The Gun in Betty Lou's Handbag
Encyclopedia
The Gun in Betty Lou's Handbag is a 1992
American
screwball comedy film
written by Grace Cary Bickley and directed by Allan Moyle
. The film stars Penelope Ann Miller
, Eric Thal, Julianne Moore
, William Forsythe
, and Alfre Woodard
. Rock and roll recording pioneer Cordell Jackson
played a bit part as "Bathroom Woman."
The film was distributed by Touchstone Pictures
for Interscope Communications.
Behind bars, Betty Lou meets a variety of hardened and colorful characters. Rather than intimidate her, they actually increase her self-confidence. Once she's released, she begins to dress, speak, and act differently. Unfortunately for her, criminal acquaintances of the victim assume that she must have confessed to the murder for a reason. They conclude that she must be his mistress, and soon the bad guys want a few words with her...or worse.
, reviewing the film when it was released in home video
, gave the film a D+
and called it a "foolish farce." The British film magazine Empire gave it (three stars out of five), calling it "watchable" and noting "Miller is a winning heroine" but characterizing the film as "too busy to be really funny." The Austin Chronicle gave it (two stars out of five): "The cast shines in The Gun in Betty Lou's Handbag; watching these performers, you know this movie would have made for an inspired farce
given better writing and direction."
1992 in film
The year 1992 in film involved many significant films. -Top grossing films:-Awards:Academy AwardsGolden Globe AwardsNational Film Awards...
American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
screwball comedy film
Screwball comedy film
The screwball comedy is a principally American genre of comedy film that became popular during the Great Depression, originating in the early 1930s and thriving until the early 1940s. It is characterized by fast-paced repartee, farcical situations, escapist themes, and plot lines involving...
written by Grace Cary Bickley and directed by Allan Moyle
Allan Moyle
Allan Moyle is a Canadian film director. He is best known for directing the films Pump Up the Volume and New Waterford Girl .-Biography:His first major film was Times Square...
. The film stars Penelope Ann Miller
Penelope Ann Miller
Penelope Ann Miller , sometimes credited as Penelope Miller, is an American actress...
, Eric Thal, Julianne Moore
Julianne Moore
Julianne Moore is an American actress and a children's book author. Throughout her career, she has been nominated for four Oscars, six Golden Globes, three BAFTAs and nine Screen Actors Guild Awards....
, William Forsythe
William Forsythe (actor)
William Forsythe is an American actor, known for playing "tough guy" roles. He is also a writer, and has several short stories that are set to be published.-Early life:...
, and Alfre Woodard
Alfre Woodard
Alfre Ette Woodard is an American film, stage, and television actress. She has been nominated once for an Academy Award and Grammy Awards, 17 times for Emmy Awards , and has also won a Golden Globe and three Screen Actors Guild Awards.She is known for her role in films such as Cross Creek, Miss...
. Rock and roll recording pioneer Cordell Jackson
Cordell Jackson
Cordell Jackson was an American guitarist thought to be the first woman to produce, engineer, arrange and promote music on her own rock and roll music label...
played a bit part as "Bathroom Woman."
The film was distributed by Touchstone Pictures
Touchstone Pictures
Touchstone Pictures is an American film production label and is one of several film labels of the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group. Established in 1984, its releases typically feature more mature themes and darker tones than those that are released under the Walt Disney Pictures banner.Touchstone...
for Interscope Communications.
Plot
Betty Lou Perkins is a meek librarian and nobody pays much attention to her, in particular her husband, Alex. A criminal kingpin is killed in cold blood and Betty Lou happens to find the murder gun. She is so mousy, however, she can't even get the police to listen to her, including Alex, who's a detective. In sheer frustration, she not only produces the gun but announces that she's the one who committed the crime.Behind bars, Betty Lou meets a variety of hardened and colorful characters. Rather than intimidate her, they actually increase her self-confidence. Once she's released, she begins to dress, speak, and act differently. Unfortunately for her, criminal acquaintances of the victim assume that she must have confessed to the murder for a reason. They conclude that she must be his mistress, and soon the bad guys want a few words with her...or worse.
Cast
- Penelope Ann MillerPenelope Ann MillerPenelope Ann Miller , sometimes credited as Penelope Miller, is an American actress...
as Betty Lou - Julianne MooreJulianne MooreJulianne Moore is an American actress and a children's book author. Throughout her career, she has been nominated for four Oscars, six Golden Globes, three BAFTAs and nine Screen Actors Guild Awards....
as Elinor - Alfre WoodardAlfre WoodardAlfre Ette Woodard is an American film, stage, and television actress. She has been nominated once for an Academy Award and Grammy Awards, 17 times for Emmy Awards , and has also won a Golden Globe and three Screen Actors Guild Awards.She is known for her role in films such as Cross Creek, Miss...
as Ann Orkin - Cathy MoriartyCathy Moriarty-Career:Her first film credit was Martin Scorsese's Raging Bull in 1980, as Vikki LaMotta, the wife of Robert De Niro's lead character. Her performance earned her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She also appeared opposite Andrew Dice Clay in the short-lived CBS...
as Reba - William ForsytheWilliam Forsythe (actor)William Forsythe is an American actor, known for playing "tough guy" roles. He is also a writer, and has several short stories that are set to be published.-Early life:...
as Beaudeen - Eric Thal as Alex
Reception
Entertainment WeeklyEntertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
, reviewing the film when it was released in home video
Home video
Home video is a blanket term used for pre-recorded media that is either sold or rented/hired for home cinema entertainment. The term originates from the VHS/Betamax era but has carried over into current optical disc formats like DVD and Blu-ray Disc and, to a lesser extent, into methods of digital...
, gave the film a D+
Academic grading in the United States
Academic grading in the United States most commonly takes on the form of five letter grades. Historically, the grades were A, B, C, D, and F—A being the highest and F, denoting failure, the lowest. In the mid-twentieth century, many American educational institutions—especially in the Midwest —began...
and called it a "foolish farce." The British film magazine Empire gave it (three stars out of five), calling it "watchable" and noting "Miller is a winning heroine" but characterizing the film as "too busy to be really funny." The Austin Chronicle gave it (two stars out of five): "The cast shines in The Gun in Betty Lou's Handbag; watching these performers, you know this movie would have made for an inspired farce
Farce
In theatre, a farce is a comedy which aims at entertaining the audience by means of unlikely, extravagant, and improbable situations, disguise and mistaken identity, verbal humour of varying degrees of sophistication, which may include word play, and a fast-paced plot whose speed usually increases,...
given better writing and direction."