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Actors: Susan Saint James, Jane Curtain, Jessica Lange, Richard Benjamin, Fred Willard, Eddie Albert, Dabnet Coleman
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| Review Summary and Plot Commentary about How to Beat the High Cost of Living |
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Three Oregon women, all feeling the overwhelmingly expensive consequences of inflation, conspire to eliminate their financial difficulties by burglarizing a local shopping mall in this amusing comedy.
Jane (Susan Saint-James) is a divorcee struggling with late child-support payments from her useless, high-school coach ex-husband. Pregnant by her boyfriend, Jane wants to get married but does not have the money to do so. Louise (Jessica Lange) is happily married to dentist Albert (Richard Benjamin) and runs an unprofitable antiques shop on the side. Albert refers to the unsuccessful venture as a “hobby“, but Louise adores her shop and needs the funds to keep it going … or face being hassled by the IRS. Elaine's (Jane Curtain) unfaithful architect husband has recently walked out, leaving Elaine with a huge pile of unpaid, expensive bills.
The three economically frustrated friends are pleased to learn that their local mall is sponsoring an “inflation fighting” contest, featuring a giant, plastic money ball with thousands upon thousands of dollars swimming around inside it. If a person guesses the correct amount of cash, the money is hers. Elaine comes up with a plan to steal the money out of the ball and split it three ways with Jane and Louise, but one hilarious mishap after another tries to keep the friends from accomplishing their risky goal.
--Tara Dugan, Resident Scholar
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| Analysis of How to Beat the High Cost of Living |
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Comedy, primarily
Yes
Time/era of movie:
- 1980's-1999
Kind of comedy
- bungling criminals
Main Character
Identity:
- Female
Profession/status:
- homemaker/wife
Age:
- 20's-30's
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
Hair color?
- brunette (Brown)
Hair type
- (woman) long wavey
Body type
- (woman) average
Events of movie makes character more...
- happy
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor?
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- average physique
Secondary Main Character
Identity:
- Female
Hair color
- brunette (Brown)
Hair style
- (woman) medium/shoulderlgn straight
Body type
- (woman) average
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
Main Adversary
Identity:
- general circumstances
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- 80%
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- Pacific NW
Style
Accounts of torture and death?
- no torture/death
Movie makes you feel...
- very happy
Sex/nudity in movie?
Yes
What kind of sex:
- vague references only
- kissing
- sex under blankets
Any profanity?
- Occasional swearing
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Resident Scholar Profiles
TOP SCHOLAR:
 Tara Dugan
SCHOLARS:
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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