Outrageous Fortune

Bette Midler and Shelley Long star in "Outrageous Fortune," a 1987 comedy also starring Robert Prosky, Peter Coyote, John Schuck, George Carlin and the almost unrecognizable Anthony Heald.

Lauren (Long) and Sandy (Midler) are two women taking the same acting class with the brilliant, Stanislavsky-like Korzenowski (Prosky). What they don't know is that they are dating the same man, Michael (Coyote). When he's killed in a bombing, both women wind up at the morgue, and after taking a good look at the body's southern regions, realize it's not their boyfriend. Once they set out to find him, they find that the KGB and the CIA are after them, and they can't tell the good guys from the bad.

This is a fun movie, with Midler a scream as a burlesque queen and Long as the uptight, Diane Chambers-like aspiring serious actress. George Carlin plays an Indian who helps them, and he's very funny.

There is a lot of running in this film, up hills, leaping across cliffs, etc., as the women try to escape whomever is chasing them at the moment.

A very popular film from the '80s, which was Bette Midler's movie heyday. She is a wonderful comedienne and dramatic actress - it's a shame that Hollywood's ageism caused her film career to dry up. Well, also some poor choices such as turning down Sister Act. Long did not make it to true movie stardom, but she is good here. Directed by Arthur Hiller.

I loved this movie. Bette Midler and Shelly Long were the best female team-up's since Laverne & Shirley. I have seen this movie over and over again and I laugh like a fool every single time.

The comedy that comes in Outrageous Fortune may come in small doses, but it is supplied in good lengths by stars Bette Midler and Shelly Long. They make good comic chemistry as two ladies who have been screwed by the same man. Funny along the way, but it doesn't exactly hit the dart on the head. But it is OK, because of co-star George Carlin, who is good as always, and is especially good here as a Indian hippie-tracker who helps Midler and Long along the way. Best comedy of 1987. B+

I saw this movie originally when it was first released at the theaters. I again saw it later when it made it to cable, eg. HBO, Cinemax. ect. I loved the movie but then saw the edited version when it came to network. They cut out a lot of the adult humour. Examples: When Bette says "Gee, you thought I was going to go in and pee on him." verses edited version "Gee, you thought I was going to go in and spit on him". Then the tobacco shop scene: Bette says: "How about a blow job" and then the edited version: "How about a party". Also several scenes cut from the edited version: Bette with Peter Coyote having sex in a chair, seen from behind the chair. The scene at the police station where Bette tells the cop needle dick, pencil dick, ect. when she is trying to make him get the picture. My point is that for some reason this edited version is the only one you can get on tape now. I bought one from Hastings music store and it was this edited version- 99-100 minutes version. Don't know why you can't get the original unedited version of this movie, my favourite comedy of all times.

In the 80s it just felt like this was how they made movies, but there's a very specific feel to the era that can't be recaptured, and a limited supply of gems like this, so it's always great to stumble on one you've been missing. All the trademarks are in place, from the clothes to the music to light hearted nature of the whole endeavour. Bette and Shelley play up the characters they'd been type cast with all decade and stumble through a series of zany situations. It's all simple fun and an endearing time capsule.