This movie is undoubtedly one that while it does fit into the cheesy category, it is most definitely a classic.

Death Becomes Her has Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn, and Bruce Willis all in lead roles. The movie is an honestly comic genius.

The Summary

In 1978, in Broadway, the decadent and narcissist actress Madeline Ashton is performing Songbird, based on Tennessee Williams’ Sweet Bird of Youth. Then she receives her rival Helen Sharp, who is an aspiring writer, and her fiancé Ernest Menville, who is a plastic surgeon, in her dressing-room.

Soon Menville calls off his commitment with Helen and marries Madeline. Seven years later, Helen is obese in a psychiatric hospital and obsessed in seeking revenge on Madeline. In 1992, the marriage of Madeline and Menville is finished and he is no longer a surgeon but an alcoholic caretaker.

Out of the blue, they are invited to a party where Helen will release her novel Forever Young and Madeline goes to a beauty shop. The owner gives a business card of the specialist in rejuvenation Lisle Von Rhuman to her. When the envious Madeline sees Helen thin in a perfect shape, she decides to seek out Lisle and buys a potion to become young again. Further, she advises that Madeline must take care of … — Claudio Carvalho, IMDb

Failure In Marriage

Death Becomes Her came out in 1992 and had Streep and Hawn playing two friends, Madeline, played by Streep and Helen who is play by Hawn that are in a one-upmanship style friendship.

The friendship is ruined when Madeline, who is a movie star, steals Helen’s fiancé. Her fiancé Ernest, played by Willis, is an up and coming renowned plastic surgeon. Helen at this point is a mousy and intelligent type and loses rather quickly to her gorgeous “friend.”

Fast forward a few years Helen is back on the scene after vowing vengeance. She is promoting her newest novel and is looking, pardon the pun, drops dead gorgeous. Madeline is dealing with the failure of her career that has come with age. Ernest due to the unhappy marriage has fallen into working as a reconstructive mortician because of drinking.

To prep for the party that Helen is hosting to promote her book, Madeline goes in for a facial. The owner gives her the card of a youth rejuvenation specialist currently in town named Lisle Von Rhuman.

Quite A Party

At the party, Madeline is dumbfounded to see Helen thriving and vibrant. She goes to her young lover only to find him in the arms of a younger woman. Distraught she goes to see this expert Lisle.

Lisle invites her in and reveals to her the potion that grants eternal youth. It comes not only with a hefty price tag but also a hefty couple of rules.

1) 10 years in the limelight and then she has to fake her death and disappear to keep the secret.

2) She must take care of her body. She only has the one. For all eternity. Of course, Madeline makes the deal unknowing about the plot that not only Helen is concocting but also Ernest. Shenanigans from there are spoiler free but suffice it to say that the ending will have you falling to pieces.

This one is an easy review with 10 out of 10 Bloody Cleavers.

Kendra