How To Beat The High Cost Of Living (1980)

Three Oregon housewives (Jessica Lange, Jane Curtin, Susan Saint James) are forced by dire economic circumstances like divorce, kids and chauvinistic husbands into a life of crime by pulling off one big heist. Directed by television director Robert Scheerer, who only made one other feature film. This silly comedy is a bit of a guilty pleasure though I don't actually feel guilty about the modest enjoyment I derive from it. Although it came out the same year as NINE TO FIVE, it actually opened first but they both share a similar storyline with three heroines walking away from the straight and narrow to do what has to be done and both films have Dabney Coleman. Curtin and Saint James are expert comediennes and so is Lange but she does comedy so rarely (despite winning an Oscar for TOOTSIE) that it's a real treat seeing her display her comedic chops. It's a piffle but so eager to please that you can't help but give in. With Richard Benjamin, Eddie Albert, Sybil Danning, Fred Willard and Cathryn Damon.