Tampabay.com
SEPTEMBER 01, 2007

'Put Edwina ... back-in-bowl!'

Allofme TODAY'S RETRO-REVIEW: 1984's "All Of Me" starring Steve Martin and Lily Tomlin, who turns 68 today. (View movie trailer.)

THE PLOT: Edwina Cutwater, a wealthy woman (Tomlin) on her deathbed, has her soul soul transferred into a younger female. But she instead finds herself living in the body of her male lawyer (Martin).

MAYBE YOU REMEMBER: The bathroom scene where Martin has to negotiate with the spirit of Tomlin inside his body in order to urinate.

Roger: "You'll have to do it."
Edwina: "Do what?"
Roger: "You know, take it out."
Edwina: "Take what out?"
Roger: "The little fireman."
Edwina: "The little fireman?"
Roger: "You know, my penis."
Edwina: "How dare you say penis to a dead person."

SURELY YOU CAN'T FORGET: Richard Libertini as "Prahka Lasa," the English-challenged mystic who goofs up in the transfer of Edwina's body. He may only have a couple lines in the movie, but not a week goes by when you won't hear me do his "Backinbowl! Backinbowl!" line.

ONE NASTY REVIEW: "...Patently ridiculous, but acceptable because of the charm of the characters." -- Variety.com

WHY WE LOVE IT ANYWAY: Thanks to his great physical comedy skills (which has has since abandoned), this is easily Steve Martin's best movie of the early 80s. (The late 80s would bring Parenthood, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Planes Trains & Automobiles and Roxanne.) And Lily Tomlin dazzles with her ability to act when she's not even in the scene (expressing herself by voice only inside Martin's body).

TOP 5 LINES FROM ALL OF ME:

5. "Just because my grandfather didn't rape the environment and exploit the workers doesn't make me a peasant. And it's not that he didn't want to rape the environment and exploit the workers, I'm sure he did. It's just that as a barber, he didn't have that much opportunity."

4. "I love it when you talk like a beer commercial."

3. "You're like an energy vampire. You suck the life out of people and take the fun out of being a lawyer."

2. "Pretty hairy knuckles for a chick."

1.  "Put Edwina ... back-in-bowl!"

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About the blogger

Relive the '80s music, movies and culture with Tampa Bay Times entertainment news editor Steve Spears. A teen during the greatest decade ever, Steve is obsessed with everything from Duran Duran to Journey, John Hughes to John Cusack, and parachute pants to Reaganomics.

E-mail Steve Spears:
stuckinthe80s@tampabay.com
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