Honestly, if you grew up in the 80s, you remember the posters. One woman looking prissy and panicked, the other looking like she was about to start a bar fight. That was the vibe of the shelley long bette midler movie known as Outrageous Fortune.
It’s 1987. Disney’s "grown-up" branch, Touchstone Pictures, is trying to prove they can do more than just cartoons and fairy tales. They decide to pair the queen of the sitcom, Shelley Long—who was literally at the peak of her Cheers fame—with the Divine Miss M herself, Bette Midler. On paper, it was a gold mine. In reality? It was a clash of egos that became the stuff of Hollywood legend.
The Movie That Divided the Map (Literally)
You’ve heard of "creative differences," but this was next-level petty. Usually, when big stars share a screen, there’s a polite dance around who gets top billing. Not here. Neither Shelley Long nor Bette Midler would budge. They both wanted their name first on the credits.
Disney eventually had to come up with a solution so bizarre it sounds fake. They split the United States down the middle.
If you lived west of the Mississippi River, Shelley Long’s name came first on the posters and in the opening credits. If you were in the east, Bette Midler got the honors. They even shipped different versions of the VHS and LaserDisc to retailers based on geography. It’s kinda hilarious to think about a truck driver crossing the state line and suddenly the movie "changes" its star.
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What Was Outrageous Fortune Actually About?
The plot is basically a fever dream of 80s tropes. You’ve got Lauren (Long), a refined, high-strung acting student, and Sandy (Midler), a brash, loud-mouthed wannabe actress. They hate each other instantly.
Then comes the twist: they realize they’re both dating the same guy, Michael (played by Peter Coyote). When Michael "dies" in a suspicious explosion, the two women team up to find out what happened.
Soon enough, they’re being chased across the desert by the CIA, the KGB, and a group of rogue assassins. There’s a bio-weapon involved, some very questionable disguises, and a third-act appearance by George Carlin as a desert-dwelling alcoholic guide named Frank.
It’s a classic "buddy comedy" but with women, which was actually a pretty big deal at the time. Before this, the genre was almost entirely dudes in suits or cops. Outrageous Fortune proved that women could be just as messy, foul-mouthed, and physically funny as the guys.
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The Off-Screen Tension was Real
Was it "rough" to work together? Bette Midler didn't hold back. Years later, on Oprah, she admitted that working with Shelley Long was, well, difficult.
Long had a reputation for being a perfectionist. On the set of Cheers, she was known for being "particular" about her character, Diane Chambers. Midler, on the other hand, is a force of nature—intuitive, loud, and spontaneous. Putting them in a trailer together for months was like mixing oil and a very expensive, high-maintenance vinegar.
Midler was also three to six months pregnant during filming. Imagine being nauseous, filming in the New Mexico heat, and having to do a "grand jeté" off a mountain while your co-star wants to talk about "character motivation." You can almost feel the genuine frustration radiating off the screen.
By the Numbers: Was it a Hit?
- Box Office: It grossed about $52.9 million. In 1987 money, that’s a massive win.
- Rotten Tomatoes: It sits at a respectable 50-60% range, though critics like Gene Siskel basically said Midler was the only reason to watch.
- Awards: Bette Midler actually snagged a Golden Globe nomination for this.
Why We’re Still Talking About It
The shelley long bette midler movie works because the friction wasn't just in the script. You can see the sparks. The final sequence—where Lauren has to use her "ballet skills" to escape a villain on a cliffside—is peak 80s absurdity, but it’s the chemistry between the two leads that carries it.
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They never made another movie together. Not a sequel, not a cameo. Nothing.
If you’re looking to revisit this piece of 1980s history, keep an eye out for the small details. Look for Robert Pastorelli (from Murphy Brown) in a tiny role, or Christopher McDonald before he became "Shooter McGavin."
Actionable Insights for Movie Buffs:
- Check the Credits: If you find an old physical copy of the movie at a thrift store, check the billing. You might have a rare "East Coast" or "West Coast" variant.
- Streaming: As of 2026, it’s often tucked away on Disney+ or available for rent on Apple TV. It’s worth a watch just to see two titans of comedy try to out-act each other.
- The "Cheers" Connection: Notice how much Lauren Ames feels like an alternate-universe version of Diane Chambers. Long was basically playing her most famous archetype, which makes the contrast with Midler’s street-smart Sandy even sharper.
Ultimately, Outrageous Fortune isn't a masterpiece, but it’s a fascinating time capsule. It’s a reminder of a time when star power alone could carry a nonsensical spy plot, and when two women fighting over top billing was the biggest scandal in Hollywood.