Funeral shopping? You must watch episode six of the Mortality Movies TV series!
Most consumers spend more time researching a new television or family vacation than they do shopping for funeral services.
That isn’t surprising. Funeral purchases, when there’s been no advanced planning, are often made during a time of grief, stress, and emotional upheaval. Many families have little experience with funeral arrangements and may not know what questions to ask or what options are available.
Episode Six of Mortality Movies explores how films and television portray funeral shopping, funeral homes, cremation arrangements, and consumer decision-making. Host Gail Rubin, The Doyenne of Death®, speaks with death doula Danielle Slupesky and death educator Jane Westbrook. They examine clips that range from biting satire to surprisingly accurate depictions of funeral service.
Together, these films reveal that while death may be inevitable, becoming an informed funeral consumer is a choice.
Satirizing the Funeral Industry
Liberace as a casket salesman in The Loved One.
One of the earliest and sharpest critiques of the funeral profession appeared in The Loved One (1965), a dark comedy based on Evelyn Waugh’s novel.
Advertised as “A motion picture with something to offend everyone,” the film pokes fun at nearly every aspect of the funeral business, including cemeteries, funeral homes, memorialization, and even pet funerals. Featuring an extraordinary cast that includes Robert Morse, Jonathan Winters, Liberace, Rod Steiger, and Sir John Gielgud, the film remains one of cinema’s most memorable funeral satires.
In the featured scene, a young Robert Morse visits a funeral home to arrange services for his uncle, a Hollywood screenwriter who died by suicide. He is given a tour of the casket selection room by a salesman, in an over-the-top performance by Liberace. In discussing a silk interior lining versus rayon or crepe, he says, “Tell me Mr. Barlow, was your uncle a sensitive person?… Rayon chafes, you know.”
Although exaggerated for comedic effect, the film raises questions that remain relevant today. How are funeral options presented? How do consumers make decisions when they lack information? And where is the line between meaningful service and excessive salesmanship?
More than half a century after its release, many of its observations still feel surprisingly familiar.
The Casket Conversation
The Netflix series The Kominsky Method offers another perspective on funeral shopping.
After the death of his wife, Norman Newlander and his friend Sandy Kominsky visit a funeral home to find the exact casket she specified in her detailed letter of instruction. She wants a casket of recycled wood made from a sunken ship or driftwood. The casket salesman informs them that would be a special order that would take some time. This sends Norman into a fit.
The scene demonstrates the value of advance planning. Because Norman’s wife clearly communicated her wishes, the family is not forced to guess what she would have wanted. However, because she died before arrangements were made, Norman is clearly emotionally overwhelmed.
The clip illustrates one of the most visible aspects of funeral shopping: selecting merchandise. Under duress of grief, it’s a painful process.
For many consumers, casket selection is unfamiliar territory. Families may feel pressure to make decisions quickly while navigating emotions and budget concerns. Having conversations beforehand about preferences and priorities can make the process much easier. Even better, pre-plan and make that purchase before it’s needed.
The best funeral decisions are informed decisions.
Know Your Consumer Rights
One of the most educational clips in this episode comes from About Schmidt (2002).
Following the unexpected death of his wife, Warren Schmidt, played by Jack Nicholson, visits an Omaha funeral home to make arrangements. The funeral director in the scene is not an actor but real-life funeral professional Tom Belford of John A. Gentleman Mortuaries.
In a brief but significant moment, Schmidt is introduced to the Federal Trade Commission’s Funeral Rule.
The Funeral Rule requires funeral providers to give consumers itemized price information and allows families to purchase only the goods and services they want. It protects consumers from being required to buy unwanted packages or unnecessary merchandise.
Many Americans remain unaware of these protections until they find themselves making funeral arrangements.
The scene serves as a valuable reminder that funeral consumers have rights, and that understanding those rights can save money and reduce stress.
A Cremation with Character
Few funeral related scenes are as memorable as the cremation arrangement sequence in The Big Lebowski.
After their friend Donny dies unexpectedly, The Dude and Walter visit a funeral home to arrange cremation services. Their interaction with the funeral director quickly becomes a lesson in the costs associated with even simple arrangements.
The humor comes from the contrast between the friends’ laid-back attitudes and the realities of funeral expenses ($180 for a cremation urn). “It is our most modestly-priced receptacle,” says the funeral director.
Yet beneath the comedy lies an important consumer lesson. Even when families choose cremation, there are still decisions to be made regarding services, containers, disposition, memorialization, and final placement of cremated remains.
The clip challenges the common misconception that cremation automatically eliminates the need for planning.
It also brilliantly illustrates one element of the Federal Trade Commission’s Funeral Rule. Consumers can provide their own casket or cremation urn. Walter’s inquiry, “Is there a Ralph’s around here?” leads to them getting their friend’s cremated remains in a coffee can.
Learning the Business from the Inside
The HBO series Six Feet Under has long been praised for its realistic portrayal of funeral service.
In the featured episode, Nate Fisher struggles after failing his funeral director licensing examination. His girlfriend Brenda responds by taking him on an unusual educational tour of three competing funeral homes. At each visit, they present a different scenario to the funeral directors.
The sequence allows viewers to see how different funeral businesses present themselves, market their services, and interact with potential clients. In two of the three cases, they don’t acquit themselves well.
This comparison-shopping approach is something many consumers rarely consider.
Just as people compare hospitals, attorneys, contractors, or financial advisors, funeral providers can also be evaluated based on services, pricing, philosophy, facilities, and personal fit.
Not every funeral home is the same.
The episode encourages viewers to think like informed consumers rather than making decisions solely based on urgency or tradition.
Funeral Shopping Before You Need It
The films and television programs featured in Episode Six of Mortality Movies all point toward a common lesson: funeral shopping is easier before a death occurs.
When families plan ahead, they have time to compare options, ask questions, review prices, and think carefully about what matters most. They can distinguish between needs and wants. They can make decisions without the pressure of immediate grief.
Funeral shopping is not about finding the cheapest option or the most expensive option. It is about finding the right option.
Whether the lesson comes from the satire of The Loved One, the advance planning in The Kominsky Method, the consumer protections highlighted in About Schmidt, the cremation arrangements in The Big Lebowski, or the comparison-shopping tour in Six Feet Under, the message remains the same.
Knowledge is empowering.
The more consumers understand their options before a death occurs, the more confident and comfortable they will be when the time comes to make important decisions.
What movie or television scene has taught you something about funeral service, cremation, cemeteries, or consumer rights? Share your thoughts in the comments and help continue the conversation.
Want to Watch Mortality Movies Without Jumping Between Screens?
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Just sit back, enjoy the movies, and discover what they can teach us about death, dying, grief, and living life fully.
You can also discover a treasure trove of conversation-starting films and TV shows in Gail Rubin’s latest book, 98.6 Mortality Movies to See Before You Die.