Plot: What’s it about?
The soap opera The Sun Also Sets is filled with melodrama, unexpected twists, betrayals, and emotional moments, but behind the scenes, it is a different world….or is it? The show’s main star is Celeste Talbert (Sally Field) and she has been the mainstay for some time, though that doesn’t mean she is well liked on the set. She has a few friends around the production, but most of the cast & crew members dislike her, mostly for good reasons. But no one wants Celeste off the show more than Montana Moorehead (Cathy Moriarty), who is unable to move up the ladder until Celeste has moved on, which is just what she wants to happen. As such, she works with one of the producers and forges a secret plan to get Celeste out of the picture, once and for all. The plot is to bring back one of Celeste’s old flames who used to be a star on the show, until things turned sour and she demanded that he be fired. With pressure coming from all sides, will Celeste be forced to leave the show, or will she have the last laugh?
I’ve never been drawn into the realm of soap operas, so I have to admit, the prospect of a film about them held little interest to me. But with Aaron Spelling as an executive producer, you know this had to be close to the real behind the scenes of a soap opera, with some touches of over the top antics to keep it in check. As expected, the stories behind the cameras play out to be just as melodramatic as the show’s content, with all the character types present and accounted for, to ensure maximum entertainment value. I found Soapdish to be humorous, but not often enough to win me over, though I did enjoy many of the performances. Sally Field and Kevin Kline are superb, while Elisabeth Shue, Cathy Moriarty, Whoopi Goldberg, and a number of others pitch in solid, enjoyable turns as well. I imagine fans of soap operas will be more entertained than I was, but with a high priced, slimly featured disc, this one’s best suited as a rental.
We’ve all seen Sally Field in some memorable efforts, but in Soapdish, she takes her work over the top and in this case, that’s good news. She is playing a larger than life persona and she pushes it to the hilt, with hilarious results. You can imagine how a soap opera diva would behave and Field pretty much nails it here, down to the small details. Her body language is right on the money, while her verbal cues are so on the mark, you can’t help but hate her, while you’re laughing at the things she says. I do wish Field was given some better lines at times, but even so, her work here is terrific and worth a look. You can also see Field in such films as Norma Rae, Forrest Gump, Say It Isn’t So, Mrs. Doubtfire, and Murphy’s Romance. The cast also includes Kevin Kline (French Kiss, In & Out), Cathy Moriarty (Raging Bull, The Mambo Kings), Whoopi Goldberg (The Associate, Sister Act), and Elisabeth Shue (Molly, Leaving Las Vegas).
Video: How does it look?
Soapdish is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. I’ve never seen a decent home video release of this film, so I wasn’t too hopeful here, but Paramount has pulled out a real ace with this new transfer. The source print looks pristine at times and never dips below excellent, while colors are vivid and stream across the screen, very impressive work. No issues with the contrast either, as black levels seem quite refined and provide a good amount of detail. I didn’t expect much here, but this is a superb transfer, especially for a catalog release.
Audio: How does it sound?
As with most dialogue driven comedies, Soapdish’s audio is not too impressive, but the included Dolby Digital 5.1 option is more than solid. I didn’t notice much surround use beyond the musical score, but the front channels are more than up to the task, as the elements sound good and never falter in the least. The sound effects are acceptable, while dialogue is clean and clear from start to finish. This disc also includes a 2.0 surround track, French language option, and English subtitles, should you need those.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes a brief behind the scenes featurette, as well as the film’s theatrical trailer.
