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“There were political reasons”: Bette Midler opens up about ‘First Wives Club’
by Nikita Nikhil
October 01, 2022
Mister D: I want to talk about the reunion of these three ladies, Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn, and Diane Keaton. In interviews, they use the title, Family Jewels, but as I was telling Dino from #BetteMidlerMusic on Twitter, that in IMDB Pro (I go there because that’s where pros go, and I’m also straight now since we’re living in a society where we’ve taken the ideology and mantra of a “musical comedy horror film” scientific; “Don’t Dream it, Believe it” Ok, I’ll play along.) Anyhoo, I told him they had changed the movie’s name, Family Jewels, to A Childhood History Plan. I don’t know about you, but I don’t see the general public running out to see that one. I don’t think Dino can even say the name without breaking into a cold sweat. I just thought Miss M might not even know about it, so I think I’m going to inform her. Now I think they will change it. I can’t fathom why not? However, I thought I’d type the original movie’s title in Google and see what came up. Well, Family Jewels popped up alright in the free IMDB, but it wasn’t the triple stars movie, but an old Jerry Lewis movie of the same title, so I went to IMDB Pro, and at least six movies, all old, had been named Family Jewels. I figured that’s why the name changed, but I can’t imagine this new title on a marquee.
Mister D: I put “Fright” in my title that I read in psychology magazines that men, in general, found the movie hard to watch, it made them feel uneasy, and/or it depicted men as scumbags. Wow, can you imagine how they’d feel today?
No Jestering: No Sequel For Mega-Hit First Wives Club
American actress Bette Midler has revealed why her classic film, The First Wives Club, never got a sequel. Was It Politics Or Fright Keeping ‘First Wive’s Club 2’ From Getting Greenlit?
During an interview with People Magazine, the 76-year-old star recalled how she had to campaign for years for Hocus Pocus 2 to be made but could not do the same for her 1996 revenge comedy film.
“I used to lobby for First Wives Club too, but there were political reasons they didn’t want to do that again. And it always broke my heart.”
Midler continued,
“I really felt that it was a pretty serious diss, because when women have hits, it’s a fluke. But when men have hits, isn’t it great? At least that’s what they told us on First Wives.”
Based on a 1992 book by Olivia Goldsmith, Hawn, Midler, and Diane Keaton play the roles of Elise, Brenda, and Annie, who are shown as three jilted women. After they reunite for their friend’s funeral, they band together and vow revenge on their spouses who left them for younger women.
The First Wives Club garnered $180 million at the global box office and was nominated for an Oscar for Best Music.
Bette Midler is looking forward to another film starring her The First Wives Club co-stars
As per People Magazine, Bette Midler, Diane Keaton, and Goldie Hawn are scheduled to star in another film titled Family Jewels, which was announced in 2020.
The story revolves around three ladies married to the same man and is compelled to spend the holidays together with their children and grandchildren when their husband dies.
While speaking to Entertainment Tonight in November 2021, Goldie Hawn revealed that the “script has to be approved.” She said,
“The script has to be approved and right now they’ve just given us another draft, so I gotta read that.”
Bette Midler also revealed that she was looking forward to the film as it was “funny.”
“I think it’s funny. When women get together, they laugh harder with each other than they do with men. I don’t know what it is. I guess they feel freer or something like that. Family Jewels is something that people have been working on. Sometimes you get stuck in the scriptwriting process and things don’t work out.”
Bette Midler began her acting career in 1966 when she appeared in the film Hawaii in an uncredited role. In 1971, she played the role of the Virgin Mary in the film The Thorn.
Midler then went on to star in several films and television series like The Rose, Ruthless People, Outrageous Fortune, Scenes from a Mall, The Simpsons, That Old Feeling, Drowning Mona, Bette, Then She Found Me, Murphy Brown, and The Politician, among others.
https://people.com/movies/hocus-pocus-2-biggest-movie-debut-for-disney-plus/
I highly doubt that “Family Jewels” will ever get made: two years after the anouncement (by the same crew who promised us “Divanation”…) there is still no approved scprit nor a director nor anthing else. It may be politics or egos or whatever.
It looks like “Sitting in Bars with Cake” is up next: they have a director, a full cast – and even a stand-in for Bette. Curious if her part is big or more of a cameo (I expect the latter).
I hope she finds time to shoot the movie with Susan Sarandon; the team behind it looks promising, and I am sure Bette and Susan would have great chemistry.
It’s almost a given that the Sanderson sisters will return for “Hocus Pocus 3”. The franchise will immortalize Bette and she knows and likes it. Given the incredible success that Disney+ enjoyed with it, I wouldn’t be surprised if they decided to show it in theaters over Halloween for one week only… And how about some awards for Bette this time around? I can smell a Golden Globe…