Isn't She Great

views updated

Isn't She Great ★★ 2000 (R)

Irreverant biopic about the queen of ‘60s trash novels, Jacqueline Susann (Midler), and her hungry quest for flashy fame. Lane plays her everloyal husband and manager, Irving Mansfield. Susann's life was no bed of roses as she fought a long battle with breast cancer and had an austistic child, although she never let her personal tragedies become public fodder. Midler gives an overripe performance while Channing (as best friend Florence) proves to be the true scene-stealer. Unfortunately, the film is even more shallow than a Susann novel and lot less fun. Based on a memoir by Susann's editor, Michael Korda. 96m/C VHS, DVD . Bette Midler, Nathan Lane, Stockard Channing, David Hyde Pierce, John Cleese, John Larroquette, Amanda Peet, Lisa Bronwyn Moore, Dina Spybey; D: Andrew Bergman; W: Paul Rudnick; C: Karl Walter Lindenlaub; M: Burt Bacharach.