Lili's line "Incidentally, which one of you bitches is my mother?", addressed to her three maternal candidates — Pagan Trelawney Judy Hale and Maxine Pascal — was named the best line in television history by TV Guide in its 1993 issue celebrating 40 years of television. "Which one of you bitches is my mother?"Those infamous words uttered by a vengeful Phoebe Cates to three unsuspected career women in the two-parter LACE are silk to connoisseurs of ultra-glam miniseries ears. Indeed, the ABC television event, which aired in the winter of 1984, has become a classic in the genre due mostly to its slick production values and its effective storytelling. Hailed as one of the guiltiest of pleasures, its success has not only paved the way for other soapy-like treats but has even spawned a sequel a year or so later—a rare thing in TV world.
Before I continue, let me say right away that the first part of the five hour frothy drama was shown two days early here in Canada. A thing the CTV network (then called CFCF 12 for a local Montreal TV station) used to do a lot; and not only for miniseries or movies, but for daytime soaps (like an earlier in the day airing of ANOTHER WORLD) and TV shows (MAGNUM P.I., THE WALTONS, LAVERNE & SHIRLEY…) as well.
Yes, LACE was my real intro into trash land. To those who have yet to see it, LACE supercharged plot and glamorous locations will definitely leave you wanting more, provided that you’re into that form of entertainment, of course. And be aware that this miniseries comes also with its bag of silliness, most noticeably in regards to Phoebe Cates’ weird accent which comes and goes as it pleases.
I remember "Lace" and that infamous
"Which one of you bitches is my mother?" line just as vividly! Pretty amazing considering it's been almost thirty years since it aired and I would have to have been about 15 years old!
I know that I watched the sequel and I'm almost sure it was about Pheobe Cates' character trying to find out which of three men was her father, but I can't seem to recall anything else about it, who was in it, or even who the father was. I'll have to look it up on IMDB or Wikipedia, now I'm wondering. Anyway, I guess it just didn't have the magic of the original "Lace", which was a real sensation.
Amazing how the really great "campy-ness" stays with you forever. It's fun and entertaining and there's nothing wrong with that! Thanks for bringing back a happy TV memory.
The story opens circa 1980 at an abandoned chateau in the Swiss Alps, once a prestigious boarding school, L'Hirondelle.
An attempt by the school's headmaster Monsieur Chardin (Herbert Lam) to expel the girls is thwarted when they unearth photographs of him in a homosexual tryst with the school's chauffeur, Paul (Johnathan Hyde).
In the final scene, Lili receives a phone call from the hotel manager, telling her that her mother wants to see her. Judy Hale comes into the room and beckons Lili to come closer. Lili slowly rises and walks toward Judy, and the two embrace.
In the book there is a fourth "mother", a journalist named Kate, but this character does not appear in the adaptation, in which Judy is a journalist.