It's possible I may be a dim bulb, since I'm probably one of few people who love movies who find a lot to like in Jim Abrahams' screwball comedy BIG BUSINESS starring Bette Midler and Lily Tomlin. I love build-ups to a climactic scene and this movie is pregnant with it -- of course, being screwball, the situation/premise is way out there on a flimsy limb but who cares? Seeing these two extremely funny women with distinctive comedic styles playing against each other, gravitating towards a final showdown at the Plaza Hotel which delivers on every level, strung along by a plot that just gets crazier and crazier, is really a stroke of genius. I loved this movie, I still do, and truth be damned, I think it's hilarious to the nth degree.

A rich couple is traveling through the backwoods of West Virginia. Mrs. Shelton unexpectedly goes into labor. They arrive at Jupiter Hollow where the only hospital is owned by the local furniture factory. Mr. Shelton buys the factory in order for his wife to be admitted. Mrs. Ratliffs is also there for delivery. The two women have identical twins but one baby from each set gets switched. Years later, Sadie Shelton (Bette Midler) is running the family conglomerate and proposes to close down the furniture factory in Jupiter Hollow. She ignores her ex-husband and wild son. Rose Shelton (Lily Tomlin) is the flighty, more sensitive sister. Dr. Jay Marshall (Michael Gross) is in love with Rose but hates her sister. When news of the closing reaches Jupiter Hollow, activist Rose Ratliff (Lily Tomlin) takes her sister Sadie Ratliff (Bette Midler) to New York City to stop it. Professional mini-golfer Roone Dimmick (Fred Ward) follows Rose to the city. Confusion leads the two pairs of twins to have hotel suites next to each other.

I can imagine the elevator pitch. It should be hilarious but it gets a bit repetitive to me. It's essentially the same joke over and over again. People mistake the sisters for their doppelganger and hilarity ensues or it's supposed to be. Honestly, the only funny section happens when the two sets of twins run into each other. I would have liked the movie to start there although I don't know if there is enough drama to stretch it out. Sadie Shelton could still be the villain and the others could be working to stop her. Also I question the ending where Sadie Ratliff takes over Sadie Shelton's family. The better move would be Sadie Shelton's redemption as she reconnects with her family. There is some fun to be had but this should have been much better.

Big Business is an updated version of Shakespeare's Comedy of Errors. It is directed by Jim Abrahams with astonishing split screen photography by Dean Cundey.

Bette Midler and Lily Tomlin play dual roles. A set of twins switched at birth. Rose and Sadie Shelton were raised by a wealthy couple from New York. Rose and Sadie Ratliff were raised by farmers in Jupiter Hollow where all of them were one born but two of the babies were wrongly mixed up.

The Shelton girls run their father's business Moramax in New York City and plan to shut down the main factory in Jupiter Hollow. Rose (Midler) is tough as nails while Sadie (Tomlin) is meeker and has more scruples.

The Ratliff's visit New York in order to save the factory from closure. Sadie Ratliff (Tomlin) is the more astute and sensible one. Both sets of twins are staying at the same hotel and narrowly avoid meeting each other and not releasing that they are doppelgangers, but they cause mayhem with hotel staff, Moromax employees and even their boyfriends.

Big Business is an easy going fun film, it captures the late 80s 'greed is good' mantra. We see one of the characters modelling herself on Alexis Carrington from Dynasty. It is just a shame that it is not laugh out loud funny.