Scenes from a Mall (1991) – Nostalgia Central

Upper-middle-class couple Deborah (Bette Midler), a psychologist and author, and Nick Fifer (Woody Allen), a successful sports lawyer, are celebrating their 16th wedding anniversary.

Their day starts well, with Deborah buying Nick a surfboard as his present, and Nick presenting Deborah with hers – an antique framed colour photo of their family.

All appears to be just dandy between them at the local shopping mall until Nick – out of the blue – suddenly confesses to Deborah that he’s been having an affair which ended only “yesterday”.

Not just one affair, either, but others in the past.

Naturally she blows her top, but it transpires she’s also hiding a secret from her husband. She has been having a long-term affair with Dr Hans Clava (played by the film’s director, Paul Mazursky).

The rest of the film follows the couple as they hilariously swing back and forth between explosive arguments, passionate make-ups, public screaming matches, and existential crises, all while surrounded by mimes, mall security, holiday shoppers, and consumer culture.

Bette and Woody are on screen together for almost the film’s entire running time, locked in a verbal battle in a public place fighting a very private war.

Despite the immense star power of Midler and Allen, the film was a critical and commercial disappointment upon release, grossing just $9.6 million against a $30 million budget.

The mall of the movie is in fact a combination of two real malls, one in Beverly Hills (the Beverly Center), the other in Stamford, Connecticut, and a huge set built on a stage at the Kaufman Astoria Studios in New York.

Deborah Fifer 
Bette Midler
Nick Fifer 
Woody Allen
Mime
Bill Irwin
Sam 
Daren Firestone
Jennifer
Rebecca Nickels
Dr Hans Clava
Paul Mazursky

Director
Paul Mazursky

Video