Mermaids

“Charlotte, I know you’re planning a celibate life, but with half my chromosomes, I think that might be tough.” Free-spirited single mother Rachel Flax (Cher) bashes her devout daughter Charlotte’s (Winona Ryder) dreams with some hard truths. After yet another failed relationship, Rachel moves her two daughters, Charlotte and Kate (Christina Ricci), to Massachusetts to start over. Charlotte really doesn’t want to turn out like her mother and wishes for a life as a nun. Instead, she falls in love with an older neighbour…

The role of the liberal Rachel was perfectly suited to Cher and perfectly reconciled her pop image with her film image. Her character was progressive and sex positive, but had the guts and the charm of a woman who has to work hard to secure her place in the world. Cher is not a dreamy prima donna, but herself a child of divorce who grew up poor, and is therefore perfectly placed to embody the paradox within her character.

MERMAIDS would not only be child star Christina Ricci’s first role, but was also scheduled to be the American debut of Swedish director Lasse Hallström (MY LIFE AS A DOG). However, Hallström clashed with Cher, just like his successor Frank Oz (LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS), and eventually Richard Benjamin directed the film. About her alleged diva behaviour on set Cher was brief: “Look, I’m only difficult if you’re an idiot.”