January 10th: POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE (Mike Nichols, 1990)

An actress fresh out of rehab struggles to resume her career while moving back in with her overbearing mother, a former movie star herself.

Carrie Fisher was a child of Hollywood, the offspring of actress Debbie Reynolds (Singing' in the Rain) and singer Eddie Fisher. After Star Wars catapulted her to international fame, she appeared in a number of smaller roles before making her breakthrough as a novelist. Her first published work, Postcards From The Edge, was inspired by Fisher's accidental overdose on prescription medication.

After the book became a bestseller, Fisher began collaborating with director Mike Nichols (The Graduate) on a film adaptation. She wrote the screenplay herself, expanding the mother character of Doris into a larger part, which would cause many in the media to assume the story was mainly drawn from Fisher's own relationship with Reynolds, something both would deny.

While Meryl Streep was cast early on at Nichols's urging, various actresses sought out the mother role, including Janet Leigh and Debbie Reynolds herself. Nichols decided on veteran and Academy Award-winner Shirley MacLaine (The Apartment, Terms of Endearment). The cast also includes Gene Hackman, Richard Dreyfuss, Dennis Quaid, director Rob Reiner, and Annette Bening.

The film was shot on location in Los Angeles. Behind the camera was cinematographer Michael Ballhaus (Bram Stoker's Dracula, Gangs of New York). Musical contributions to the film were made by Carly Simon, Stephen Sondheim, and Shel Silverstein. Both MacLaine and Streep sang on camera, the latter with Canadian country stars Blue Rodeo.

The critical reception was mostly positive, and it was a moderate box office success. Streep and MacLaine both received Golden Globe nominations, with Streep receiving an Oscar nomination as well.

Running time is approx. 100 minutes.