I've just watched the most delightful scene from The Parent Trap (1961). It's the one where the ex-wife, Maggie, meets Vicky, the wife to be.
Maureen O'Hara does such a marvelous job of dripping with irony as she introduces herself. She absolutely makes the scene.
I'm hoping to hear suggestions of other movies where lovely ladies sling subtle, and not so subtle, barbs at each other.
Wicked Little Letters..starring recent Oscar w*****, Jessie Buckley
12
rbrgr83Mar 28, 2026
+3
Foxy ass!!
3
DansaysitsalrightMar 28, 2026
+1
And previous Oscar w***** Olivia Colman
1
gimmeluvinMar 28, 2026
-3
I have already seen that, thanks.
-3
mcloofusMar 28, 2026
+8
The Favourite
Not sure if exactly what you’re looking for, but Glenn Close is incredible as Cruella Deville in the live action 101 Dalmatians.
Forgetting Sarah Marshall- the dinner scene in particular
Mean Girls?
8
musicjunkee1911Mar 28, 2026
+14
Bedazzled with Brendan Fraser and an ABSOLUTELY STUNNING Elizabeth Hurley. This is a great one.
14
gimmeluvinMar 28, 2026
Interesting call-out. I think this is a rather more literal spin on wickedness than I had in mind.
0
musicjunkee1911Mar 28, 2026
+2
She's deliciously wicked, undoubtedly. But also the Devil, sure.
2
trigunnerdMar 28, 2026
+7
Idk about lovely ladies, but Yzma is an absolute goddess of bad vibes in Emperor's New Groove
7
HippyHunter7Mar 28, 2026
+6
Any scene with Rose in Doctor Sleep.
6
CortexCraft_Mar 28, 2026
+10
you might like death becomes her, the whole vibe is stylish petty chaos with two women just constantly throwing shade at each other in the best way
10
gimmeluvinMar 28, 2026
Yes that's a fun one!
0
giskardwasrightMar 28, 2026
+5
Clue. Or almost any movie with Madeline Kahn
Edit typos
5
gimmeluvinMar 28, 2026
+2
Madeline Kahn is a queen of comedy!
2
giskardwasrightMar 28, 2026
+1
Absolutely. A classically trained soprano bonbshell with impeccable comedic timing. She was one of a kind, we lost her too soon.
1
StrLord_WhoMar 28, 2026
+3
Bette Davis vs Ann Sheridan in The Man Who Came to Dinner (1941).
Cersei vs Olenna and Cersei vs Margaery in Game of Thrones. Cersei and Olenna vs everyone, really.
3
gimmeluvinMar 28, 2026
+1
Bette Davis vs Ann Sheridan
Perfect! this is exactly the sort of thing I was looking for. It's a sort of humor that seems to bloom best in the context of affected politeness.
1
darrellbearMar 28, 2026
+3
Jane Seymour was deliciously evil in an early '70s British production of Frankenstein. She's so bad the monster winds up pulling her head off.
3
gimmeluvinMar 28, 2026
+1
ok. i'm definitely going to have to look for that. because that sounds hilarious!
1
Reality_DefiantMar 28, 2026
+3
Addams Family Values
3
willsho67Mar 28, 2026
+5
Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly in Devil Wears Prada
5
gunslinger_006Mar 28, 2026
+1
The cerulean sweater speech was *chefs kiss*
1
helterskeltermelterMar 28, 2026
+3
Death Becomes Her (1992)
3
inthebenefitofmrkiteMar 28, 2026
+2
Glenn Close in Dangerous Liaisons
2
MovieMike007Mar 28, 2026
+2
Barbara Stanwyk in *Double Indemnity.*
2
philamentMar 28, 2026
+1
Veda (Ann Blyth) has some choice lines in “Mildred Pierce” (1945), used on male and female characters alike. But iirc, pretty much every cast member has delicious barbs to dispense
1
gimmeluvinMar 28, 2026
+2
Oh she's a real one. When Mildred tears up her blackmail check she delivers the slap heard round the world.
There are plenty of cutting words spoken, but spoken not in the playful tone of false camaraderie that I'm looking for.
2
philamentMar 28, 2026
+1
“Remind me to bake a cake,” always stuck with me, but i think that was delivered by Ida (Eve Arden)?
Kathleen Turner, maybe? “Serial Mom” (1994) and “Man With Two Brains” (1983) come to mind?
1
gimmeluvinMar 28, 2026
+1
Serial Mom is hilarious! She is so gleeful in her tormenting of those she loathes!
1
Independent-Dust4641Mar 28, 2026
+1
Obsessed (2009) Ali Larter and Beyoncé throw haymakers at each other at one point and it's honestly fun to watch
1
gimmeluvinMar 28, 2026
+1
that's certainly an unexpected (but not really) look for beyonce.
1
Independent-Dust4641Mar 28, 2026
+1
Obsessed is unironically my absolute favorite thriller and one reason being her chemistry with both Ali Larter and Idris Elba
1
ascullycomMar 28, 2026
+1
Women seem wicked, when you're unwanted.
1
zixy37Mar 28, 2026
+1
Emmas, both Thompson and Stone, in Cruella. Esp Thompson.
1
gimmeluvinMar 28, 2026
+1
mmm that one sounds like it has possibilities!
1
zixy37Mar 28, 2026
+1
It’s better than it should’ve been. Hope you enjoy it!
1
moonchyldeMar 28, 2026
+1
It really was. I prefer to think of it as a stand-alone story rather than put it in the live-action remakes box.
1
dapribekMar 28, 2026
+1
The Grifters
1
BattlinBudMar 28, 2026
+1
I haven't seen *Whatever Happened to Baby Jane* but isn't that basically that whole movie?
1
Own-Librarian-9699Mar 28, 2026
+1
War of the Roses. Kathleen Turner really hates her husband.
For the whole Gone With The Wind, Scarlett is simply horrible and conniving and backstabbing and selfish. She's awful. She's also awful in Lady Hamilton
But the best is Glenn close in Dangerous Liaisons.
So Cruel Intentions gets a nod as a remake.
Throw mama from a train.
Drowning Mona...bette midler didn't sing a note but was a horrible character. And she did it again in Ruthless People.
1
Fools_RequiemMar 28, 2026
+1
**300: Rise of an Empire** is a bad movie, but Eva Green almost saves it with her deliciously evil performance. Same with **Sin Cty: A Dame to Kill For**.
1
res30stupidMar 28, 2026
+1
Madam Medusa in The Rescuers. It's clear her voice actress had fun with that role.
1
[deleted]Mar 28, 2026
-3
[deleted]
-3
tomandshellMar 28, 2026
+3
I don’t consume movies, either. Never have, never will.
3
gimmeluvinMar 28, 2026
+1
so glad you could stop by and make the effort of posting in r/movies.
45 Comments