History Film / OutrageousFortune

Released in early 1987, the film's modest success (it grossed about double its budget) probably seemed to justify to Long her decision to leave the cast of ''Series/{{Cheers}}'' to pursue a full-time film career.[[note]]She officially declined to negotiate to renew her contract on December 15, 1986; her departure from the show aired as the fifth season finale on May 7, 1987.[[/note]] However, it would be followed by a number of high-profile flops (starting with ''Hello Again'', released later that year) and Long wouldn't see box office success again until the ensemble film ''[[Film/TheBradyBunch The Brady Bunch Movie]]'' (she was billed second, behind Gary Cole) in 1995.

** A retroactive example: When Sandy gives a brief summary of the situation to Frank, he looks at her in bewilderment and asks, "The '60s ''were'' good to you, weren't they?" This line would be recycled for ''WesternAnimation/{{Cars}}'', where an inverted version would be asked ''of'' George Carlin's character, Fillmore....

--> '''Lauren:''' I think he's got the big picture now--
--> '''Sandy:''' ''Oh,'' I don't think he ''does''! ''(To cop)'' This guy in the morgue...whoever he is...[[InvokedTrope he's got a...]] ''(Wicked grin)'' Does the phrase "''needle-dick''"--"the ''bugfucker''"--mean anything to you?

* DisguisedInDrag

* GoodPeopleHaveGoodSex: Lauren sports a radiant glow and a BIG smile after her night with Michael, which Sandy makes sure to comment on. [[spoiler: Michael turns out to be a bad guy, though.]]

* InstantSeduction: The first time Lauren meets Michael, he's a customer in the costume shop where she works. She's moved by his telling her he's a teacher trying to find the perfect costume for one of his students who's trying hard to fit in. She offers to help him make one. The very next scene shows the two of them in bed, Michael "apologizing" for the quick turn of events, explaining that "I just...had to kiss you." Lauren, [[GoodPeopleHaveGoodSex radiant with afterglow,]] is charmed even more by this.

* MsFanservice: Lauren has a few moments of this. In addition to her nights with Michael, the scene in Stan's waiting room has her dressed in an outfit that has a see-through blouse covering AbsoluteCleavage that goes down to her waist. Shortly before Sandy shows up, Lauren engages in some breathing exercises [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything that quickly sound like she's partaking in something else entirely....]]

* {{Expy}}: Lauren is in many ways a "clone" of [[Series/{{Cheers}} Diane Chambers]], except that she's also great at ballet. ([[PrecisionFStrike And Lauren's willing to curse, if the situation calls for it.]]) Especially notable in that Creator/ShelleyLong tends to try and downplay any Diane-like "quirks" when playing other characters--but in this film, she at times seems to be cranking it UpToEleven.

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/outrageous_fortune.jpeg]]

** Sandy once sarcastically calls out to Lauren as "Lady Di". ShelleyLong, of course, is most famous for playing ''Di''ane Chambers of ''Series/{{Cheers}}''.

Lauren Ames (Long) is an actress whose ambition far outweighs her success, despite her many years of taking classes; Sandy Brozinsky (Midler) is a fast-talking, foul-mouthed waitress from the wrong side of the tracks who horns her way into Lauren's exclusive drama class on a lark. Unbeknown to one another, Sandy and Lauren are both seeing the same impossibly perfect man, Michael Santers (Creator/PeterCoyote). When Michael inexplicably fakes his death, Sandy and Lauren wind up joining forces to track him down. A wacky, cross-country caper ensues, and both women discover that there's a lot more to the man they love--not to mention their suspiciously homicidal Russian acting coach, Korzenowski (Robert Prosky)--than they ever imagined.

Lauren Ames (Long) is an actress whose ambition far outweighs her success, despite her many years of taking classes; Sandy Brozinsky (Midler) is a fast-talking, foul-mouthed waitress from the wrong side of the tracks who horns her way into Lauren's exclusive drama class on a lark. Unbeknown to each other, Sandy and Lauren are both seeing the same impossibly perfect man, Michael Santers (Creator/PeterCoyote). When Michael inexplicably fakes his death, Sandy and Lauren wind up joining forces to track him down. A wacky, cross-country caper ensues, and both women discover that there's a lot more to the man they love--not to mention their suspiciously homicidal Russian acting coach Korzenowski (Robert Prosky)--than they ever imagined.

Long plays Lauren Ames, an actress whose ambition far outweighs her success despite her many years of taking classes; Midler plays Sandy Brozinsky, a fast-talking, foul-mouthed waitress from the wrong side of the tracks who horns her way into Lauren's exclusive drama class on a lark. Unbeknown to each other, Sandy and Lauren are both seeing the same impossibly perfect man, Michael Santers (Peter Coyote). When Michael inexplicably fakes his death, Sandy and Lauren wind up joining forces to track him down. A wacky, cross-country caper ensues, and both women discover that there's a lot more to the man they love--not to mention their suspiciously homicidal Russian acting coach--than they ever imagined.

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/outrageous_fortune_film_9119.jpg]]

''Outrageous Fortune'' is a 1987 American comedy BuddyPicture directed by Creator/ArthurHiller and starring Creator/BetteMidler and Creator/ShelleyLong.

Creator/BetteMidler and Creator/ShelleyLong star in this female buddy picture from 1987.

* LampshadeHanging: When our gals finally manage to reach one of their destinations after an especially exhausting ordeal, a bunch of guys drive by, hooting and whistling and otherwise calling out to them in HelloNurse fashion. Lauren can't resist:

* LiteraryAllusionTitle: ''{{Hamlet}}'', in case you don't recognize the quote....

* DeadpanSnarker: Sandy, all the freaking ''time''. She's a bit of a SnarkKnight.

* GroinAttack: Threatened by Sandy ("I'll shoot it off, Stan").

* MsFanservice: Lauren has a few moments of this. In addition to her nights with Michael, the scene in Stan's waiting room has her dressed in an outfit that has a see-through blouse covering AbsoluteCleavage that goes down to her waist.
** It gets better. Shortly before Sandy shows up, Lauren engages in some breathing exercises [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything that quickly sound like she's partaking in something else entirely....]]

* ShoutOut: Sandy once sarcastically calls out to Lauren as "Lady Di". ShelleyLong, of course, is most famous for playing ''Di''ane Chambers of ''Series/{{Cheers}}''.

* SpiritedYoungLady: Lauren, who is ladylike and feminine UpToEleven, but is quite skilled at fencing and is ''not'' afraid to actually ''stab'' her match opponent in the beginning of the film.

* SpoiledSweet: Lauren. To her credit, she's kind of aware of it, as she explains to Sandy when they argue over who should go over to the [[ScaryBlackMan super-intimidating cab driver....]]

Released in early 1987, the film's modest success (it grossed about double its budget) probably seemed to justify to Long her then-recent decision to leave the cast of ''Series/{{Cheers}}'' to pursue a full-time film career. However, it would be followed by a number of high-profile flops (starting with ''Hello Again'', released later that year) and Long wouldn't see box office success again until the ensemble film ''[[Film/TheBradyBunch The Brady Bunch Movie]]'' (she was billed second, behind Gary Cole) in 1995.

---

* UsefulNotes/ColdWar

* ClusterFBomb: Sandy sure loves 'em--which Lauren [[LampshadeHanging lampshades]]. But ironically, the most blatant example in the film is ''Lauren'' doing her "[[CowboyCop Loose Cannon]] / {{Badass}} Cop" impression.

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/outrageous_fortune_film_9119.jpg]]

BetteMidler and Creator/ShelleyLong star in this female buddy picture from 1987. Long plays Lauren Ames, an actress whose ambition far outweighs her success despite her many years of taking classes; Midler plays Sandy Brozinsky, a fast-talking, foul-mouthed waitress from the wrong side of the tracks who horns her way into Lauren's exclusive drama class on a lark. Unbeknown to each other, Sandy and Lauren are both seeing the same impossibly perfect man, Michael Santers (Peter Coyote). When Michael inexplicably fakes his death, Sandy and Lauren wind up joining forces to track him down. A wacky, cross-country caper ensues, and both women discover that there's a lot more to the man they love--not to mention their suspiciously homicidal Russian acting coach--than they ever imagined.

* ChekhovsArmory: The film is made of this. The climax, in fact, centers around pretty much everything we saw Lauren doing in her acting and ballet classes at the very beginning. Other examples: [[spoiler: Sandy ''and'' Lauren are able to get the virus from Stan at a brothel, because they remember A) what he says during orgasm and B) they know he'll fall asleep after that happens.]]; Sandy's stolen Christmas tree ornament]] comes in pretty handy.)]]