MovieChat Forums > Pennies from Heaven (1982) Discussion > What's up with missing Bernadette Peters...

What's up with missing Bernadette Peters on DVD 20th Anniv. discussion??

posted 20 years ago by Banquo13
5 replies | jump to latest

It was AWESOME to see the 20th anniversary discussion with Steve Martin and Jessica Harper on the DVD; in addition to the cast and crew. (Damn...why wasn't I there at that screening and discussion?!!!)

Anyway, the absence of Bernadette Peters was quite noticeable during the discussion and her name, nor her character Eileen was EVER mentioned by the people sitting there...does anyone have any idea why not?? I know that she is a busy woman on B'way, but even when they interviewer acknowledged the people associated with the film who were NOT in attendance, they passed over her completely!!

Was there/is there some animosity Peters feels for the movie or the same animosity for her from those who worked on the film?? I am really curious to know if there is a story behind this!

[–] wwwkenorg 19 years ago

I just rented Pennies From Heaven and also watched the cast/crew reunion (in the Special Features section of the DVD). I was wondering the exact same thing!
Steve Martin specifically made it a point to mention the people who were not there with them - and HE didn't mention her at all - nor did anyone else.
I know they dated for a while (a few years?), and there is some veil of mystery as to why they broke up (or why the never seem to ever mention each other or appear together). However, for something like this, a simple mention of her name would have been appropriate for the sake of the audience. They could have put their personal differences aside and at least acknowledged her performance.
I would also like to know what the story is behind this - perhaps in the form of a TV movie?

[–] jtissothatch 17 years ago

It sounds more like the producers of the DVD wouldn't meet Bernadette's demands so she wouldn't participate and they retaliated by omitting any mention of her on the DVD.

As far as Martin not mentioning Peters at any time, he was on "The View" just today and showed a long clip of "The Jerk" which featured Bernadette Peters, and he mentioned her by name afterwards..

[–] scottythefield 16 years ago

Yeah, I thought the complete non-acknowledgement of Peters was kinda suspicious too! Actually, that entire panel discussion was overall one of the dullest I've seen - nobody onstage or off seemed to have any clue why they were there, let alone any enthusiasm.

[–] jayraskin1 15 years ago

The whole thing was strange. Usually people get together to celebrate a hit movie years later, but "Pennies From Heaven" really wasn't a hit. It is too ironic and depressing to have a cult following. Only a small group of cinephiles really care for the film.

Bernadette Peters won her only Golden Globe award for the film. She was actually the only person who should have been there. It is just amazing that she wasn't there and nobody states why she's not there. The only thing I can think of is that she was starring on Broadway in 1999 in an "Annie Get Your Gun" revival. She won a Tony for it. It is possible that she was simply rehearsing for the role and couldn't get away. Still, an acknowledgment of Peters would have been polite.

[–] jm31315 8 years ago

Ms. Peters married after her breakup with Mr. Martin and was married at the time of the 20th anniversary release of "Pennies from Heaven." Most regrettably Ms. Peters' spouse passed away a couple of years later in an aviation accident.

She was recently seen (summer 2016) at a performance of Mr. Martin's recent Broadway musical "Bright Star" before it closed.

Ms. Peters' performance in "Pennies from Heaven" is excellent and one really remembers it after the film ends; yes, I think someone should have mentioned her.