As far as camp is concerned, there are few things outdoing the concept for 1991’s Soapdish in which the cast of a popular daytime soap opera compete for screen time and the critical recognition that comes with being soap royalty. Yes, the on-set world of the fictitious The Sun Also Sets is a world where baby-oiled men named “Bolt” exist, and doctors perform surgery at a moment’s notice, but the off-set drama proves to be just as outrageous. Notable for its ensemble of industry veterans, Michael Hoffman’s satirized display of low-brow entertainment adds depth to what is otherwise discarded as a guilty pleasure.
Celeste Talbert (Sally Field) approaches her 15th year working on the set of The Sun Also Sets where she is considered daytime television’s sweetheart. However, in a scheme conducted by her castmate Montana (Cathy Moriarty) to get her kicked off the show, her past comes back to haunt her as her ex Jeffrey (Kevin Kline) and their unbeknown daughter Lori (Elisabeth Shue) join the cast. In homage to the film’s daytime influence, there are subplots hiding in every corner that make this a game of life imitating art imitating life. The dialogue is overdramatic, obnoxious and overacted to perfection. Field and Kline have an insatiable chemistry and a tension that could only exist between two actors. The comedy here comes from the calculated nature of our actors in their personal lives, and we’re invited to laugh at their conditioned blocking, the natural beats taken in conversation and the way it feels as though each breath is rehearsed. The theatrics are, well, soapy, but with the right context, the off-screen drama gives tackiness permission to thrive and feel well-deserved.
Whoopi Goldberg’s role as Rose, the sole black female writer in a room full of white male counterparts offers a refreshing critique of what goes on behind the scenes in the writers’ room as well as between the cast. Her arc is a unique one, from being unrecognized as head writer by her peers to taking the show in her own hands in service of her longtime friend, Celeste. Veteran writers Robert Harling (Steel Magnolias, The First Wives Club) and Andrew Bergman (The Freshman, Blazing Saddles) provided a sharp perspective on the nature of power dynamics within screenwriters, including the prioritization of satisfying financial concerns over the actual quality of their work. Rose is forced to make executive decisions as her co-writer David (Robert Downey Jr.) is dedicated to helping Montana in hopes of developing a sexual relationship.
Critical reception for Soapdish was rather positive during the time of its release, and Kline was nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance, although Field’s performance should not be understated here as it is the driving force of the many intertwined plotlines of the film. However, it’s important to discuss its infamous ending which was widely overlooked by critics. That’s right, it’s the transphobia that sneaks its way into the end of the film when Moriarty’s character is outed as a trans woman and forced to work as an actor under her deadname. The whole thing emerges from one of the many subplots and comes to fruition during the last five minutes, but oh do those last minutes invoke extreme feelings of frustration. Not only does it feel like a step back from the previous commentary made about the industry, but it’s a cheap overdone tactic to make trans women the punchline and label them as deceitful by nature. Really, had this scene been cut, this would have been a perfect contender for a queer-friendly camp comedy, but it’s a shame that this is instead a lesson in casual transphobia.
In a perfect world, Soapdish would keep everything we love about ‘90s camp and lose its tainted reminder of a problematic culture, but it remains an artifact of the decade. In cases like this, it must be said that two things can be true at once. Is the film a shining beacon of satire and campy flare? Yes. Is it also impossible to watch without feelings of second-hand embarrassment and discomfort? Yes! But like any piece of media, the content is only as strong as our ability to critique it. It’s possible that there might be some redemption for this almost perfect gem, with some talks of a series reboot underway that would include the help of Jane The Virgin’s Jennie Snyder Urman and Goldberg reprising her original role, which, if manifests, would hopefully address the film’s shortcomings and make the beginnings of revival arc for this once classic.
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