It’s a little late for a tribute to Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds and their sad recent passing but I wanted to throw a few words together about my recent viewing of Mike Nichols 1990 film postcards from the edge.
I’ve seen postcards a handful of times and it’s a really solid film on the fringe of the top 10 of 1990. It’s nowhere near goodfellas, wild at heart, miller’s crossings, dick tracy or some of Nichols’ best like the graduate or carnal knowledge but again it’s a really solid film. It’s relevant to Fisher and Reynolds because Fisher herself wrote the book/screenplay and it’s based on her life (Streep) and relationship with her mother Debbie Reynolds (Shirley Maclaine). Fisher’s script is superb and of course MacLaine and Streep are far stronger pure actors than Fisher or Reynolds were. Both actresses are excellent and if you’re a little tired of Meryl playing hams like she has recently here in 2017 than it will be doubly refreshing to see her play a real character.
Nichols direction is up to the task and on par with Fisher’s screenplay and the ensemble acting (Gene Hackman also has magnificent scene). Nichols throws in a few great one-takes and a iconic Hollywood fake backdrop cutaway scene.
Anyways, if you’re going to pay tribute to Fisher and Reynolds clearly you want to watch or rewatch their iconic roles singin’ in the rain and the star war series but, if you want another, this film is worth seeking out perhaps as much if not more than any other movie Reynolds and Fisher actually acted in.
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