▁ ▁The ▁story ▁is ▁about ▁an ▁alco hol ic ▁Broadway ▁actress ▁who ▁tries ▁to ▁stay ▁so ber , ▁while ▁dealing ▁with ▁the ▁problems ▁of ▁her ▁te en aged ▁daughter ▁and ▁her ▁friends : ▁an ▁over ly ▁vain ▁woman ▁who ▁fear s ▁the ▁loss ▁of ▁her ▁looks , ▁and ▁a ▁gay ▁actor ▁re leg ated ▁to ▁small ▁roles ▁in ▁third - rate ▁shows . ▁Simon ▁changed ▁the ▁main ▁character ' s ▁name ▁to ▁Georgia ▁H ines ▁for ▁the ▁film ▁adaptation ; ▁the ▁character ▁was ▁named ▁Ev y ▁M ear a ▁in ▁the ▁stage ▁version . ▁The ▁main ▁character ▁went ▁from ▁being ▁a ▁cab aret ▁singer ▁to ▁a ▁Broadway ▁stage ▁actress . ▁ ▁The ▁film , ▁written ▁by ▁Simon ▁and ▁directed ▁by ▁Gl enn ▁Jordan , ▁stars ▁Marsh a ▁Mason , ▁Joan ▁H ack ett , ▁James ▁C oco , ▁and ▁Krist y ▁Mc N ich ol . ▁It ▁also ▁features ▁two ▁short ▁scenes ▁with ▁then - unknown s ▁Kevin ▁Ba con ▁and ▁John ▁V arg as . ▁Simon ' s ▁next ▁release , ▁I ▁O ug ht ▁to ▁Be ▁in ▁Pictures , ▁was ▁released ▁just ▁six ▁months ▁later , ▁and ▁its ▁plot ▁was ▁similar . ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁nominated ▁for ▁Academy ▁Awards ▁for ▁Best ▁Act ress ▁in ▁a ▁Le ading ▁Ro le ▁( Mar sha ▁Mason ), ▁Best ▁A ctor ▁in ▁a ▁Support ing ▁Ro le ▁( James ▁C oco ), ▁and ▁Best ▁Act ress ▁in ▁a ▁Support ing ▁Ro le ▁( Jo an ▁H ack ett ). ▁Only ▁When ▁I ▁L augh ▁proved