Bruno-Vision: Death Becomes Her

Welcome back to Bruno-Vision: A deep dive into the career of Bruce Willis by yours truly, Robert Jordan Hunt!

Last I left you, our boy Bruce had finished up a particularly harsh 1991. Three out of his four movies crashed and burned in every way, with his only real success of the year being the action flick The Last Boy Scout. That movie wasn’t the breakout hit everyone had been hoping for, but still, it did well enough that it helped everyone forget about the major flops he put out that year. So once again, like Die Hard and its sequel before, audiences seemed to be speaking loud and clear that they like their Willis in action mode. 

And once again, Bruce simply didn’t give a shit. My man. 

That’s right—before dipping back in the action saddle, Bruno chose to co-star with Goldie Hawn (!) and Meryl Streep (!!) in Death Becomes Her, a big budget, special effects-driven comedy directed by Robert Zemeckis (who knew a thing or two about mixing effects and comedy after his work on Who Framed Roger Rabbit and the Back to the Future trilogy).

Once again, on paper, this just made sense. Zemeckis was as hot as it got at the time–he would go on to win an Oscar for Forrest Gump just two years later–and of course Mery Streep is Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn is Goldie Hawn. Plus, this gave Willis another shot at a big-screen comedy, and unlike last time, the pressure was shared with some top-tier talent as opposed to him and him alone. 

Death Becomes Her is a pitch black comedy about the sadness of aging vs. the delight of immortality. In it, Willis plays Dr. Ernest Melville, a famed plastic surgeon engaged to Hawn’s character. One night, they go see a performance of Hawn’s lifelong “friend” Streep, who is starring in a new Broadway play (that is apparently a real stinker). Streep, who has made a lifelong habit of stealing men away from Hawn, does so again here, as the film cuts to Willis and Streep walking down the aisle instead of Bruce and Goldie. Flash forward seven years and Meryl’s career is riding high while Hawn is now severely overweight and in the mental hospital. And yes, the film handles both of those subjects as horribly as you probably think. What can I say? The ‘90s were a different time. Anyway, flash forward another seven years (!), Streep is now a washed up, aged actress who cheats on her husband and Bruce is an alcoholic undertaker who regrets just about everything now. From here, the film throws in some magic potion shenanigans that grant immortality as your best, younger self, the two rivals begin to fight over Willis, and all kinds of weird effects/makeup mischief ensue.

It should really go without saying that Streep and Hawn both devour their roles completely, but I’m gonna say it anyway. These ladies crush it. Goldie Hawn had long established her comedic prowess by this point, but to see her go up against the powerhouse that is Streep is really something. Back then Streep wasn’t really known for comedies, having only starred in the bomb She-Devil with Roseanne Barr (yep) and the modestly successful but well received Postcards from the Edge. Of course, you wouldn’t know it, because Streep goes all in, handling not only the jokes with ease but also the effects! Her face as she struggles to sit down after her entire head gets turned around 180 degrees is hysterical. 

As for the effects themselves? They’re incredible. Sure, not everything has aged beautifully, but for 1992 it's pretty good! Besides, most of the effects are in service to gags, which also helps sell it. Zemeckis has always been a technical nut, and once again he and his team pull off a magic trick while making it look easy. In fact, the film won the Oscar that year for Best Visual Effects!

Alright alright alright. What about Willis? Well, my friends, this is without a doubt the funniest Bruce has ever been on screen. This boy absolutely brings it. Covered in makeup to age him about 15/20 years, Bruce uses that trademark regret–filled face to amazing comedic effect. There is one scene where Streep and Wills, sitting in a silence that indicates love left the marriage long ago, are both staring out the opposite windows of their limo, and I simply could not stop cackling at Willis’ dead eyes and expressionless face. Just incredible. 

But that’s not all! He delivers some of the film's funniest lines with a manic energy that I honestly don’t think I’ve seen from the actor before or since. His delivery of “The morgue?!?! She’ll be furious!!” upon learning that his clinically dead but somehow still alive wife was taken to the morgue is a thing of true beauty. There’s also his perfect double take when he sees Streep’s character has stolen a shotgun that would make any Looney Tunes character jealous. And the way he simply says “What?” with a smile after getting a vase smashed into his head is just, it’s heaven. Willis is 100% committed to the bit (he even gets an A+ pratfall in for good measure) and now that I think about it it makes me sad that we never got to see him at this level comedically on the big screen again.

The film as a whole isn’t as entirely successful, despite everyone involved bringing their A game. The pace is a bit slow and a surprising amount of jokes fall flat, but the weird tone, amazing effects and insanely funny performances have kept this a favorite of mine all these years. Plus it has a Sydney Pollack cameo, and that counts for something. 

Death Becomes Her grossed $58 million domestically and $149 million worldwide off a $55 million budget, so like The Last Boy Scout, the movie wasn’t a bomb by any means, but given the pedigree in front of and behind the camera, expectations were certainly high. Still, the film has gone on to have a somewhat small but fervent fanbase (myself included, obvi) and was at the very least nowhere near as disastrous as The Bonfire of the Vanities from just two years prior. Yes sir, Bruce was still at the top of Hollywood. For now, at least.

Next time we’ll tackle the movie stars return to action with his aquatic thriller Striking Distance. Until then, my friends!