Details
Movie Description
THE CEMETERY CLUB mixes humor and pathos as it examines the lives of three elderly Jewish women who have lost their husbands. The three regularly visit the cemetery together to pay their respects. Doris (Olympia Dukakis) is prim and prudish, unable to bring herself to laugh at an off-color joke. Lucille (Diane Ladd) is loud and outrageous. Esther (Ellen Burstyn) tries to find a balance between the two extremes. Their friendship is thrown into disarray when Esther meets a widower (Danny Aiello) and the two begin a tentative romance.
Synopsis
Director Bill Duke followed up the critical success of A RAGE IN HARLEM and DEEP COVER with this unexpected and daring choice. Duke is an African American director who has always refused to be pigeonholed in his choice of material. THE CEMETERY CLUB was only the first example of Duke defying Hollywood stereotypes to direct a project that did not involve African American actors or themes. Three elderly Jewish widows form the eponymous club, and Ellen Burstyn delivers a wonderful performance in the lead role. The well-directed film is based on a play by Ivan Menchell, investigating a romance between two older people (played by Burstyn and Danny Aiello) with an honesty and sensitivity rarely brought to such subject matter.
Film Notes
DVD Features:
Region 1
Keep Case
Interactive Features:
Scene Access
Interactive Menus
Theatrical release: February 12, 1993.
Jerry Orbach and Lee Richardson have uncredited roles as husbands in the film.
Catherine Keener, later nominated for an Oscar for BEING JOHN MALKOVICH, appears in the film, uncredited, as Esther's daughter.
THE CEMETERY CLUB won the 1995 National Media Owl Award from the Retirement Research Foundation.
"I refuse to belong to a club where three of the members are dead!"--Lucille expressing frustration with her friends' social life.
"Esther, at our age, you don't fall. You get hurt too easily."--Selma giving advice on affairs of the heart.
Industry Reviews
"...The scenes between Burstyn and Aiello are at the heart of the movie, and are sweet and warming..."
Chicago Sun-Times - Roger Ebert (02/12/1993)
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