The Cemetery Club
The Cemetery Club
| 03 February 1993 (USA)
The Cemetery Club Trailers

The story of three Pittsburgh widows who meet every year to visit their husband's graves and talk about perspectives in their lives.

Reviews
Hellen I like the storyline of this show,it attract me so much
SunnyHello Nice effects though.
Erica Derrick By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.
Ezmae Chang This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.
wes-connors After 39 years of marriage, still-attractive music store owner Ellen Burstyn (as Esther Moskowitz) loses her husband to a heart attack. While paying her respects, Ms. Burstyn meets cop-turned-cab-driver Danny Aiello (as Benjamin "Ben" Katz ) in the Pittsburgh cemetery where their loved ones rest in peace. Burstyn and her friends have formed "The Cemetery Club" to mourn their dead husbands; the more traditionally inclined Olympia Dukakis (as Doris Silverman) masters the widow role, but Diane Ladd (as Lucille Rubin) seeks greener pastures. Inactive club member Lainie Kazan (as Selma) is most eager to dig up an new husband. Tired of her cemetery visits, Ms. Ladd shouts, "I refuse to be in a club where half the members are dead!" One of the film's consistently least affected performers, Burstyn wavers along the spectrum.****** The Cemetery Club (2/3/93) Bill Duke ~ Ellen Burstyn, Danny Aiello, Olympia Dukakis, Diane Ladd
iodine1950 This is a "baby boomer" flick, I totally enjoyed it and thought that the story line was excellent and all the actors were fabulous. The younger generation would not understand the meaning or the humor. This is an all star cast of baby boomer's or older and I think they should be commended for their stellar acting. Ellen Burstyn is beautiful and gave a wonderful performance as usual. Diane Ladd is funny and beautiful. Olympia Dukakis is perfect for the part she played. Lainie Kazan is so funny with all her marriages living her life to the fullest. Everyone should have a group of friends that love and support each other through all of life's ups and downs.
moonspinner55 Ivan Menchell's screenplay for "The Cemetery Club", taken from his play, is a collection of lightly dramatic and comedic episodes which result in a half-hearted sitcom; it's a Jewish "Golden Girls" for under-achievers, and nobody involved with the picture looks as though they had great hopes for it. Three girlfriends in their 60s, all Jewish widows, grieve together, laugh together, attend weddings and funerals together, but when one of the gals thinks she's found a decent man, the other two interfere (out of jealousy or fear or maybe a bit of both). Possibly hoping to target the "Moonstruck" crowd, director Bill Duke plays on our nostalgic feelings for a cast full of familiar faces, warmly sentimental music on the soundtrack, and antiquated comic shtick which may strike some viewers as funny so long as they're into reruns. For a few brief moments, Ellen Burstyn and Danny Aiello create a cheery romantic rapport, but her introduction to him (fighting with a groundskeeper and being bitten in the leg!) is a gag that even Mel Brooks might have passed on. Writer Menchell is very fond of meet-cutes and warmly bitchy put-downs, and Burstyn has to struggle to carve out an interesting character (it doesn't help that she's weighed down with wigs and scarves and jackets). With its teary-eyed laughter and fake Jewish come-on, the movie appears to be a total fraud, yet there was the germ of a good idea here, particularly with Aiello's cab-driver (he's actually more interesting than the women). The capable cast certainly makes it watchable, but Duke's inconsistent rhythm and indecisive narrative puts a wall around these people--we don't even know for sure if these are likable people, so generic is the writing and handling. ** from ****
Jim Longo It's enough of an accomplishment to see a movie about late-middle age women in our culture of youth, youth, and more youth. "The Cemetery Club" isn't going to be the most memorable movie you ever see, but it's a nice way to spend a couple of hours. Diane Ladd, one of the more underused and underrated actresses in the business, in particular turns in a nice performance.