Death Becomes Her

In 1978, self-absorbed actress Madeline Ashton performs in a Broadway musical. This event marks the beginning of a rivalry as she invites her insecure friend, Helen Sharp, and her fiancé, plastic surgeon Ernest Menville.

Captivated by Madeline's charm, Ernest ends his engagement with Helen to marry Madeline instead. This decision cements the competition and jealousy between the two women for many years to come.

Fast forward seven years, Helen finds herself alone and struggling with weight issues in a psychiatric hospital. Overcome with bitterness, she plots revenge against Madeline, showcasing her deep emotional scars.

Another seven years later, Madeline and Ernest live a lavish yet unhappy life in Beverly Hills. Madeline is haunted by aging, while Ernest battles alcoholism and works as a mortician, reflecting their unsuccessful attempts to maintain happiness.

Madeline receives an invitation to a party celebrating Helen's new book. Upon attending, she is shocked to see a gorgeous fifty-year-old Helen, fueling her jealousy and insecurity regarding her own looks.

Desperate to reclaim her youth, Madeline visits Lisle Von Rhuman, a mysterious socialite offering a potion for eternal beauty. After consuming the potion, she regains her youthful appearance, but with a dire warning about its conditions.

Tensions escalate as Helen manipulates Ernest into conspiring to kill Madeline. This dark turn demonstrates Helen's deep-seated desire for revenge and her willingness to go to extreme lengths.

Madeline is pushed down the stairs by Ernest, resulting in a broken neck yet miraculously surviving. Ernest repairs her body, revealing the twisted dynamics of their relationship and the manipulations at play.

In a shocking twist, Madeline shoots Helen, who confesses to drinking the same potion. Despite the chaos and injury, the two manage to reconcile, revealing the complexities of their relationship.

Realizing he must care for both women who are now reliant on him, Ernest is coerced into considering the potion's effects. However, he understands their selfish motivations and struggles with the morality of drinking it himself.

Cornered on a rooftop, Ernest discards the potion, rejecting their manipulative intentions. He narrowly avoids death by falling into Lisle's pool, asserting his choice to live a true life rather than an immortal existence.

Left behind, Madeline and Helen realize they are bound to one another in a nightmarish companionship. Their dependence on each other reveals the consequences of their choices and the emptiness of their quest for immortality.

Thirty-seven years later, Madeline and Helen attend Ernest's funeral, where he is celebrated for living a full, vibrant life. They remain as grotesque figures, fully aware of their own hollow existence in stark contrast.

In a humorous yet tragic moment, an accident causes Helen to pull Madeline down a flight of stairs. Their bodies disintegrate, symbolizing the absurdity of their lives and leaving them lost in neglect and decay.