“Don’t get mad—get everything!”
“Don’t get mad—get even!” is an old political saying. Czech-American businesswoman and former fashion model Ivana Trump (who was married to Donald Trump from 1977 to 1991) said in a film cameo in The First Wives Club (1996):
“Ladies, you have to be strong and independent, and remember, don’t get mad, get everything.”
Ivana Trump didn’t get “everything” in her divorce, but she did get more than $20 million, according to reports. The movie line became famous and is usually credited to Ivana Trump, although it was written for her in the script.
Wikipedia: Ivana Trump
Ivana Marie Trump (née Zelníčková, Czech pronunciation: [ˈɪvana ˈmarɪjɛ ˈzɛlɲiːt͡ʃkovaː]; February 20, 1949) is a Czech-American businesswoman and former fashion model. She was the first wife of U.S. President Donald Trump from 1977 until 1991.
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She played a cameo role in the Hollywood film The First Wives Club (1996) with the line, “Ladies you have to be strong and independent. And remember: don’t get mad, get everything.”
Wikipedia: The First Wives Club
The First Wives Club is a 1996 American comedy film, based on the best-selling 1992 novel of the same name by Olivia Goldsmith. Narrated by Diane Keaton, it stars Keaton, Goldie Hawn, and Bette Midler as three divorced women who seek revenge on their ex-husbands who left them for younger women. Stephen Collins, Victor Garber and Dan Hedaya co-star as the husbands, and Sarah Jessica Parker, Marcia Gay Harden and Elizabeth Berkley as their lovers, with Maggie Smith, Bronson Pinchot and Stockard Channing also starring. Scott Rudin produced and Hugh Wilson directed; the film was distributed by Paramount Pictures.
The film became a surprise box-office hit following its North American release, eventually grossing $181,490,000 worldwide, mostly from its domestic run, despite receiving mixed reviews. It developed a cult following particularly among middle-aged women, and the actresses’ highest-grossing project of the decade helped revitalize their careers in film and television
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Screenplay by Robert Harling
Based on The novel by Olivia Goldsmith
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Cameos of note include Ivana Trump (who famously stated in the film, “Don’t get mad, get everything.”), Gloria Steinem, and Kathie Lee Gifford as themselves, as well as author Olivia Goldsmith, director Hugh Wilson as a commercial director, and Heather Locklear as the younger lover of James Naughton’s character Gil.
IMDb (The Internet Movie Database)
The First Wives Club (1996)
Quotes
Ivana Trump: Ladies, you have to be strong and independent, and remember, don’t get mad, get everything.
9 September 1996, USA Today (McLean, VA), “Autumn leaves plenty of film choices” by Tom Green,, Susan Wloszczyna and Andy Seiler, pg. 4D:
The First Wives Club
Opening: Sept. 20.
The players: Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn, Diane Keaton.
The lowdown: Talk about your comic-diva dream team. These rich Manhattan gal pals aren’t waiting to exhale. They’re waiting to get back at their exes. The three plot revenge on ungrateful spouses who have dumped them for sexier, younger playthings. Or, as first-wife icon Ivana Trump gleefully suggests in a cameo, ``Don’t get mad—get everything!’’ Directed by Hugh Wilson (Guarding Tess).
Google Books
Time
Volume 148, Issues 11-20
1996
Pg. 190:
MARRIED TO DONALD TRUMP 1977-91
Playing herself in The First Wives Club, Ivana gets a big laugh saying, “Don’t get mad. Get everything.” She didn’t get everything when The Donald left her for Maria Maples, but she got more than $20 million, custody of their three children and a new life.
Daily News (New York, NY)
Experts tackle divorce: Does ‘don’t get mad, get everything’ still ring true?
Monday, August 10, 2009, 11:01 AM
“Don’t get mad. Get everything!” Ivana Trump famously declared during the 1990s. Even for New Yorkers not leading lifestyles of the rich and famous, handling finances during a divorce can be just as tough.
Independent.ie (Ireland)
‘Don’t get mad, get everything’: The high price of breaking up
Gabrielle Monaghan
April 23 2015 9:39 AM
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While Ivana Trump famously advised the wives of wealthy men “don’t get mad - get everything” when divorcing Donald Trump after finding out he was cheating on her with beauty queen Marla Maples, it doesn’t quite work out that way in Irish courts, Spain says.
Google Books
Trump Talking:
The Donald, in his own words
By Al Cimino
London, UK: Robinson
2016
Pg. ?:
Ivana played a cameo role in the 1996 movie The First Wives Club, delivering the memorable line, ‘Remember girls: don’t get mad, get everything.’
With ‘The Donald’ she didn’t. He, as always, threatened to sue. In the end, both backed down, so now ‘The Donald’ belongs to the world.
YouTube
The First Wives Club - Ivana Trump || Don’t get mad, get everything
anodien1983
Published on Feb 2, 2016
Twitter
Aaron Fullerton
@AaronFullerton
Impeaching him isn’t enough. Let’s take the advice of one of Trump’s ex-wives: “Don’t get mad, get everything.”
10:38 AM - 11 May 2017