Death Becomes Her

Movie Details:

Cast & Characters:

• Meryl Streep as Madeline Ashton
• Goldie Hawn as Helen Sharp
• Bruce Willis as Dr. Ernest Menville
• Isabella Rossellini as Lisle von Rhuman
• Ian Ogilvy as Chagall
• Adam Storke as Dakota Williams
• Alaina Reed Hall as Psychologist
• Michelle Johnson as Anna Jones
• Mary Ellen Trainor as Vivian Adams
• Susan Kellermann as second ER doctor
• William Frankfather as Mr. Roy Franklin
• John Ingle as Eulogist
• Debra Jo Rupp as Patient
• Fabio as Lisle’s bodyguard
• Sydney Pollack as ER doctor (uncredited)

Storyline:

When a novelist loses her man to a movie star and former friend, she winds up in a psychiatric hospital. Years later, she returns home to confront the now-married couple, looking radiant. Her ex-husband’s new wife wants to know her secret, and discovers that she has been taking a mysterious drug which grants eternal life to the person who drinks it. The actress follows suit, but discovers that immortality has a price.

About Movie:

Death Becomes Her is an American satirical dark comedy fantasy directed and produced by Robert Zemeckis, with a screenplay by David Koepp and Martin Donovan. The film features a star cast, including Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn, Bruce Willis, and Isabella Rossellini.

Filming commenced on December 9, 1991, and concluded on April 7, 1992, in Los Angeles. Notable locations included the Greystone Mansion for Ernest’s funeral home, and the Ebell of Los Angeles for Helen’s book party. The exterior of Madeline and Ernest’s mansion was filmed at 1125 Oak Grove Avenue in San Marino, while the interior scenes were created on a soundstage. The iconic final scene, where Helen and Madeline tumble down the stairs outside a chapel, was shot at Mount St. Mary’s University in Brentwood.

Released by Universal Pictures on July 31, 1992, Death Becomes Her received mixed reviews but was lauded for its groundbreaking use of computer-generated effects, ultimately winning the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. Over time, it has earned cult status and is particularly beloved within the queer community.

Budget & Box Office Collection: