The First Wives Club

In 1969, four friends, Annie, Brenda, Elise, and Cynthia, graduate from Middlebury College. Cynthia gives each of them matching pearl necklaces and during a celebratory champagne toast, she has them promise always to be there for each other before they take a group photo.

In the present day, the four women have lost touch, and Cynthia's ex-husband, who was made wealthy by her family connections, has just married a much younger woman. She mails letters to her three former friends, gives her housekeeper her pearls, and dies by suicide.

Annie, Brenda, and Elise are reunited at Cynthia's funeral. They discover that, like Cynthia, they all have similar marital problems. Annie is separated from her advertising executive husband, Aaron, and is in therapy for self-esteem issues. Elise is an alcoholic Oscar-winning actress in the process of divorcing her film producer husband, Bill, and relies on plastic surgery to keep hold of her fading career. Brenda is struggling financially after divorcing her husband, Morty, who runs a successful chain of electronics stores.

Annie remains hopeful that she and Aaron will reconcile, especially after he takes her to dinner and they have sex in a hotel room, but Aaron stuns her by asking for a divorce, revealing that he has been seeing her therapist. Elise, meanwhile, meets with an up-and-coming director about a role, only to discover that he had actually wanted her to play the character's unattractive mother. While shopping, Brenda runs into Morty and his beautiful, much younger girlfriend, Shelly, who cruelly insults Brenda's weight.

The three women come together to commiserate, but decide that getting "justice" is preferable to revenge, noting that they all have supported their husbands and are largely responsible for their success. They form the "First Wives Club" and plan to destroy their ex-husbands.

Annie enlists her daughter to get a job at Aaron's advertising agency so that she can act as a spy. She discovers that Aaron's partners want to sell their share of the agency. Elise begins confronting Bill at his office and at home to repossess the several pieces of artwork and furniture that she bought him and sells them to Annie for one dollar. Annie in turn auctions them off, tricking Shelly into buying many of the items, and uses the proceeds to buy out Aaron's partners. Brenda's Sicilian uncle reveals that the merchandise from Morty's first store was acquired nefariously and that his financial records are "fiction".

Elise becomes frustrated, continuing to drink excessively, when the club cannot find anything compromising to threaten Bill with, leading to a vicious fight among the women. Elise and Brenda reconcile and convince Annie not to give up on the club. They soon discover that Phoebe is actually 16 years old,{{dubious|date=March 2025}} unbeknownst to Bill.

The wives meet with their ex-husbands. They threaten to destroy the three men with what they have uncovered unless they agree to fund their nonprofit organization, named in honor of Cynthia, dedicated to helping impoverished and abused women. Bill, Aaron, and Morty all agree to the women's demands.

At the grand opening celebration, Morty dumps Shelly and reconciles with Brenda. Shelly flirts with Bill, though he hesitantly asks her how old she is. Elise, now starring in a successful Broadway play, has begun dating a co-star. Annie, now more confident and independent, rejects Aaron when he asks to come back to her. After the party has ended, the three women reminisce and together triumphantly sing "You Don't Own Me".

• Bette Midler as Brenda Morelli-Cushman, a wise-cracking Sicilian-Jewish single mother who helped set her husband Morty on his feet financially, before he left her for his younger employee Shelly, cheating her out of an equitable settlement. She later blackmails Morty to get ownership of his business. However, when she realizes Morty is contrite about his sins, Brenda accepts attempts at reconciliation of their relationship.
• Michele Brilliant as young Brenda Morelli
• Goldie Hawn as Elise Eliot-Atchison, a former one-time Oscar-winning actress, now an alcoholic and heavy smoker relegated to B movies due to her "unprofitable" age. Her husband, Bill, who left her for another woman, is suing for alimony and insisting that all of their joint assets be sold and the profits be divided between them. She liquidates their assets by selling them to Annie for a very low amount, and Annie auctions them so she can buy out her husband's partners. Elise also blackmails Bill about dating a minor.
• Dina Spybey as young Elise Eliot
• Diane Keaton as Annie MacDuggan-Paradis, the vehicle for the film's sporadic voice-over and its central character; an anxious and slightly neurotic housewife, saddled with self-esteem problems, attempting to save her marriage with estranged husband Aaron – much to her daughter's dismay. After Aaron has sex with her and then leaves her for her therapist, she decides to band together with Brenda and Elise to form the First Wives Club. Annie learns that Aaron is having problems with his advertising firm partners through the help of her daughter, and buys them out at the end of the film; making her the majority owner of Aaron's firm.
• Adria Tennor as young Annie MacDuggan
• Maggie Smith as Gunilla Garson Goldberg, a wealthy New York City socialite who helps the First Wives Club with their schemes because she was once a first wife, as well as a "second, third and fourth wife", according to Annie. She fools the social climbing Shelly into thinking Duarto Feliz is a reputable decorator.
• Sarah Jessica Parker as Shelly Stewart, Morty's dim-witted but manipulative fiancée. It is indicated throughout the film that Shelly believes a position in high society can be obtained through money and the protagonists exploit her social-climbing attitude for their revenge. This is Parker's second film with Midler as her co-star, the first being the 1993 Disney film Hocus Pocus.
• Dan Hedaya as Morton "Morty" Cushman, Brenda's ex-husband, an electronics tycoon, who takes advantage of his former wife's having signed an out-of-court settlement – just to finance his girlfriend Shelly's extravagant taste. He is later blackmailed into giving Brenda a substantial amount of his money when she and her Uncle Carmine obtain proof of Morty's criminal activity. This later causes him to apologize to Brenda when he realizes Shelly only loved him because of his money, leading to his and Brenda's reconciliation.
• Stockard Channing as Cynthia Swann-Griffin, a college friend of the three main protagonists, who dies by suicide after her husband, Gil, leaves her and marries his young mistress three days after their divorce is finalized.
• Juliehera Destefano as young Cynthia
• Victor Garber as Bill Atchison, a successful film producer, who rose to fame through Elise's connections and eventually left her in favor of a young starlet
• Stephen Collins as Aaron Paradis, Annie's conflicted husband and CEO of an advertising agency, who leaves his wife for their therapist, Leslie Rosen. Eventually, he is left alone as Leslie runs off and Annie does not want him back.
• Elizabeth Berkley as Phoebe LaVelle, an up-and-coming actress, living with Bill. Bill is under the impression she is 21, but Elise investigates and reveals to Bill that she is 16 years old and a high school dropout.
• Marcia Gay Harden as Dr. Leslie Rosen, Aaron's short-time affair, who is the therapist for both Annie and Aaron. Leslie has been "helping" Annie with her self-esteem problems.
• Bronson Pinchot as Duarto Feliz, Brenda's boss and (according to Annie) "one of the ten worst interior decorators in New York City". He uses his role as decorator to help the First Wives Club sneak into Morty and Shelly's apartment.
• Jennifer Dundas as Christine "Chris" Paradis, Annie's lesbian and feminist daughter, who resents her father for what he is putting her mother through. She gets a job working at her father's advertising firm to spy on him for Annie. This is the second film in which Dundas plays Keaton's daughter, having previously done so in Mrs. Soffel.
• Eileen Heckart as Catherine MacDuggan, Annie's "controlling" mother. By the end of the film, she tells Annie that she is proud of her and does not need anyone to make her happy.
• Philip Bosco as Uncle Carmine Morelli, Brenda's paternal uncle and part of her family's Sicilian Mafia connections. He is the one who informs Brenda that Morty had his stores stocked with stolen electronics, which the Mafia had done to help Morty and Brenda financially during the shaky early years of their marriage.
• Rob Reiner as Dr. Morris Packman, who warns Elise against overdoing it on plastic surgery
• James Naughton as Gil Griffin, Cynthia's ex-husband
• Ari Greenberg as Jason Cushman, Brenda's son, who is caught in an emotional battle between his parents
• Aida Linares as Teresa, Cynthia's loyal maid
• Ivana Trump as herself
• Kathie Lee Gifford as herself
• Gloria Steinem as herself
• Edward I. Koch as himself
• Lea DeLaria as Elise's fan
• Debra Monk as jilted lover
• Walter Bobbie as man in bed
• Kate Burton as woman in bed
• Gregg Edelman as Mark Loest
• Harsh Nayyar as Mohammed
• Timothy Olyphant as Brett Artounian, a film director who is interested in casting Elise as the main character's aging mother in his new film
• Edward Hibbert as Maurice, a barman serving Elise as she drowns her sorrows
• J. K. Simmons as federal marshal
• Heather Locklear as Gil's new wife (uncredited)

The film project originally belonged to Sherry Lansing, who bought the unpublished manuscript of the novel in 1991, after many publishers had rejected it, and handed it over to producer Scott Rudin when she became CEO of Paramount Pictures in 1992.{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/09/24/movies/appeal-of-a-woman-s-revenge.html | work=The New York Times | title=Appeal of a Woman's Revenge | first=Bernard | last=Weinraub | date=September 24, 1996 | access-date=May 25, 2010 | archive-date=September 5, 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090905060224/http://www.nytimes.com/1996/09/24/movies/appeal-of-a-woman-s-revenge.html | url-status=live }} "It was one of the single best ideas for a movie I've ever heard," she said in a 1996 interview with The New York Times. "The situation of a woman getting left for a younger version of herself was far too common. But we didn't want a movie about women as victims. We wanted a movie about empowerment." Rudin consulted Robert Harling to write the screenplay, whose script was reworked by Paul Rudnick when Harling left to direct 1996's The Evening Star, the sequel to the 1983 drama Terms of Endearment. Rudnick, however, felt the final script was "incomprehensible":[http://www.chico.mweb.co.za/art/film/9802/980219-inandout.html ZA@PLAY - FILM: Men behaving coyly 19/02/98] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080210014629/http://www.chico.mweb.co.za/art/film/9802/980219-inandout.html |date=February 10, 2008 }} "To figure out the structure of that movie would require an undiscovered Rosetta Stone," he told The New York Times.{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/09/11/garden/at-home-with-paul-rudnick-you-want-gay-role-models-how-about-a-joke-first.html | work=The New York Times | title=At Home With: Paul Rudnick; You Want Gay Role Models? How About A Joke First | first=Frank | last=Bruni | date=September 11, 1997 | access-date=May 25, 2010 | archive-date=October 10, 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091010220152/http://www.nytimes.com/1997/09/11/garden/at-home-with-paul-rudnick-you-want-gay-role-models-how-about-a-joke-first.html | url-status=live }}

Bette Midler and Goldie Hawn were the first actresses reported to have landed one of the three starring roles. While Midler had wanted to play the "more glamorous role" of Elise at first,{{cite news|first=Pauline|last=McLeod|title=Bette: My First For Revenge; Bette Midler Knows Exactly How To Get Even With A Cheating Man... But Tells Pauline Mcleod Why She'll Never Join The First Wives Club|work=Sunday Mirror|url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/BETTE%3A+MY+FIRST+FOR+REVENGE%3B+BETTE+MIDLER+KNOWS+EXACTLY+HOW+TO+GET+...-a061159440|access-date=March 10, 2018|archive-date=March 11, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180311140901/https://www.thefreelibrary.com/BETTE%3A+MY+FIRST+FOR+REVENGE%3B+BETTE+MIDLER+KNOWS+EXACTLY+HOW+TO+GET+...-a061159440|url-status=live}} Rudin intended to cast Jessica Lange in the role before the team decided to rewrite the character of the book in favour of a "glitzier" version which eventually went to Hawn. Hawn, in turn, persuaded Sally Field to join the cast in the role of Annie but Field declined, citing her lack of musicality.{{cite news|first=Jason|last=Sheeler|title=Sally Field Says She Turned Down 'First Wives Club' Even Though 'Goldie Really Wanted Me to Do It'|website=People.com|url=https://people.com/movies/sally-field-says-she-turned-down-first-wives-club-even-though-goldie-really-wanted-me-to-do-it/|access-date=February 3, 2023}} The role eventually went to Diane Keaton who was cast by Rudin while they were working on the drama film Marvin's Room {{cite web|first=Henri|last=Béhar|title=Diane Keaton on "The First Wives Club" |website=Filmscouts.com|url=http://www.filmscouts.com/scripts/interview.cfm?File=dia-kea|access-date=February 3, 2023}}

Mandy Patinkin was initially cast as Aaron, Annie's conflicted husband, but dropped out shortly before shooting started and was replaced by Stephen Collins when he decided to leave the project in favour of his musical ambitions.{{cite news|first=Dennis|last=Michael|title=The Hollywood Minute|publisher=CNN|url=http://edition.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/HWMin/9512/12-02/index.html|date=December 2, 1995|access-date=August 16, 2009|archive-date=March 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304093054/http://edition.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/HWMin/9512/12-02/index.html|url-status=live}} The role of Duarto originally went to writer David Rakoff though he was fired after only one day on set and replaced by Bronson Pinchot.{{cite web|title=Book review: "The Uncollected David Rakoff," by David Rakoff |website=The Denver Post|url= https://www.denverpost.com/2015/11/19/book-review-the-uncollected-david-rakoff-by-david-rakoff/ |date=April 20, 2016|access-date=February 3, 2023}} Jon Stewart was hired to play the lover of Hawn's character Elise; however, his scenes were later cut from the final film.{{cite web|url=http://www.contactmusic.com/new/xmlfeed.nsf/mndwebpages/oscars%20host%20stewart%20axed%20from%20first%20wives%20club_01_03_2006|title=Oscars Host Stewart Axed From First Wives Club|date=March 1, 2006|access-date=November 29, 2007|archive-date=May 28, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090528125014/http://www.contactmusic.com/new/xmlfeed.nsf/mndwebpages/oscars%20host%20stewart%20axed%20from%20first%20wives%20club_01_03_2006|url-status=live}} Dan Hedaya won the role of Morty, Brenda's ex-husband, over Héctor Elizondo.{{cite news|first=Army|last=Archerd|title=Only dirt in Carradine autobio is on him|work=Variety|url= https://variety.com/1995/voices/columns/only-dirt-in-carradine-autobio-is-on-him-1117862810/ |date=November 5, 1995|access-date=August 16, 2009}}

Timothy Olyphant, who had impressed with local stage work, made his screen debut as director Brett Artounian in the film. Cameos of note include Ivana Trump (who famously stated in the film, "Don't get mad, get everything."), Gloria Steinem, and Kathie Lee Gifford as themselves, as well as author Olivia Goldsmith, director Hugh Wilson as a commercial director, and Heather Locklear as the younger lover of James Naughton's character Gil.{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116313/|title=The First Wives Club|date=September 20, 1996|website=IMDb|access-date=July 1, 2018|archive-date=October 2, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181002152114/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116313/|url-status=live}}

File:Robbins & Appleton Building from east.jpg on 4 Bond Street in NoHo]]

Principal photography took place over three months at the Kaufman Astoria Studios in Queens, New York City, between December 4, 1995, and March 19, 1996.[http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-17829000.html 'The First Wives Club' Starts Production In New York City; Film Stars Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn And Diane Keaton - Pr Newswire - Highbeam Research] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110517132349/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-17829000.html |date=May 17, 2011}} Among the 60 sites showcased on screen are Christie's auction house in the Delmonico's Hotel grand ballroom on Park Avenue, the Bowery Bar, a suite at The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in Midtown Manhattan, Café des Artistes on One West 67th Street, the King Cole Bar at the St. Regis Hotel, Frank E. Campbell's funeral home, and Barneys.{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/03/24/movies/film-a-sisterhood-on-camera-and-off.html | work=The New York Times | title=Film;A Sisterhood On Camera and Off | first=Jill | last=Gerston | date=March 24, 1996 | access-date=February 18, 2017 | archive-date=March 22, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160322231141/http://www.nytimes.com/1996/03/24/movies/film-a-sisterhood-on-camera-and-off.html | url-status=live }} Other familiar sites include the Chrysler Building, the NoHo neighborhood, both 5th and 7th Avenues, Riverside Drive, and Central Park.{{cite web| title=Die Produktion in Wort und Bild| trans-title=The Production: In Word and Image| url=http://movies.uip.de/wives/prod.html| publisher=Paramount| access-date=March 10, 2015| language=de| archive-date=March 3, 2016| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303203431/http://movies.uip.de/wives/prod.html| url-status=live}} The last scene in the club was filmed at the Robbins & Appleton Building on 4 Bond Street.{{cite web | url=https://movie-locations.com/movies/f/First-Wives-Club.php | title=Film Locations for the First Wives Club (1996), in New York, including Bond Street and the King Cole Bar at the St Regis Hotel }}http://onthesetofnewyork.com/thefirstwivesclub.html {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}}

Production designer Peter Larkin took much inspiration from Hollywood's romantic comedies of the 1930s, incorporating a post-Great Depression view on style and luxury, widely popularized through these films. "Those sets looked better than real New York penthouses and nightclubs ever could," he said upon creation. "In this film, I wanted settings that had that kind of striking nature."

Wilson has stated the making of the film was a difficult experience for him.{{cite web|title=Hugh Wilson Interview Part 2 of 2 - TelevisionAcademy.com/Interviews|date=November 16, 2015|work=Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation|url=https://interviews.televisionacademy.com/interviews/hugh-wilson?clip=28567#about|access-date=September 17, 2022}} In a 2009 interview with The A.V. Club, Bronson Pinchot defended Wilson and claimed that Midler was difficult to work with.{{cite web|last=Rabin|first=Nathan|title=Bronson Pinchot|date=October 20, 2009|website=The A.V. Club|url=https://www.avclub.com/bronson-pinchot-1798218088|accessdate=January 2, 2024}}

{{Infobox album

| name = The First Wives Club: Music from the Motion Picture... And Then Some

| type = soundtrack

| artist = Various Artists

| cover = blank

| border = yes

| alt =

| released = September 17, 1996

| recorded =

| venue =

| studio =

| genre =

| length =

| label = Work

}}

An official soundtrack album titled The First Wives Club: Music from the Motion Picture... And Then Some was released on September 17, 1996, through Work, shortly before the film's premiere. The compilation peaked at number 90 on the US Billboard 200 chart.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/soundtrack|title=Soundtrack Chart History|magazine=Billboard|access-date=February 13, 2019|archive-date=January 11, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190111100105/https://www.billboard.com/music/soundtrack|url-status=live}}

{{Track listing

| headline = The First Wives Club: Music from the Motion Picture... And Then Some track listing{{cite magazine|url=https://www.amazon.com/First-Wives-Club-Motion-Picture/dp/B000002BPX|title=The First Wives Club: Music From The Motion Picture |website=Amazon|access-date=February 2, 2023}}

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title1 = Wives and Lovers

| note1 = Dionne Warwick

| writer1 = {{hlist|Burt Bacharach|Hal David}}

| extra1 = {{hlist|Bacharach|David}}

| length1 = 2:55

| title2 = A Beautiful Morning

| note2 = The Rascals

| writer2 = {{hlist|Felix Cavaliere|Eddie Brigati}}

| extra2 = The Rascals

| length2 = 2:33

| title3 = Over and Over

| note3 = Puff Johnson

| writer3 = {{hlist|Phil Galdston|Reed Vertelney|Alan Roy Scott}}

| extra3 = Keith Thomas

| length3 = 4:43

| title4 = Piece of My Heart

| note4 = Diana King

| writer4 = {{hlist|Jerry Ragovoy|Bert Berns}}

| extra4 = Andy Marvel

| length4 = 3:41

| title5 = Game of Love

| note5 = Brownstone

| writer5 = {{hlist|Gordon Chambers|Rich Stroud|Kelvin Anderson}}

| extra5 = {{hlist|Dave Hall|Stroud{{ref|a|[a]}}|Anderson{{ref|a|[a]}}}}

| length5 = 4:45

| title6 = Love Is On the Way

| note6 = Billy Porter

| writer6 = {{hlist|Denise Rich|Peter Zizzo|Tina Shafer}}

| extra6 = Zizzo

| length6 = 4:22

| title7 = Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves

| note7 = Eurythmics and Aretha Franklin

| writer7 = {{hlist|Annie Lennox|David A. Stewart}}

| extra7 = Stewart

| length7 = 5:53

| title8 = Think

| note8 = Aretha Franklin

| writer8 = {{hlist|Franklin|Ted White}}

| extra8 = Jerry Wexler

| length8 = 2:17

| title9 = Heartbreak Road

| note9 = Dionne Farris

| writer9 = Bill Withers

| extra9 = {{hlist|Dionne Farris|Randy Jackson}}

| length9 = 3:51

| title10 = I Will Survive

| note10 = Chantay Savage

| writer10 = {{hlist|Freddie Perren|Dino Fekaris}}

| extra10 = Steve "Silk" Hurley

| length10 = 6:13

| title11 = Moving On Up

| note11 = M People

| writer11 = {{hlist|Mike Pickering|Paul Heard}}

| extra11 = {{hlist|M People|Todd Terry{{ref|a|[a]}}}}

| length11 = 3:56

| title12 = I'm Still Standing

| note12 = Martha Wash

| writer12 = {{hlist|Elton John|Bernie Taupin}}

| extra12 = {{hlist|Marvel|"Bonzai" Jim Caruso}}

| length12 = 4:02

| title13 = You Don't Own Me

| note13 = Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn and Diane Keaton

| writer13 = {{hlist|John Madara|Dave White}}

| extra13 = Marc Shaiman

| length13 = 2:31

}}

The film's original score, composed by Marc Shaiman, was also released on November 26, 1996.{{cite magazine|url=https://open.spotify.com/album/5MVi4UACE8qlXyaIbXZoga|title=The First Wives Club (Original Motion Picture Score)|website=Spotify|access-date=February 2, 2023}}

{{Track listing

| headline = The First Wives Club – Original Motion Picture Score track listing

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title1 = Cynthia

| length1 = 2:14

| title2 = Annie

| length2 = 0:46

| title3 = Elise

| length3 = 0:47

| title4 = Brenda

| length4 = 0:45

| title5 = Bad News

| length5 = 0:51

| title6 = Wham, Bam, Divorce Me Ma'am

| length6 = 1:23

| title7 = Letter to Three Wives

| length7 = 1:56

| title8 = The First Wives Club

| length8 = 1:48

| title9 = Gathering Information

| length9 = 1:55

| title10 = Setting Up Shop

| length10 = 1:11

| title11 = Tea Time with Gunilla

| length11 = 2:53

| title12 = Duarto Makes His Entrance

| length12 = 0:41

| title13 = The Big Break In

| length13 = 5:17

| title14 = Phone Tag

| length14 = 0:59

| title15 = The Auction

| length15 = 1:58

| title16 = Operation Hell Hath No Fury

| length16 = 4:45

| title17 = The Unveiling

| length17 = 0:56

}}

The First Wives club grossed {{US$|105.4{{nbsp}}million|long=no}} in the United States and Canada, and {{US$|76{{nbsp}}million|long=no}} in other territories, for a worldwide total of {{US$|181.4{{nbsp}}million|long=no}}.{{Cite The Numbers |id=/First-Wives-Club-The |title=The First Wives Club (1996) |access-date=February 2, 2023}}{{cbignore}} becoming the 11th highest-grossing film of 1996.{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/year/world/1996/?ref_=bo_cso_table_1|title=1996 Worldwide Box Office |website=Box Office Mojo|publisher=IMDb|access-date=February 2, 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=firstwivesclub.htm|title=The First Wives Club (1996) - Box Office Mojo|website=www.boxofficemojo.com|access-date=April 17, 2020|archive-date=July 3, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190703213249/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=firstwivesclub.htm|url-status=live}} The film also ranked 11th on the 1996 North American box office year-end list, while leading the yearly PG Rated 1996 chart.

In the United States and Canada, the film opened at number one at the box office, making $18.9 million in its opening weekend over September 20–22, 1996.{{cite news|title='First Wives' Are Really Enjoying the Last Laugh|work=Los Angeles Times|date=September 30, 1996|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-09-30-ca-49157-story.html|access-date=December 13, 2010|first=Judy|last=Brennan|archive-date=November 4, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104085656/http://articles.latimes.com/1996-09-30/entertainment/ca-49157_1_wives-club|url-status=live}} It would remain another two weeks at number one, earning an estimated $42 million within its first month of release, a September record by then. Cited as the "sleeper of the year" by The Los Angeles Times, industry sources said that the film clicked with an untargeted group of ticket buyers who were overlooked as studios poured out special effects and loud action films during the summer of 1996.{{cite news|title=The Money's Where the Action Is |work=Los Angeles Times|date=December 31, 1996|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-09-30-ca-49157-story.html|access-date=February 2, 2023|first=Elaine|last=Dutka}}

The First Wives Club received mixed reviews from film critics. The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported that based on 74 reviews, 50% of critics gave the film a positive rating, with an average score of 5.6/10. The website's critical consensus reads: "The First Wives Club is headlined by a trio of comedic dynamos, but the script lets them down with tepid plotting and a fatal lack of satirical bite."{{cite web |title=The First Wives Club (1996) |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/first_wives_club/ |website=Rotten Tomatoes |access-date=May 16, 2022 |archive-date=September 17, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200917102639/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/first_wives_club |url-status=live }} On Metacritic, which uses a normalized rating system, the film holds a 58/100 rating, indicating "mixed or average reviews" based on 21 critics.{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-first-wives-club|title=The First Wives Club|access-date=February 26, 2020|website=Metacritic|archive-date=July 21, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200721021727/https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-first-wives-club|url-status=live}}

Edward Guthmann of the San Francisco Chronicle called the film a "terrific comedy" and "a glamorous revenge romp, a 9 to 5 mixed with Auntie Mame", giving "each star the opportunity to do her best work in a long, long time." He added that "what's surprising isn't that each of them is so delightfully good but that they work together so well."{{cite web|url=http://www.sfgate.com/movies/article/Wives-Get-Even-and-Even-More-2965784.php#ixzz2Iba85Wy0|first=Edward|last=Guthmann|title=Wives' Get Even and Even More|work=San Francisco Chronicle|date=September 20, 1996|access-date=January 21, 2013|archive-date=April 4, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130404235758/http://www.sfgate.com/movies/article/Wives-Get-Even-and-Even-More-2965784.php#ixzz2Iba85Wy0|url-status=live}} In his review for Variety, Leonard Klady found that director "Hugh Wilson wisely gets out of the way of his performers, providing a simple glossy look enhanced by cameraman Donald Thorin, designer Peter Larkin and the costumes of Theoni V. Aldredge". He noted that "with its combination of comic zingers and star turns, [the] pic shapes up as one of the more commercial fall [1996] entries", that "at its core, is a celebration of its star trio as consummate performers. In that respect, First Wives Club is a highly enjoyable movie romp."{{cite web|url=https://www.variety.com/review/VE1117911107/?categoryid=31&cs=1|first=Leonard|last=lady|title=The First Wives Club|work=Variety|date=September 15, 1996|access-date=January 21, 2013|archive-date=July 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210702012234/https://variety.com/1996/film/reviews/the-first-wives-club-1200446808/|url-status=live}}

Janet Maslin from The New York Times remarked that the film "freely overhauls the amusing beach book by Olivia Goldsmith, eliminating the sex, adding more slapstick and tailoring the leading roles to suit three divas in starring roles." While she felt that "Bette Midler, Diane Keaton, and Goldie Hawn make a spirited, surprisingly harmonious trio," reeling off "one-liners with accomplished flair, even when the film turns silly and begins to, pardon the expression, sag", she found that the film fared "better with sight gags and quick retorts than with plot development".{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/library/film/first_wives_club.html|first=Janet|last=Maslin|title=The First Wives Club|work=The New York Times|date=September 20, 1996|access-date=January 21, 2013|archive-date=January 11, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160111154141/http://www.nytimes.com/library/film/first_wives_club.html|url-status=live}} Roger Ebert, writing for the Chicago Sun-Times gave The First Wives Club two out of four stars. He declared the film "heavy on incident but light on plot", filled with "heartfelt talks with slapstick and sitcom situations."{{cite web|url=http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-first-wives-club-1996|first=Roger |last=Ebert|title=The First Wives Club|publisher=RogertEbert.com|work=Chicago Sun-Times|date=September 20, 1996|access-date=January 21, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160213121301/http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-first-wives-club-1996|archive-date=February 13, 2016}} Owen Gleiberman, writer for Entertainment Weekly, wrote that "paced like a Chris Farley movie and photographed like a denture-cream commercial, The First Wives Club is the sort of overbright plastic-package comedy that tends to live or die by its jokes, its farcical audacity – anything but its 'conviction'." He gave the film a C+ rating.{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/1996/09/27/first-wives-club/|first=Roger|last=Ebert|title=The First Wives Club (1996)|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=September 27, 1996|access-date=January 21, 2013|archive-date=June 2, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130602233945/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,294272,00.html|url-status=live}}

According to a 2023 poll by Costa Coffee, The First Wives Club was named by Brits as one of the top ten movies to help them "overcome heartbreak and move on".{{cite news|url=https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/23783144.research-reveals-rom-coms-perfect-healing-broken-hearts/|title=Research reveals 'Rom Coms' are perfect for healing broken hearts|date=12 September 2023|work=Oxford Mail|accessdate=16 October 2023}}

The First Wives Club earned composer Marc Shaiman his third Academy Award nomination. In 2000, the film earned recognition from the American Film Institute when it was shortlisted for the organization's AFI's 100 Years...100 Laughs listing.[http://www.afi.com/Docs/100Years/laughs500.pdf AFI's 100 Years...100 Laughs Nominees] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151220152415/http://afi.com/Docs/100Years/laughs500.pdf |date=December 20, 2015 }}

For years there have been rumors of a sequel to the film.{{cite web|url=http://www.cinema.com/news/item/1943/first-wives-club-to-reform.phtml|title=First Wives Club To Reform|access-date=November 28, 2007|archive-date=August 8, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070808165633/http://www.cinema.com/news/item/1943/first-wives-club-to-reform.phtml|url-status=live}} Although columnists Stacy Jenel Smith and Marilyn Beck reported in a 2002 article that producer Scott Rudin would refuse to work on a sequel, the actresses have made various statements to the contrary. In a Chicago Sun-Times interview in 2003, Keaton expressed her readiness to appear in a second film.{{cite news| title=Findarticles.com|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4155/is_20031215/ai_n12519525 }} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=RjwilmsiBot}} A year later, writer Paul Rudnick reportedly started writing a draft, entitled Avon Ladies of the Amazon,{{cite web|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/THE%20KEATON%20CHRONICLES%20:%20WITH%20SUCCESS%20OF%20%60FIRST%20WIVES,'%20SATISFACTION...-a083851206|title=THE KEATON CHRONICLES : WITH SUCCESS OF 'FIRST WIVES,' SATISFACTION OF 'MARVIN'S ROOM' AND PARENTHOOD, ACTRESS IS HITTING HER 50S GROUND RUNNING. - Free Online Library|access-date=November 7, 2016|archive-date=February 2, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202113731/https://www.thefreelibrary.com/THE%20KEATON%20CHRONICLES%20:%20WITH%20SUCCESS%20OF%20%60FIRST%20WIVES,'%20SATISFACTION...-a083851206|url-status=live}} and in 2005, Midler confirmed to USA Today that there was indeed a manuscript but that "the strike kept it from happening."{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/community/chat/2001-04-25-midler.htm|title=USATODAY.com|website=USA Today|access-date=September 16, 2017|archive-date=May 28, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090528124656/http://www.usatoday.com/community/chat/2001-04-25-midler.htm|url-status=live}} However, as Hawn declared in a 2006 interview with the New York Daily News, Paramount Pictures declined the trio's services due to their demand for an increase in fees: "I got a call from the head of the studio, who said, 'Let's try to make it work. But I think we should all do it for the same amount of money.' Now, if there were three men that came back to do a sequel, they would have paid them three times their salary at least." On February 25, 2011, Goldie Hawn posted a picture on Twitter of the three at a lunch confirming that they had all signed on for a sequel, and the next day re-tweeted a message from Bravo TV confirming this again.[http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2006/03/02/goldie_hawn_is_tired_of_hollywood_s_sexi Goldie Hawn Is Tired Of Hollywood's Sexism - Starpulse Entertainment News Blog] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080124190624/http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2006/03/02/goldie_hawn_is_tired_of_hollywood_s_sexi |date=January 24, 2008 }} In 2016, Hawn confirmed that Netflix was working on a sequel, though she also admitted that "the script isn't working."{{cite news|url=http://entertainment.inquirer.net/200224/goldie-hawn-explains-why-she-stopped-making-films-for-14-years|title=Goldie Hawn explains why she stopped making films for 14 years|last=Nepales|first=Ruben V.|date=August 28, 2016|newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer|access-date=July 21, 2016|archive-date=August 28, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160828124524/http://entertainment.inquirer.net/200224/goldie-hawn-explains-why-she-stopped-making-films-for-14-years|url-status=live}}

A musical stage version of the film opened at The Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, California on July 17, 2009, in previews, through August 23, 2009,Jones, Kenneth. [https://archive.today/20120907174407/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/129771 Musical First Wives Club Will Now Convene July 17 Toward July 31 Opening]. Playbill.com, June 1, 2009 prior to a projected Broadway engagement. The book was by Rupert Holmes, with a score by the "one-time only reunited" Holland–Dozier–Holland songwriting team from the 1960s Motown soul music fame. Francesca Zambello directed the San Diego production.Hebert, James. [http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20080905/news_1c05globe.html "Globe to be first to stage musical First Wives Club"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090528130532/http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20080905/news_1c05globe.html |date=May 28, 2009 }}, The San Diego Union-Tribune, September 5, 2008Jones, Kenneth.[http://www.playbill.com/news/article/121042.html "First Wives Club Musical Will Premiere in San Diego in 2009; Zambello Directs"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080910010358/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/121042.html |date=September 10, 2008 }}, playbill.com, September 5, 2008 The creators and Zambello were engaged for the project in 2006.Simonson, Robert.[https://archive.today/20120906071642/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/99901.html "Rupert Holmes to Pen Book for First Wives Club Musical"], playbill.com, May 26, 2006 An industry reading of the musical was held in February 2009, with principals Ana Gasteyer, Carolee Carmello and Adriane Lenox.Jones, Kenneth. [http://www.playbill.com/news/article/125672.html "Lenox, Carmello, Gasteyer, Oscar, Dossett, Harris and More Sing First Wives Club in NYC"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090130095052/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/125672.html |date=January 30, 2009 }}, playbill.com, January 27, 2009

The principal cast in the San Diego production originally included Karen Ziemba as Annie, Adriane Lenox as Elise, Barbara Walsh as Brenda, John Dossett as Aaron, Kevyn Morrow as Bill, Brad Oscar as Morty, Sara Chase as Trophy Wife, and Sam Harris as Duane. Lisa Stevens choreographed, with scenic design by Peter J. Davison and costumes by Paul Tazewell.Gans, Andrew. [https://archive.today/20120906031449/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/129292 "Ziemba, Lenox and Walsh to Star in Old Globe's First Wives Club"]. Playbill.com, May 15, 2009 On June 16, 2009, Lenox dropped out of the production due to health concerns and was replaced by Sheryl Lee Ralph.[http://www.playbill.com/news/article/130293-Tell_Us_Miss_Jones_Sheryl_Lee_Ralph_Will_Be_Part_of_First_Wives_Club "Tell Us, Miss Jones: Sheryl Lee Ralph Will Be Part of First Wives Club"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090619023025/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/130293-Tell_Us_Miss_Jones_Sheryl_Lee_Ralph_Will_Be_Part_of_First_Wives_Club |date=June 19, 2009 }}, playbill.com, June 16, 2009Jones, Kenneth. [https://archive.today/20120906052312/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/131172 First Wives Club – The Musical Convenes July 17 at Old Globe] playbill.com, July 17, 2009 The production's tryout received mixed to negative reviews,[https://variety.com/2009/film/news/critics-have-issues-with-first-wives-1118006835/ Critics have issues with 'First Wives']. Variety, August 3, 2009 but the production sold approximately 29,000 tickets in its five-week run.{{Citation needed|date=November 2010}} The ticket demand was so strong early on that the show's run was extended an extra week prior to its opening night.

Producers announced on November 11, 2009, that Francesca Zambello withdrew as director, and they would secure a new director prior to any Broadway run.

The originating producers, Jonas Neilson and Paul Lambert, teamed with Elizabeth Williams and John Frost, and have since brought on Simon Phillips to direct.Hetrick, Adam. [https://archive.today/20150217144314/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/the-first-wives-club-musical-nconfirms-2015-chicago-pre-broadway-premiere-323071 " 'The First Wives Club Musical' Confirms 2015 Chicago Pre-Broadway Premiere"] playbill.com, June 30, 2014[http://www.playbill.com/news/article/134535-Zambello-Bows-Out-as-Director-of-The-First-Wives-Club-Musical "Zambello Bows Out as Director of 'The First Wives Club' Musical"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091115063003/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/134535-Zambello-Bows-Out-as-Director-of-The-First-Wives-Club-Musical |date=November 15, 2009 }} playbill.com

A newly adapted version of First Wives Club: The Musical began previews at Chicago's Oriental Theatre on February 17, 2015, with the opening on March 11 and running through March 29. The production aimed for Broadway in the 2015–2016 season.Hetrick, Adam. [http://www.playbill.com/news/article/191953-First-Wives-Club-Musical-Eyes-Broadway-Run " First Wives Club Musical Eyes Broadway Run"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140608004001/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/191953-First-Wives-Club-Musical-Eyes-Broadway-Run |date=June 8, 2014 }} Playbill.com, June 4, 2014 The new production is directed by Simon Phillips, choreographed by David W. Connolly, Kenny Seymour as musical director, and has a new book written by Linda Bloodworth-Thomason.[http://www.playbill.com/news/article/faith-prince-carmen-cusack-and-christine-sherrill-form-the-first-wives-club-in-new-musical-starting-tonight-in-chicago-341709 "Faith Prince, Carmen Cusack and Christine Sherrill Form 'The First Wives Club' in New Musical, Starting Tonight in Chicago"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160809192033/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/faith-prince-carmen-cusack-and-christine-sherrill-form-the-first-wives-club-in-new-musical-starting-tonight-in-chicago-341709 |date=August 9, 2016 }} playbill.com, February 17, 2015 The newly adapted version features new songs by the composers Holland-Dozier-Holland, the trio who wrote many Motown hits during the 1960s. The show also contains a few of their classic hits, such as "Reach Out...I'll Be There", "Stop! In the Name of Love" and "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)."[http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Broadway-Bound-FIRST-WIVES-CLUB-Musical-to-Premiere-at-Chicagos-Oriental-Theater-Spring-2015-Linda-Bloodworth-Thomason-on-Book-Simon-Phillips-to-Direct-20140630#.U7GGzvldVfg "Broadway-Bound 'First Wives Club' Musical to Premiere at Chicago's Oriental Theater, Spring 2015; Linda Bloodworth Thomason on Book, Simon Phillips to Direct!"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160811030712/http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Broadway-Bound-FIRST-WIVES-CLUB-Musical-to-Premiere-at-Chicagos-Oriental-Theater-Spring-2015-Linda-Bloodworth-Thomason-on-Book-Simon-Phillips-to-Direct-20140630#.U7GGzvldVfg |date=August 11, 2016 }} broadwayworld, June 30, 2014 Faith Prince, Christine Sherrill, and Carmen Cusack lead the cast as Brenda, Elise, and Annie respectively.[http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Faith-Prince-Christine-Sherrill-Carmen-Cusack-Will-Lead-Broadway-Bound-FIRST-WIVES-CLUB-in-Chicago-20141105 "Faith Prince, Christine Sherrill & Carmen Cusack Will Lead Broadway-Bound 'First Wives' Club' in Chicago"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160811032255/http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Faith-Prince-Christine-Sherrill-Carmen-Cusack-Will-Lead-Broadway-Bound-FIRST-WIVES-CLUB-in-Chicago-20141105 |date=August 11, 2016 }} broadwayworld.com, Retrieved November 5, 2014 Complete casting was announced in January 2015.[http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Husbands-of-Broadway-Bound-THE-FIRST-WIVES-CLUB-Cast-HB-Barnum-Kenny-Seymour-Join-Creative-Team-20150107 "Husbands of Broadway-Bound 'The First Wives Club' Cast; H.B. Barnum, Kenny Seymour Join Creative Team"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160811025551/http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Husbands-of-Broadway-Bound-THE-FIRST-WIVES-CLUB-Cast-HB-Barnum-Kenny-Seymour-Join-Creative-Team-20150107 |date=August 11, 2016 }} broadwayworld, January 7, 2015[http://www.firstwivesclubthemusical.com/ "Official Site"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160506000406/http://www.firstwivesclubthemusical.com/ |date=May 6, 2016 }} firstwivesclubthemusical.com, accessed March 12, 2015

{{Main|First Wives Club (TV series)}}

TV Land announced in March 2016, that it had ordered a pilot for a television adaptation of the film, to be written by Rebecca Addelman and executive produced by Jenny Bicks and Karen Rosenfelt. However, the network failed to pick up the pilot.{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2016/11/tv-land-the-first-wives-club-pilot-passed-on-dead-redevelop-remake-1201852835/ |title=TV Land Passes On 'The First Wives Club' Pilot, May Develop New Take On Movie |last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |date=November 11, 2016 |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=December 24, 2017 |archive-date=December 24, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224213847/http://deadline.com/2016/11/tv-land-the-first-wives-club-pilot-passed-on-dead-redevelop-remake-1201852835/ |url-status=live }} The project went to the Paramount Network for redevelopment in early 2017.{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2017/03/kevin-kay-plans-paramount-network-nashville-renewal-1202055544/ |title=Kevin Kay Details Plans For the Paramount Network, Talks Future Of 'Nashville' |last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |date=March 30, 2017 |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=December 24, 2017 |archive-date=December 13, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171213015540/http://deadline.com/2017/03/kevin-kay-plans-paramount-network-nashville-renewal-1202055544/ |url-status=live }} In October 2017, Tracy Oliver was tapped to write the series.{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2017/10/first-wives-club-paramount-network-tracy-oliver-to-write-tv-series-reboot-1202180396/ |title='First Wives Club': Tracy Oliver To Write New TV Series Reboot Of Movie For Paramount Network and Paramount TV |last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |date=October 2, 2017 |website=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=December 24, 2017 |archive-date=December 10, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171210180335/http://deadline.com/2017/10/first-wives-club-paramount-network-tracy-oliver-to-write-tv-series-reboot-1202180396/ |url-status=live }}

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Category:1996 films

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