to the movie. And yet that is a good thing- since the book version is to me so very isolating and dull, while the movie is heart- warming friendship- comedy type of story which makes it a lot better. So yes- if you are planning to read the book- don't expect it to be at all like the movie, and I don't recommend the book at all.

I do recommend this movie though highly. It is as I said a comedy at a best, with an actual strong cast to carry it off well. It is a true chick- flick, and I knew many men would get upset at it just because of the fact the men in the story didn't get their cake and eat it too. Well too bad. The whole point of the story was that the women helped their husbands get to their lofty positions and then when they got there they dropped the wives after all their love and support for younger trophy wives, and so the first wives got back what they themselves had actually worked for and not the men. If the men want it back they can actually work for it this time on their own. That was the whole point and I felt it was good justice. And no, I don't hate men- but I feel men who do the acts these men did to their first wives had the "What goes around comes around" saying coming to them, and it did. Good ole Karma.

This movie actually was very well- done, with some funny moments and a good amount of realistic drama. Very enjoyable film, especially Goldie whom played her role I felt wonderfully. It's one of my faves on my film shelf.

This is the next generation of chick flick. This is the chick flick for middle aged woman. Starting in the 60's, men and women got married and the woman supported men while he got his college degree or helped him build his business. Then, once successful, they left their wives for younger women.

This is the basis for this film. Cynthia (Stockard Channing), Annie (Diane Keaton), Elise (Goldie Hawn) and Brenda (Bette Middler) are all sorority sisters. Over the years they have lost touch with each other. All married and made their husbands wealthy. When Cynthia's husband leaves her, she commits suicide. The other three reunite after Cynthia's funeral. Each claiming that their shaky marriage is solid.

Eventually, each husband trades in for the younger model. Annie, Elise and Brenda are determined not have a similar fate as Cynthia. Each has their own issues but one by one they pick off the ex's. The best are Elise taking all of the marital assets and selling them for $1 and the next involves society matron Gunulla (Maggie Smith) taking Brenda's ex's bimbo (Jessica Sarah Parker) under her wing.

This is a hilarious fantasy that any person that has been dumped will love. Some of the scenes are silly but overall it hits true.

Bette of course steals the show but Maggie Smith could have stolen the show if her part was bigger.

DVD EXTRAS: None

My daughter and I have watched this film enough times that we can say the lines along with Bette, Goldie and Diane. The three leads are wonderfully funny and poignant as they reconnect and realize that as they get older and their lives become more complicated, their friendship is more important than ever. All the actors, from the ones who play the men in their lives, to Maggie Smith and Phillip Bosco who help the wives turn the tables on the men who left them, to Sarah Jessica Parker who is a hoot as the size 2 mistress, add a lot to the fun.
Buy this DVD and have a Girls' Movie Night.

I have always been a big fan of Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn and Diane Keaton, I bought the picture when it first came out on vhs. I think I viewed it to many times because the picture and sound quality began to fade, thus I looked all over the country side for the dvd version to no avail, so I decided to order it from Amazon.com only to find it on the shelf at Target a few weeks later but I don't regret my purchase, thanks guys. I'm sure I will enjoy it for many years to come. It's such a funny and dramatic picture.

I enjoyed the "First Wives Club"! Directed by Hugh Wilson in 1996, it's a movie many women can identify with about four college friends; Cynthia Swann Griffin (Stockard Channing), Elise Eliot Atchison (Goldie Hawn), Brenda Morelli Cushman (Bette Midler), and Annie MacDuggan Paradis (Diane Keaton). After graduation, each busy with her own life, time races by and the four lose track of each other. When Cynthia commits suicide Elise, Brenda, and Annie are reunited at her funeral and begin rekindling their friendship.

Getting reacquainted they learn that each of them has been tossed aside and replaced by younger woman in their men's lives, after many years of marriage. Brenda is separated from her husband but hopes to reconcile, Annie and her husband are in therapy and also separated, and Elise, an actress who worries she is past her prime, is faced with splitting everything and making alimony payments to her soon to be ex-husband. During a pity party, they realize it would be much better to spend their energy in getting even than to staying angry, feeling sorry for themselves, or following Cynthia's lead. To accomplish their goal a strategy tailored to each man is set in motion. I especially enjoyed the scene where Elise delivers the proceeds from the sale of their assets to her husband!
Although the girls start out seeking revenge, their focus begins to shift as the self-confidence they had in their youth is resurrected and they realize that life, like each of them, still has much more to offer. A great ending!

I love the movie. These girls have the right attitude...Revenge is the best medicine!

After years of helping their hubbies climb the ladder of success, three wives have been dumped for newer, curvier models. But the trio is determined to turn their pain into gain. They come up with a cleverly devious plan to hit their exes where it really hurts - in the wallet! Sit back and watch the sparks fly as The Wives get mad, get even and get it all. Justice has seldom been so sweet. Or so much fun. A dynamite cast and a great script make a great comedy, and The First Wives Club is just that. Having Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler and Diane Keaton together for a picture should guarantee that this movie is going to be something special, and it is, a witty, breezy comedy. It's a great, great movie, one with many fabulous comedic moments and some star turns. The perfect comedy.