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Soapdish

 Soapdish
type
TVTItem
 Soapdish
label
Soapdish
 Soapdish
page
SoapDish
 Soapdish
comment
Soapdish is a 1991 comedy film which parodies the workings of an American Soap Opera. The real-life problems of the cast are so over the top that the Show Within a Show, The Sun Also Sets, would probably have a better story line if they covered the lives of the cast.Sally Field plays Celeste Talbert, the neurotic star of the show, who believes her life is meaningless after playing a soap-opera character who suffers all sorts of problems over the more than 20 years she's been on the show (a kind of Shout-Out to All My Children's Susan Lucci who has played the same type of character) while her live-in boyfriend has gone back to his wife in Pittsburgh. She is also loathed by her castmates, most notably Ariel Maloney (Teri Hatcher) and Montana Moorehead (Cathy Moriarty), the latter of whom is scheming to have Celeste fired so she can take her place as the female lead. Celeste does, however, have an ally in Rose Schwartz (Whoopi Goldberg), the head writer of the series.Montana enlists the help of the producer of The Sun Also Sets, David Seton Barnes (Robert Downey Jr.), promising to sleep with him if he gets rid of Celeste. The captivated David creates a new story line in which Celeste kills a homeless mute in self-defense to make the audience hate her. During this new story line, a very aggressive starlet (Elisabeth Shue) uses every trick she can think of to get on the show, and through an accidental viewing of rushes, she is chosen to be the homeless mute who stabs Celeste. But when Celeste sees the starlet, she recognizes her as her niece, Lori, and she becomes a regular cast member.Montana and David's next ploy is to find a former castmember, Jeffrey Anderson (Kevin Kline), who was dating Celeste until he was fired 20 years ago when their relationship went sour. He's doing dinner theater in Florida, and David offers him some enticements to come back as his original character (even though said character was decapitated); he leaps at the chance to get revenge on Celeste for his ruined career. Celeste is horrified that Jeffrey is back, and even more horrified that he and Lori seem to be attracted to each other (Jeffrey writes this off as jealousy, Lori as overprotectiveness, but the real reason shocks them both).It's all Played for Laughs as the cast and crew backstab each other in a plot filled with more Soap Opera tropes than most actual soap operas.
 Soapdish
fetched
2024-02-01T05:30:07Z
 Soapdish
parsed
2024-02-01T05:30:07Z
 Soapdish
processingComment
Dropped link to CallBack: Not a Feature - ITEM
 Soapdish
processingComment
Dropped link to DuelingMovies: Not a Feature - ITEM
 Soapdish
processingComment
Dropped link to Fanservice: Not a Feature - IGNORE
 Soapdish
processingComment
Dropped link to SunsetBoulevard: Not a Feature - ITEM
 Soapdish
isPartOf
DBTropes
 Soapdish / int_1439161f
type
Heroic BSoD
 Soapdish / int_1439161f
comment
Heroic BSoD: Celeste has a massive one when Lori reveals that she has been on a date with Jeffrey. Rose drily remarks that someone who doesn't know her well might interpret her reaction as intense jealousy, but even she is unaware of the real reason for Celeste's horror - Lori is the daughter Jeffrey doesn't know he has.
 Soapdish / int_1439161f
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Soapdish / int_1439161f
 Soapdish / int_146f4e0
type
Blind Without 'Em
 Soapdish / int_146f4e0
comment
Blind Without 'Em: Jeffrey needs thick glasses to read, but refuses to wear them on camera. This causes problems in the climactic scene when he has to read his lines off a teleprompter.
 Soapdish / int_146f4e0
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Soapdish / int_146f4e0
 Soapdish / int_1b4e322c
type
Mr. Fanservice
 Soapdish / int_1b4e322c
comment
Mr. Fanservice: Maggie's much younger husband Bolt, as played by Blair Brennan (former Canadian basketball player Paul Johansson), is all muscles and no talent; he appears in one scene wearing nothing but a towel (to Celeste's disgust). Mark (former Australian soccer player Costas Mandylor), the waiter who delivers the line "Will you be having wine with dinner?" in the Live Episode, is asked to audition without his shirt by Betsy Faye Sharon so that she can admire his athletic physique.
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Soapdish / int_1b4e322c
 Soapdish / int_1e7e4b00
type
Dinner Theatre
 Soapdish / int_1e7e4b00
comment
Dinner Theatre: In the first act of the film, the washed-up Jeffrey is playing Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman at a rundown Florida dinner theatre. It's something he later describes as hell. Half the audience are too hard of hearing to know what he's saying, the other half are too distracted to care.
 Soapdish / int_1e7e4b00
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Soapdish / int_1e7e4b00
 Soapdish / int_23330a99
type
Immediate Self-Contradiction
 Soapdish / int_23330a99
comment
Immediate Self-Contradiction: Not in words, but definitely in tone, at one point when Celeste and Lori are arguing in public and a fan approaches.
 Soapdish / int_23330a99
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Soapdish / int_23330a99
 Soapdish / int_2764d432
type
Bitch in Sheep's Clothing
 Soapdish / int_2764d432
comment
Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: Subverted by Montana. She thinks she's one. Everyone just sees her as a bitch, plain and simple. Lori Craven, however, is a straight example, as Montana learns.
 Soapdish / int_2764d432
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Soapdish / int_2764d432
 Soapdish / int_27a42ebc
type
Spiritual Successor
 Soapdish / int_27a42ebc
comment
Spiritual Successor; To Tootsie. Both even have a climactic Live Episode of their respective soap operas.
 Soapdish / int_27a42ebc
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Soapdish / int_27a42ebc
 Soapdish / int_2b5ab7c1
type
Analogy Backfire
 Soapdish / int_2b5ab7c1
comment
Analogy Backfire / Godwin's Law: Celeste calls herself on this.
 Soapdish / int_2b5ab7c1
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Soapdish / int_2b5ab7c1
 Soapdish / int_2d409194
type
Unsettling Gender-Reveal
 Soapdish / int_2d409194
comment
Unsettling Gender-Reveal: David begins gagging when it is revealed that Montana was born a man named Milton. It's hinted strongly at the end that David was coming to terms with his own sexuality.
 Soapdish / int_2d409194
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Soapdish / int_2d409194
 Soapdish / int_2f2f8418
type
Artistic License – Film Production
 Soapdish / int_2f2f8418
comment
Artistic License – Film Production: It's unlikely that Celeste and Rose would be able to just walk right into the soundstage area during the filming of a scene; after all, there's a reason those warning signals are scattered around the studio. And if they could, then Celeste's noisily scampering about demanding to see script changes would surely have ruined the take, distracting cast and crew alike; at one point, whilst wrestling a copy of the script away from a cameraman, she manages to pull the camera completely out of position. It might be more believable had Celeste's movements been quieter and more subtle, but of course that wouldn't have been nearly as amusing.
 Soapdish / int_2f2f8418
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Soapdish / int_2f2f8418
 Soapdish / int_38d99249
type
Shoot the Money
 Soapdish / int_38d99249
comment
Shoot the Money: In-Universe spoof. The ocean backdrop cost $100,000 to make, so it's used in almost every part of the show.
 Soapdish / int_38d99249
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Soapdish / int_38d99249
 Soapdish / int_397569de
type
Time Marches On
 Soapdish / int_397569de
comment
Time Marches On: Montana's fate would not be played for laughs by Hollywood in the 2020s.
 Soapdish / int_397569de
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Soapdish / int_397569de
 Soapdish / int_3ec27f76
type
Costume Porn
 Soapdish / int_3ec27f76
comment
Costume Porn: Fancy outfits are worn both on and off the show.
 Soapdish / int_3ec27f76
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1.0
 Soapdish / int_3ec27f76
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Soapdish / int_3ec27f76
 Soapdish / int_3ffce9c2
type
Family Relationship Switcheroo
 Soapdish / int_3ffce9c2
comment
The Family Relationship Switcheroo is a reference to Chinatown.
 Soapdish / int_3ffce9c2
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Soapdish / int_3ffce9c2
 Soapdish / int_4127eb1
type
Shut Up, Hannibal!
 Soapdish / int_4127eb1
comment
Countered immediately by Lori, as a Shut Up, Hannibal! to Montana:
 Soapdish / int_4127eb1
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Soapdish / int_4127eb1
 Soapdish / int_44a1dd10
type
King Incognito
 Soapdish / int_44a1dd10
comment
King Incognito: Well, Starlet Incognito. Whenever she's feeling down or needs an ego boost, Celeste visits shopping malls with Rose, who pretends to be a random passerby who "suddenly" recognizes Celeste, drawing in autograph seekers. It's implied that she does this fairly often.
 Soapdish / int_44a1dd10
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Soapdish / int_44a1dd10
 Soapdish / int_44f5d199
type
Pretty in Mink
 Soapdish / int_44f5d199
comment
Pretty in Mink: A few fur coats and wraps are worn by the actresses.
 Soapdish / int_44f5d199
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Soapdish / int_44f5d199
 Soapdish / int_4e7c4536
type
Wham Line
 Soapdish / int_4e7c4536
comment
Wham Line: Another staple of soap operas which shows up off screen as well as on. "Because she's my daughter! And your daughter! We're her parents, you and I! We're her mommy and her daddy!"
 Soapdish / int_4e7c4536
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Soapdish / int_4e7c4536
 Soapdish / int_4eddbc06
type
Animated Credits Opening
 Soapdish / int_4eddbc06
comment
Animated Credits Opening: The names of the producers, director, and primary cast members all appear in a cartoon sequence highlighting the characters' roles in the film.
 Soapdish / int_4eddbc06
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Soapdish / int_4eddbc06
 Soapdish / int_4ef92d0b
type
The Atoner
 Soapdish / int_4ef92d0b
comment
The Atoner: During the closing credits, it seems that David has become this. Having spent the main part of the film joining Montana in scheming to remove Celeste from The Sun Also Sets, the following year he receives daytime television's top humanitarian award.
 Soapdish / int_4ef92d0b
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Soapdish / int_4ef92d0b
 Soapdish / int_5313c266
type
Bookends
 Soapdish / int_5313c266
comment
Book Ends: The film opens with the main characters' arrival at the Daytime Television Awards - except for Jeffrey, who is wasting away in dinner theatre in Florida. The other characters glare at Celeste with thinly disguised hatred as she receives her award. At the end of the film, the main characters are once again shown at the Daytime Television Awards - except for Montana, who is now the one wasting away in dinner theatre in Florida (and has gone back to being called Milton). Now, Celeste and Jeffrey beam with pride as Lori receives her award.
 Soapdish / int_5313c266
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Soapdish / int_5313c266
 Soapdish / int_53d302c
type
Vertigo Effect
 Soapdish / int_53d302c
comment
Vertigo Effect: Used for Celeste's reaction shot just before interrupting Jeffrey and Lori's scripted kiss.
 Soapdish / int_53d302c
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Soapdish / int_53d302c
 Soapdish / int_541c0283
type
Jumping the Shark
 Soapdish / int_541c0283
comment
Jumping the Shark: In-Universe, it's noted that the show has gone downhill since moving all the characters to Jamaica.
 Soapdish / int_541c0283
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1.0
 Soapdish / int_541c0283
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Soapdish / int_541c0283
 Soapdish / int_5ee2f7cc
type
My Secret Pregnancy
 Soapdish / int_5ee2f7cc
comment
My Secret Pregnancy: When Celeste became pregnant with Lori by Jeffrey, she was temporarily written out of The Sun Also Sets and had Jeffrey fired without telling him about her pregnancy, then returned to her childhood home in Iowa until the birth, giving Lori to her mother to raise. She would later tell Lori that her mother was Celeste's "twin sister" Simone, and that Simone and her husband had died in an accident when Lori was a baby. Invoked by Montana, who "reveals" that she is pregnant with Jeffrey's child in order to gain some publicity. This claim is proven to be a lie when Rose and Ariel reveal that Montana's real name is Milton, and she is a he.
 Soapdish / int_5ee2f7cc
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Soapdish / int_5ee2f7cc
 Soapdish / int_606244c2
type
Parental Incest
 Soapdish / int_606244c2
comment
Parental Incest: Jeffrey and Lori are a couple before they find out they are father and daughter.
 Soapdish / int_606244c2
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Soapdish / int_606244c2
 Soapdish / int_617f0563
type
Heel–Face Turn
 Soapdish / int_617f0563
comment
Heel–Face Turn: Ariel spends most of the film happy to watch Montana try to pull the rug from under Celeste, whom she also detests. But when Montana is sparked by the gradual thawing of tension between Celeste and Jeffrey to drag the latter's name through the mud by claiming to be having an affair with him, then upping the ante by claiming to be pregnant by him, Ariel, who is herself attracted to Jeffrey, decides enough is enough and recruits Rose's help in revealing that Montana is really a man named Milton.
 Soapdish / int_617f0563
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Soapdish / int_617f0563
 Soapdish / int_6439de78
type
Heroic Sacrifice
 Soapdish / int_6439de78
comment
Heroic Sacrifice: Celeste's character on The Sun Also Sets prepares to undergo fatal brain surgery in order to save the life of Lori's character. It's also one for Celeste herself, sacrificing her own career to save Lori's; see invokedReality Subtext.
 Soapdish / int_6439de78
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Soapdish / int_6439de78
 Soapdish / int_6941e30b
type
Room Full of Crazy
 Soapdish / int_6941e30b
comment
Room Full of Crazy: Jeffrey's dressing room at the dinner theatre is starting to turn into this by the time David tracks him down; he has written "AGONY" and "more pain" on the mirror alongside a tally of how many performances he has endured so far.
 Soapdish / int_6941e30b
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Soapdish / int_6941e30b
 Soapdish / int_6c3f8ca8
type
Drama Queen
 Soapdish / int_6c3f8ca8
comment
Drama Queen: Celeste. She wrecks stuff after her boyfriend leaves her. She's The Prima Donna on the show. She engineers "impromptu" autograph signing sessions at nearby shopping malls by going incognito but having a friend loudly "recognize" her, drawing in fansnote To be fair, it should be noted that the one time we see this in the film, it's Rose's idea and Celeste is reluctant, calling it a "crutch".. She tries leaping in front of a bus, but does a dramatic pose when doing it (fortunately the bus driver stops when he, and several passengers, recognizes her from the show).
 Soapdish / int_6c3f8ca8
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Soapdish / int_6c3f8ca8
 Soapdish / int_6e37c196
type
Once Done, Never Forgotten
 Soapdish / int_6e37c196
comment
Once Done, Never Forgotten: Invoked in-universe by Rose.
 Soapdish / int_6e37c196
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Soapdish / int_6e37c196
 Soapdish / int_72e0023f
type
Invoked Trope
 Soapdish / int_72e0023f
comment
Invoked by Montana, who "reveals" that she is pregnant with Jeffrey's child in order to gain some publicity. This claim is proven to be a lie when Rose and Ariel reveal that Montana's real name is Milton, and she is a he.
 Soapdish / int_72e0023f
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Soapdish / int_72e0023f
 Soapdish / int_72e1bd14
type
Bungled Suicide
 Soapdish / int_72e1bd14
comment
Bungled Suicide: Celeste steps in front of a bus to kill herself at one point. The bus stops and everyone recognizes her and asks for her autograph. Humorously, she's trying to Bus Crash herself!
 Soapdish / int_72e1bd14
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Soapdish / int_72e1bd14
 Soapdish / int_786bf97f
type
Real Life Writes the Plot
 Soapdish / int_786bf97f
comment
Real Life Writes the Plot: In-universe. All of the arguing between Celeste and Jeffrey over Lori becomes inextricably intertwined with the The Sun Also Sets plot. Lampshaded by Rose:
 Soapdish / int_786bf97f
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 Soapdish / int_7b6e47a5
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Armor-Piercing Question
 Soapdish / int_7b6e47a5
comment
Armor-Piercing Question: Jeffrey knows Celeste too well - apparently her "incognito" trips to shopping malls in New Jersey to be recognized by her fans are nothing new.
 Soapdish / int_7b6e47a5
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 Soapdish / int_7f2427a6
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Dawson Casting
 Soapdish / int_7f2427a6
comment
Dawson Casting: In-Universe, as David writes in The Reveal that Nurse Nan is Maggie's daughter, despite being almost the same age. Rose incredulously asks how it's possible, demanding to know if Maggie gave birth to her at age three.
 Soapdish / int_7f2427a6
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 Soapdish / int_814356cb
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White-Dwarf Starlet
 Soapdish / int_814356cb
comment
White-Dwarf Starlet: David, Montana and Ariel all think Celeste is this, and Celeste even fears it.
 Soapdish / int_814356cb
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 Soapdish / int_81eb806a
type
Live Episode
 Soapdish / int_81eb806a
comment
Live Episode: Executive Edmund Edwards (Garry Marshall) decides to resolve the three-way standoff between Celeste, Jeffrey, and Lori with a live episode in which one of their characters will be written out; even they will not know which it will be until they read the teleprompter. Lori is the one being written out, but Celeste goes off script and offers to leave instead, despite Jeffrey's attempts to talk her out of it. Seeing what her mother is willing to give up for her, Lori breaks character and reconciles with both Celeste and Jeffrey. Finally, Montana's claim to be pregnant with Jeffrey's baby is disproved by Ariel and Rose's revelation that she is really a man called Milton. All broadcast live over the airwaves to what David claims is "the biggest audience in daytime television history".
 Soapdish / int_81eb806a
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 Soapdish / int_8543ec22
type
Reality Subtext
 Soapdish / int_8543ec22
comment
Reality Subtext: In-universe in the climactic Live Episode, in both the scripted and ad-libbed portions. In the scripted portion, Dr. Randall and Maggie's distressed reactions to the news that Angelique has Brain Fever are clearly doubling as Jeffrey and Celeste's regret that their personal rancor has led to the demise of their daughter's dreams as an actress; Angelique's quiet resignation to her fate doubles as Lori's sad acceptance of being fired. In the ad-libbed portion, Maggie "translating" Angelique's question about possible treatment doubles as Celeste trying to save Lori from being axed. When Nurse Nan suggests a brain transplant and Maggie volunteers herself as a donor, the subtext is Celeste volunteering to leave The Sun Also Sets instead of Lori; when Dr. Randall goes through a series of objections before relenting, Jeffrey is also trying to talk Celeste out of ending her long career before finally accepting her decision as something she has wanted to do for some time: "It'll be a relief."
 Soapdish / int_8543ec22
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 Soapdish / int_86ee8070
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World of Ham
 Soapdish / int_86ee8070
comment
World of Ham: Nearly everyone overacts, even more on set than in the actual show.
 Soapdish / int_86ee8070
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 Soapdish / int_8967e17f
type
Back from the Dead
 Soapdish / int_8967e17f
comment
Celeste's eyes roll up into her head and she collapses when she learns that Jeffrey will be reprising his role as the Back from the Dead Rod Randall.
 Soapdish / int_8967e17f
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 Soapdish / int_927b2f11
type
The Bus Came Back
 Soapdish / int_927b2f11
comment
The Bus Came Back: In parallel with Dr. Rod Randall's Back from the Dead return, the bus on which Jeffrey was put to suffer through twenty years of haemorrhoid commercial and dinner theatre wilderness returns after twenty years, to Celeste's horror.
 Soapdish / int_927b2f11
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 Soapdish
hasFeature
Soapdish / int_927b2f11
 Soapdish / int_952d21ec
type
Bus Crash
 Soapdish / int_952d21ec
comment
Bus Crash: Jeffrey's character, Rod Randall, was decapitated in a car accident after Celeste became pregnant by Jeffrey and insisted he be written out of the series.
 Soapdish / int_952d21ec
featureApplicability
1.0
 Soapdish / int_952d21ec
featureConfidence
1.0
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Soapdish / int_952d21ec
 Soapdish / int_97514bef
type
Parodied Trope
 Soapdish / int_97514bef
comment
One of the Parodied Tropes from soap operas; under pressure from David and Montana, who are scheming to make Celeste look and feel older, Maggie is revealed as Nurse Nan's mother, even though she is only a few years older than her.
 Soapdish / int_97514bef
featureApplicability
1.0
 Soapdish / int_97514bef
featureConfidence
1.0
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Soapdish / int_97514bef
 Soapdish / int_978937d6
type
Brand X
 Soapdish / int_978937d6
comment
Brand X: The "Daytime Television Awards" stand in for the Daytime Emmy Awards.
 Soapdish / int_978937d6
featureApplicability
1.0
 Soapdish / int_978937d6
featureConfidence
1.0
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Soapdish / int_978937d6
 Soapdish / int_9d12bbc1
type
Foreshadowing
 Soapdish / int_9d12bbc1
comment
Foreshadowing: Jeffrey's bad eyesight is hinted at when he accidentally walks into David's office, believing it to be his dressing room, then squints at the name on the door; he is also clearly trying to hide his glasses during his first conversation with Lori. His bad eyesight and vanity regarding his glasses cause the climactic Live Episode to derail when he cannot read the teleprompter. When giving Lori a goodnight kiss, Jeffrey instinctively gives her a very platonic kiss on the forehead, confusing them both. Clues to Montana's past are sprinkled throughout the film. Her dressing room is full of gay iconography, like Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz.
 Soapdish / int_9d12bbc1
featureApplicability
1.0
 Soapdish / int_9d12bbc1
featureConfidence
1.0
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Soapdish / int_9d12bbc1
 Soapdish / int_a32334b4
type
Canon Discontinuity
 Soapdish / int_a32334b4
comment
Canon Discontinuity: In-universe, as Rose's complaint about having to bring back a character who was decapitated.
 Soapdish / int_a32334b4
featureApplicability
1.0
 Soapdish / int_a32334b4
featureConfidence
1.0
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Soapdish / int_a32334b4
 Soapdish / int_a5a24920
type
Big Breast Pride
 Soapdish / int_a5a24920
comment
Big-Breast Pride: Ariel is very proud of her chest. In one scene, she is preparing for an entrance by adjusting her neckline to show off her cleavage to maximum effect. Then there's her first exchange with Jeffrey:
 Soapdish / int_a5a24920
featureApplicability
1.0
 Soapdish / int_a5a24920
featureConfidence
1.0
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Soapdish / int_a5a24920
 Soapdish / int_a5e0c01
type
As Himself
 Soapdish / int_a5e0c01
comment
As Himself: Leeza Gibbons and John Tesh are shown reporting on the goings-on at The Sun Also Sets in their capacities as presenters on Entertainment Tonight. They are listed in the credits as "Special Guest Stars".
 Soapdish / int_a5e0c01
featureApplicability
1.0
 Soapdish / int_a5e0c01
featureConfidence
1.0
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Soapdish / int_a5e0c01
 Soapdish / int_a6cda066
type
Rule of Three
 Soapdish / int_a6cda066
comment
Rule of Three: Played with when Celeste, Lori, and Jeffrey complain to the network about their situation. Celeste hysterically says she's on the verge of a nervous breakdown, Lori angrily says she's on the verge of a nervous breakdown, and Jeffrey says he "could conceivably have a breakdown".
 Soapdish / int_a6cda066
featureApplicability
1.0
 Soapdish / int_a6cda066
featureConfidence
1.0
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Soapdish / int_a6cda066
 Soapdish / int_a7f7e5f4
type
Absurdly Youthful Mother
 Soapdish / int_a7f7e5f4
comment
Absurdly Youthful Mother: One of the Parodied Tropes from soap operas; under pressure from David and Montana, who are scheming to make Celeste look and feel older, Maggie is revealed as Nurse Nan's mother, even though she is only a few years older than her. Maggie is revealed to be Lori's mother, and there is only 17 years separating the actors' ages.
 Soapdish / int_a7f7e5f4
featureApplicability
1.0
 Soapdish / int_a7f7e5f4
featureConfidence
1.0
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Soapdish / int_a7f7e5f4
 Soapdish / int_abdc0b3f
type
Held Gaze
 Soapdish / int_abdc0b3f
comment
Held Gaze: Constantly in the Show Within a Show, almost at Rocky Horror levels.
 Soapdish / int_abdc0b3f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Soapdish / int_abdc0b3f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Soapdish / int_abdc0b3f
 Soapdish / int_acf33d00
type
Nice Job Fixing It, Villain
 Soapdish / int_acf33d00
comment
Nice Job Fixing It, Villain: Montana's and David's attempts to ruin Celeste not only help reconcile with her ex lover and her daughter, but also boost the show's sagging ratings.
 Soapdish / int_acf33d00
featureApplicability
1.0
 Soapdish / int_acf33d00
featureConfidence
1.0
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Soapdish / int_acf33d00
 Soapdish / int_ad1db87c
type
Oh, Crap!
 Soapdish / int_ad1db87c
comment
Oh, Crap!: Several examples, usually immediately before a Big "NO!" Celeste gets this look on her face when she discovers that the latest script includes a kiss between Jeffrey as Dr. Randall and Lori as Angelique, as she knows (but they do not) that they are father and daughter. Montana gets this look on her face when Ariel and Rose appear in the live episode with a high school yearbook which contains pictorial proof that she is actually Milton Moorehead of Syosset, Long Island.
 Soapdish / int_ad1db87c
featureApplicability
1.0
 Soapdish / int_ad1db87c
featureConfidence
1.0
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Soapdish / int_ad1db87c
 Soapdish / int_ae43d443
type
Soap Within a Show
 Soapdish / int_ae43d443
comment
Soap Within a Show: The Sun Also Sets, a parody of long-running daytime soap operas, the stories in which are decidedly less interesting than those in the actors' personal lives.
 Soapdish / int_ae43d443
featureApplicability
1.0
 Soapdish / int_ae43d443
featureConfidence
1.0
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Soapdish / int_ae43d443
 Soapdish / int_b7e0c5ff
type
Love Triangle
 Soapdish / int_b7e0c5ff
comment
Love Triangle: One of the soap opera tropes that spills off the screen with an unwittingly incestuous triangle between Celeste, Jeffrey, and Lori. Celeste has (repressed) unresolved feelings for Jeffrey, who admits to Lori that he initially asked her out to make Celeste jealous but found himself genuinely drawn to her.
 Soapdish / int_b7e0c5ff
featureApplicability
1.0
 Soapdish / int_b7e0c5ff
featureConfidence
1.0
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Soapdish / int_b7e0c5ff
 Soapdish / int_b9d334b2
type
Aerith and Bob
 Soapdish / int_b9d334b2
comment
Aerith and Bob: Celeste's character, Maggie, is married to a much younger man named Bolt.
 Soapdish / int_b9d334b2
featureApplicability
1.0
 Soapdish / int_b9d334b2
featureConfidence
1.0
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Soapdish / int_b9d334b2
 Soapdish / int_ba753dc9
type
Wangst
 Soapdish / int_ba753dc9
comment
Wangst: invoked Celeste and her soap counterpart have a healthy dollop of this. Sometimes, Celeste reads lines from the show in a Wangst-y way in Real Life, which annoys Lori.
 Soapdish / int_ba753dc9
featureApplicability
1.0
 Soapdish / int_ba753dc9
featureConfidence
1.0
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Soapdish / int_ba753dc9
 Soapdish / int_bb53d08
type
Tear Jerker
 Soapdish / int_bb53d08
comment
Tear Jerker: In-Universe, the crew tears up at the climax when Celeste reconciles with Lori and Jeffrey.
 Soapdish / int_bb53d08
featureApplicability
1.0
 Soapdish / int_bb53d08
featureConfidence
1.0
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Soapdish / int_bb53d08
 Soapdish / int_bc00493f
type
Precision F-Strike
 Soapdish / int_bc00493f
comment
Precision F-Strike: Sally Field, considered the poster child for sweetness and light character, shocks the audience when she complains about having a turban included in her wardrobe. "I don't feel quite right in a turban. What I feel like is Gloria Fucking Swanson!" Field's outburst receives a Call-Back later in the film when Lori complains that her bright yellow hat makes her "look like a Goddamn Tweety Bird!" Like mother, like daughter.
 Soapdish / int_bc00493f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Soapdish / int_bc00493f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Soapdish / int_bc00493f
 Soapdish / int_bee8baee
type
Faint in Shock
 Soapdish / int_bee8baee
comment
Faint in Shock: Celeste's eyes roll up into her head and she collapses when she learns that Jeffrey will be reprising his role as the Back from the Dead Rod Randall. Later in the movie, Tawny, the costume designer, also faints briefly upon learning that Montana Moorehead used to be a man.
 Soapdish / int_bee8baee
featureApplicability
1.0
 Soapdish / int_bee8baee
featureConfidence
1.0
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Soapdish / int_bee8baee
 Soapdish / int_bf828517
type
I Am Not Spock
 Soapdish / int_bf828517
comment
I Am Not Spock: In-universe. As if dinner theatre isn't bad enough, no-one can remember that Jeffrey is not called Willy Loman.
 Soapdish / int_bf828517
featureApplicability
1.0
 Soapdish / int_bf828517
featureConfidence
1.0
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Soapdish / int_bf828517
 Soapdish / int_c27d3939
type
Soap Opera Disease
 Soapdish / int_c27d3939
comment
Soap Opera Disease: A spoofed soap opera trope with the mysterious condition which makes Angelique mute; initially written as curable, it is upgraded to Brain Fever for the Live Episode.
 Soapdish / int_c27d3939
featureApplicability
1.0
 Soapdish / int_c27d3939
featureConfidence
1.0
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Soapdish / int_c27d3939
 Soapdish / int_c2cedc1c
type
Big "NO!"
 Soapdish / int_c2cedc1c
comment
Big "NO!": Celeste when Lori and Jeffrey are about to kiss on set. Montana when it's revealed she used to be Milton.
 Soapdish / int_c2cedc1c
featureApplicability
1.0
 Soapdish / int_c2cedc1c
featureConfidence
1.0
 Soapdish
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Soapdish / int_c2cedc1c
 Soapdish / int_c5a0b4d3
type
Brain Fever
 Soapdish / int_c5a0b4d3
comment
In the scripted portion, Dr. Randall and Maggie's distressed reactions to the news that Angelique has Brain Fever are clearly doubling as Jeffrey and Celeste's regret that their personal rancor has led to the demise of their daughter's dreams as an actress; Angelique's quiet resignation to her fate doubles as Lori's sad acceptance of being fired.
 Soapdish / int_c5a0b4d3
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1.0
 Soapdish / int_c5a0b4d3
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 Soapdish
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Soapdish / int_c5a0b4d3
 Soapdish / int_c75df49a
type
Shout-Out
 Soapdish / int_c75df49a
comment
Shout-Out: The Family Relationship Switcheroo is a reference to Chinatown. During the closing credits, David is identified as the winner of the "John E. Hockridge Humanitarian Award". John E. Hockridge was the film's first assistant director (in fact, his credit appears seconds before Leeza Gibbons lines David up for his post-award interview).
 Soapdish / int_c75df49a
featureApplicability
1.0
 Soapdish / int_c75df49a
featureConfidence
1.0
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Soapdish / int_c75df49a
 Soapdish / int_c83751cb
type
Description Cut
 Soapdish / int_c83751cb
comment
Description Cut: Celeste's acceptance speech in the opening award ceremony features one.
 Soapdish / int_c83751cb
featureApplicability
1.0
 Soapdish / int_c83751cb
featureConfidence
1.0
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Soapdish / int_c83751cb
 Soapdish / int_c83a589c
type
Luke, I Am Your Father
 Soapdish / int_c83a589c
comment
Luke, I Am Your Father: Celeste reveals to Lori that she, not her (nonexistent) twin sister Simone, is her mother. And Jeffrey is her father.
 Soapdish / int_c83a589c
featureApplicability
1.0
 Soapdish / int_c83a589c
featureConfidence
1.0
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Soapdish / int_c83a589c
 Soapdish / int_cd8c578c
type
My Eyes Are Up Here
 Soapdish / int_cd8c578c
comment
My Eyes Are Up Here: Inverted with Ariel. When Jeffrey compliments her eyes, she redirects his attention to her chest.
 Soapdish / int_cd8c578c
featureApplicability
1.0
 Soapdish / int_cd8c578c
featureConfidence
1.0
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Soapdish / int_cd8c578c
 Soapdish / int_ce165390
type
Casting Couch
 Soapdish / int_ce165390
comment
Casting Couch: Betsy Faye Sharon is seen tugging her skirt down when Lori bursts into her office as the latest young, handsome actor leaves it while re-fastening his trousers.
 Soapdish / int_ce165390
featureApplicability
1.0
 Soapdish / int_ce165390
featureConfidence
1.0
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Soapdish / int_ce165390
 Soapdish / int_d3540d32
type
Life Imitates Art
 Soapdish / int_d3540d32
comment
Life Imitates Art: In-Universe, people note how the events in the movie are a "real life soap opera", and some even say it topped it. Heck, when Celeste tells the story about the lies she told when Lori was born, one of the writers asks "Why can't I write shit like this?".
 Soapdish / int_d3540d32
featureApplicability
1.0
 Soapdish / int_d3540d32
featureConfidence
1.0
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Soapdish / int_d3540d32
 Soapdish / int_d67e900a
type
Fallen-on-Hard-Times Job
 Soapdish / int_d67e900a
comment
Fallen-on-Hard-Times Job: Jeffrey's dinner theater gig, the nadir of his career after being fired from The Sun Also Sets.
 Soapdish / int_d67e900a
featureApplicability
1.0
 Soapdish / int_d67e900a
featureConfidence
1.0
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Soapdish / int_d67e900a
 Soapdish / int_d848560f
type
Unusual Euphemism
 Soapdish / int_d848560f
comment
Unusual Euphemism: Montana tells David that if he gets rid of Celeste, "Mr. Fuzzy" is his.
 Soapdish / int_d848560f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Soapdish / int_d848560f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Soapdish / int_d848560f
 Soapdish / int_dbc2a0cd
type
Hand Wave
 Soapdish / int_dbc2a0cd
comment
Handwave: Two in a row, In-Universe, during the live-broadcast climax: Lori, trying to stop Celeste's character from being written off the show, suddenly shouts out (she's supposed to be mute); Montana, who has engineered this whole scene, quickly handwaves it as part of Lori's Soap Opera Disease in order to protect her own agenda: Countered immediately by Lori, as a Shut Up, Hannibal! to Montana:
 Soapdish / int_dbc2a0cd
featureApplicability
1.0
 Soapdish / int_dbc2a0cd
featureConfidence
1.0
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Soapdish / int_dbc2a0cd
 Soapdish / int_dd891949
type
Who Writes This Crap?!
 Soapdish / int_dd891949
comment
Who Writes This Crap?!: The trope is inverted when Celeste confesses about what happened with Jeffrey and Lori, and Rose asks why she can't write stuff that good.
 Soapdish / int_dd891949
featureApplicability
1.0
 Soapdish / int_dd891949
featureConfidence
1.0
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Soapdish / int_dd891949
 Soapdish / int_e1acc872
type
From Nobody to Nightmare
 Soapdish / int_e1acc872
comment
From Nobody to Nightmare: From Montana's perspective - she's starting to get Celeste off the show when from out of nowhere Lori begins to become even more popular.
 Soapdish / int_e1acc872
featureApplicability
1.0
 Soapdish / int_e1acc872
featureConfidence
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 Soapdish
hasFeature
Soapdish / int_e1acc872
 Soapdish / int_e34400ab
type
Ambiguously Gay
 Soapdish / int_e34400ab
comment
Ambiguously Gay: David, who admits he usually prefers slim, waifish women without makeup. It could explain his mysterious attraction to Montana.
 Soapdish / int_e34400ab
featureApplicability
1.0
 Soapdish / int_e34400ab
featureConfidence
1.0
 Soapdish
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Soapdish / int_e34400ab
 Soapdish / int_e3847ee8
type
Cigarette of Anxiety
 Soapdish / int_e3847ee8
comment
Cigarette of Anxiety: After her live-in boyfriend goes back to his wife and kids and her latest costumes on The Sun Also Sets are making her feel her age as never before, Celeste takes up smoking to deal with the stress.
 Soapdish / int_e3847ee8
featureApplicability
1.0
 Soapdish / int_e3847ee8
featureConfidence
1.0
 Soapdish
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Soapdish / int_e3847ee8
 Soapdish / int_e466613e
type
Role-Ending Misdemeanor
 Soapdish / int_e466613e
comment
Role-Ending Misdemeanor: In-universe, when Jeffrey got Celeste pregnant, she had him fired from The Sun Also Sets to protect her "America's sweetheart" image (their relationship was public knowledge, but they weren't married). She went into hiding for the duration of her pregnancy, while his career plummeted to rock bottom.
 Soapdish / int_e466613e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Soapdish / int_e466613e
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 Soapdish
hasFeature
Soapdish / int_e466613e
 Soapdish / int_eae41a
type
The Vamp
 Soapdish / int_eae41a
comment
The Vamp: Montana. She has David dancing to her tune by promising to sleep with him if he gets rid of Celeste. After each scheme fails, she reminds him what lies in wait for him if he can make good on his promise, and in one case acts as though they have already slept together ("We were both naked and you promised! Naked!" "Hey! We were never naked!" "Well we could have been!").
 Soapdish / int_eae41a
featureApplicability
1.0
 Soapdish / int_eae41a
featureConfidence
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 Soapdish
hasFeature
Soapdish / int_eae41a
 Soapdish / int_eaf5a1ac
type
Groin Attack
 Soapdish / int_eaf5a1ac
comment
Groin Attack: Celeste delivers one to Jeffrey after he deliberately ruins several takes of a kissing scene to get him to behave. Although he gets through the take, he doubles over in pain when the cameras stop rolling.
 Soapdish / int_eaf5a1ac
featureApplicability
1.0
 Soapdish / int_eaf5a1ac
featureConfidence
1.0
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Soapdish / int_eaf5a1ac
 Soapdish / int_f4bec3d
type
Magic Plastic Surgery
 Soapdish / int_f4bec3d
comment
Magic Plastic Surgery: One of the spoofed soap opera tropes; used to explain how Rod Randall somehow survived being decapitated.
 Soapdish / int_f4bec3d
featureApplicability
1.0
 Soapdish / int_f4bec3d
featureConfidence
1.0
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Soapdish / int_f4bec3d
 Soapdish / int_fe0330fb
type
Brick Joke
 Soapdish / int_fe0330fb
comment
Brick Joke: In an early scene, casting director Betsy Faye Sharon (Carrie Fisher) casts a young actor named Mark as a waiter with the single line "Will you be having wine with dinner?" on the "strength" of his performance without a shirt. In the climactic Live Episode, Mark finally appears as the waiter and gives a stiff, awkward rendition of the line "Will you be having wine with dinner?" The headdress that Celeste refused to wear gets passed to Lori.
 Soapdish / int_fe0330fb
featureApplicability
1.0
 Soapdish / int_fe0330fb
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 Soapdish
hasFeature
Soapdish / int_fe0330fb
 Soapdish / int_fec2b522
type
Happy Ending
 Soapdish / int_fec2b522
comment
Happy Ending: Celeste and Jeffrey reconcile, and watch Lori's career start to rise. The show recovers in the ratings. Montana has to start a career over... in dinner theater.
 Soapdish / int_fec2b522
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 Soapdish / int_fec2b522
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Soapdish / int_fec2b522
 Soapdish / int_name
type
ItemName
 Soapdish / int_name
comment
 Soapdish / int_name
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 Soapdish / int_name
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Soapdish / int_name
 Soapdish / int_name
itemName
Soapdish

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 Soapdish
sameAs
Soapdish
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Back from the Dead / int_a3d5051f
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Brain Fever / int_a3d5051f
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Death Is Cheap / int_a3c6793f
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Dinner Theatre / int_a3d5051f
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Fake Pregnancy / int_a3d5051f
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Fallen-on-Hard-Times Job / int_a3d5051f
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Family Relationship Switcheroo / int_a3d5051f
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Films of 1990–1994 / int_a3d5051f
 Soapdish
hasFeature
First Law of Resurrection / int_a3c6793f
 Soapdish
hasFeature
I Am Not Spock / int_a3d5051f
 KevinKline
seeAlso
Soapdish
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Live Episode / int_a3d5051f
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Long-Lost Relative / int_a3d5051f
 Soapdish
hasFeature
My Eyes Are Up Here / int_a3c6793f
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Nice Character, Mean Actor / int_a3d5051f
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Soap Within a Show / int_a3d5051f
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Surprise Incest / int_a3d5051f
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Transgender Fetishization / int_a3d5051f
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Who Writes This Crap?! / int_a3c6793f
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Big Breast Pride / int_a3d5051f
 Soapdish
hasFeature
Parodied Trope / int_a3d5051f