Troop Beverly Hills

"I may be a beginner at some things, but I've got a black belt in shopping!"

Beverly Hills socialite Phyllis Nefler (Long) is in the middle of a divorce, but trying to get her life together.  As part of her serious new life, she volunteers to be the troop leader for her daughter Hannah's (Lewis) Wilderness Girls of America troop.  Phyllis is not like other troop leaders, which annoys the district leader Velda Plendor (Thomas).  The troop consists of Hanna, Tiffany (Schulman) who gets paid to attend, icy Chica (Gugino) who never sees her parents, Lily (Soriano) who's father is a Dictator, Emily (Martin) who's father is an unemployed actor, outspoken Jasmine (Scott) who's father is a well-known athlete, Tessa (Hopper) who is in therapy due to her parents divorce, and Claire (Foster) a TV star.

When their first camping trip is ruined by rain, Phyllis and the girls relocate to the Beverly Hills Hotel.  Phyllis declares that she will teach the girls to survive in Beverly Hills and create her own badges.  Velda is not impressed and orders her meek second-in-command Annie Herman (Gross) to serve as a second leader / spy for Troop Beverly Hills.  Can Phyllis and the girls succeed, or will they be laughed out of the Wilderness Girls?


I love this movie.  I finally found it on Amazon, and decided it was destiny and had to buy it.  I watched it at least once after that, and then took it to my parents house for mother-daughter movie night.  This is one of those movies (like Clueless or Legally Blonde) that all girls should watch.

When I was in Brownies and Girl Scouts, I always had scout leaders that believed in the "Phyllis Nefler" camping experience: staying in nice cabins that include running water and heat / air conditioning... I have never had a real camping experience (I have slept outdoors, without a tent, which should count for something).  Anyway, this film is hysterical.

The film begins with an animated title sequence and the fun continues from there.  The funniest sequence is when she is teaching them to dance, and then the girls go to the nursing home.  Shelley Long fully commits to the performance and makes Phyllis fun and sympathetic.  Look closely at the girls, many are still acting today.  The end is mostly predictable, but it is still compelling (and just try to get the Troop Beverly Hills song out of your head).

Troop Beverly Hills (1989) 100 minutes
Director: Jeff Kanew
Starring: Shelley Long as Phyllis Nefler
Craig T. Nelson as Fred Nefler
Betty Thomas as Velda Plendor
Mary Gross as Annie Herman
Jenny Lewis as Hanna Nefler
Emily Schulman as Tiffany Honigman
Carla Gugino as Chica Barnfell
Aquilina Soriano as Lily Marcigan
Kellie Martin as Emily Coleman
Tasha Scott as Jasmine Shakar
Heather Hopper as Tessa DiBlasio
Ami Foster as Claire Sprantz