The Money Pit (1986)

Director:

Richard Benjamin

Writer:

David Giler (written by)

Release Date:

26 March 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Music

Tagline:

For everyone who's ever been deeply in Love or deeply in debt.

Plot:

A young couple struggles to repair a hopelessly dilapidated house.

Plot Keywords:

House | Couple | Problem | Renovation | DIY

Cast

Tom Hanks	...	Walter Fielding, Jr.
Shelley Long	...	Anna Crowley Beissart Fielding
Alexander Godunov	...	Max Beissart, the Maestro
Maureen Stapleton	...	Estelle
Joe Mantegna	...	Art Shirk
Philip Bosco	...	Curly
Josh Mostel	...	Jack Schnittman
Yakov Smirnoff	...	Shatov
Carmine Caridi	...	Brad Shirk
Brian Backer	...	Ethan
Billy Lombardo	...	Benny
Mia Dillon	...	Marika
John Van Dreelen	...	Carlos
Douglass Watson	...	Walter Fielding, Sr.
Lucille Dobrin	...	Macumba Lady
Tetchie Agbayani	...	Florinda Fielding
Scott Turchin	...	Mover #1
Radu Gavor	...	Mover #2
Grisha Dimant	...	Mover #3
Lutz Rath	...	Geza
Joey Balin	...	Jimmy
Wendell Pierce	...	Paramedic
Susan Browning	...	Samantha
Henry Judd Baker	...	Oscar (as Henry Baker)
Mary Louise Wilson	...	Benny's Mom
Irving Metzman	...	Sid
Frank Maraden	...	Mattress Man #1
Michael Russo	...	Mattress Man #2
Joe Ponazecki	...	Montgomery Shrapp
Michael Hyde	...	Driver of 18-Wheeler
Mike Starr	...	Lenny
Frankie Faison	...	James
Jake Steinfeld	...	Duke
Matthew Cowles	...	Marty
Nestor Serrano	...	Julio
Michael Jeter	...	Arnie
Afemo Omilami	...	Bernie
Bruno Iannone	...	Sol
Ron Foster	...	Record Producer
Alan Altshuld	...	Volkswagen Driver
Tzi Ma	...	Hwang
J. Cynthia Brooks	...	Benny's Girlfriend (as Cindy Brooks)
Leslie West	...	Lana
Tom Filiault	...	'Cheap Girls'
Doug Plavin	...	'Cheap Girls'
Chris Tuttle	...	'Cheap Girls'
Ed Vadas	...	'Cheap Girls'
Louise Robey	...	Female Vocalist (as Robey)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Melissa Ann Green	...	Wedding Choir (uncredited)
Pete Richardson	...	Construction Worker (uncredited)
Vincent Russo	...	Construction Worker (uncredited)
Mike Tremont	...	Cab Driver (uncredited)
Tazariah Wolffe	...	Carpenter (uncredited)

Directed by
Richard Benjamin

Writing credits
David Giler		(written by)

Produced by
David Giler	....	executive producer
Kathleen Kennedy	....	producer
Art Levinson	....	producer
Frank Marshall	....	producer
Steven Spielberg	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Michel Colombier

Cinematography by
Gordon Willis

Film Editing by
Jacqueline Cambas

Casting by
Howard Feuer

Production Design by
Patrizia von Brandenstein

Art Direction by
W. Steven Graham

Set Decoration by
George DeTitta Sr.

Costume Design by
Ruth Morley

Makeup Department
Lyndell Quiyou	....	hair stylist
Mickey Scott	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Art Levinson	....	unit production manager
Arthur F. Repola	....	post-production supervisor
Clayton Townsend	....	assistant unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Michael Haley	....	first assistant director
Ellen Rauch	....	second assistant director
Tomaz Remec	....	dga trainee
James W. Skotchdopole	....	second assistant director
Dick Ziker	....	second unit director

Art Department
George DeTitta Jr.	....	set dresser
John R. Ford	....	assistant property master
Edward Garzero	....	scenic chargeman
Robert Griffon Jr.	....	assistant property master
Judy Jurisek	....	stand-by scenic
Doug Kraner	....	assistant art director
Sherman Labby	....	production illustrator
John Oates Jr.	....	dresser
Tony Parmelee	....	dresser
Carlos Quiles	....	construction foreman
Richard Reseigne	....	construction design coordinator (as Dick Reseigne)
Karen Sloe	....	art department assistant
Walter Stocklin	....	property master (as Wally Stocklin)
Steve Swanson	....	assistant property master
Wynn Thomas	....	assistant art director
Joe Williams Sr.	....	head construction grip
Joseph Alfieri	....	carpenter (uncredited)
Gerald DeTitta	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Sherryl Sachs	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Manny Sanchez	....	carpenter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Nathan Boxer	....	sound mixer
Jeff Bushelman	....	sound editor
Charles L. Campbell	....	supervising sound editor
Larry Carow	....	sound editor
Craig Clark	....	assistant sound editor
Doreen A. Dixon	....	adr editor
Mike Dobie	....	sound editor
Patty Dobie	....	apprentice sound editor
Louis L. Edemann	....	supervising sound editor
Richard C. Franklin	....	sound editor (as Rick Franklin)
Ron Hitchcock	....	sound re-recording mixer
Andy McKee	....	sound recordist
Chuck Neely	....	sound editor
Steve Scanlon	....	sound recordist
Jerry Stanford	....	sound editor (as Jerry R. Stanford)
Robert Thirlwell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bill Varney	....	sound re-recording mixer
Greg Orloff	....	foley mixer (uncredited)
John Roesch	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Edward Drohan	....	special effects
Mike Edmonson	....	special effects (as Mike Edmondson)
Steve Krieger	....	special effects
Samuel E. Price	....	special effects
Gary Schaedler	....	special effects
David Wood	....	special effects
Michael Wood	....	special effects supervisor
Tony Parmelee	....	special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Craig Barron	....	matte photography supervisor (uncredited)

Stunts
Colette Alexander	....	stunts
Pete Antico	....	stunts
Nick Ballo	....	stunts
Kenny Bates	....	stunts
Jay Boryea	....	stunts
Bambi Brook	....	stunts
Paul Bucossi	....	stunts
Peter Bucossi	....	stunts
Domingo Buster	....	stunts
Lisa Cain	....	stunts
Lisa Dalton	....	stunts (as Lisa Loving)
Roy Farfel	....	stunts
Frank Ferrara	....	stunts
Lawrence Garcia	....	stunts
Jeff Jensen	....	stunts
Henry Kingi	....	stunts
Robert Lempert	....	stunts
Harry Madsen	....	stunts
Anderson Martin	....	stunts (as Andy Martin)
Phil Neilson	....	stunts
Don Picard	....	stunts
Chuck Picerni Jr.	....	stunts (as Charles Picerni Jr.)
Charlie Picerni	....	stunts (as Charles Picerni)
Sandy Richman	....	stunts
Elliott S. Valderrama	....	stunts
Joan Valderrama	....	stunts
Jeff Ward	....	stunts
Webster Whinery	....	stunts
Anna Marie Wieder	....	stunts
Scott Wilder	....	stunts
Matthew F. Zanoskar	....	stunts
Dick Ziker	....	stunt coordinator (as Richard Ziker)
Scott Wilder	....	stunt double: Tom Hanks (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Ronald Burke	....	grip
Vincent Delaney	....	best boy (as Vin Delaney)
Ed Egan	....	grip
James Fitzpatrick	....	electrician (as Jim Fitzpatrick)
Douglas C. Hart	....	first assistant camera
Richard Hebrank	....	grip (as Richard Hebrink)
Jim Manzione	....	electrician
Tom McKibbin	....	electrician
Dick Mingalone	....	camera operator
Robert Paone	....	second assistant camera
Michael Proscia	....	electrician
Ray Quinlan	....	gaffer
Steven Search	....	camera trainee
Lorey Sebastian	....	still photographer
Eric Staller	....	lightmobile
Rory Walsh	....	grip
Robert Ward	....	key grip (as Bobby Ward)
Paul Jacobsen	....	set lighting technician: second unit, Florida (uncredited)
Bob Rose	....	key grip: second unit (uncredited)
Michael J. Spehar	....	assistant chief set lighting technician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Louis DiGiaimo	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Bill Christians	....	wardrobe supervisor: men
Susan Gammie	....	assistant costumer
Jennifer Nichols	....	wardrobe supervisor: women
Ursula Schrader	....	wardrobe (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Donah Bassett	....	negative cutter (as Donah J. Bassett)
Patrick Crane	....	post-production assistant
Geno Escarrega	....	assistant film editor
Seth Flaum	....	associate film editor
Pamela Ghaleb	....	apprentice film editor
Martha Huntley	....	apprentice film editor
Jill Savitt	....	assistant film editor
Jim Schurmann	....	color timer
Melissa Tynan-Lagorio	....	post-production assistant
Tracy Granger	....	assistant/apprentice editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Michel Colombier	....	conductor
Curt Sobel	....	music editor
Tom Boyd	....	musician: oboe soloist (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Michael Hyde	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Kate Barker	....	assistant: Ms. Kennedy
Jane Bartelme	....	production associate
Carolyn Bauer	....	assistant: Mr. Benjamin
Renee Bodner	....	script supervisor
Carla Corwin	....	production assistant
Lynn D. Ezelle	....	assistant production accountant
Monte Farber	....	production assistant
Susan Fazekas	....	location scout
Vic Heutschy	....	publicist
Harriette Kanew	....	production coordinator
Richard Kraft	....	production associate
Michael McCormick	....	assistant production accountant
Blair Bellis Mohr	....	assistant production coordinator
Lesley Moore	....	production assistant
Julie Moskowitz	....	assistant: Mr. Spielberg
Joe Murphy	....	production accountant
Richard Patrick	....	production assistant
Desiree Perri	....	assistant production accountant
Bonne Radford	....	production controller
Mary T. Radford	....	assistant: Mr. Marshall
Amy Sayres	....	location manager
Steven Spielberg	....	presenter
Lisa Burnett	....	assistant production coordinator (uncredited)
Alan Jacques	....	projectionist (uncredited)

Thanks
Julia Child	....	special thanks
Richard Feigen	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Amblin Entertainment
• U-Drive Productions
• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1986) (USA) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (1986) (Argentina) (VHS)
• CIC Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1989) (USA) (TV)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Industrial Light & Magic (ILM)

Other Companies

• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• TAJ Soundworks  foley

Also Known As:

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby SR (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Canada:PG | Chile:14 | Finland:S | Singapore:NC-16 | Singapore:PG (cut) | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | UK:15 | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Norway:12 | Iceland:L | UK:PG (1986) (cut) | Portugal:M/6

Filming Locations:

Astoria, Queens, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Amblin Entertainment

Trivia:

The film was intended to be one of Universal's tent pole movies for Christmas 1985, but the film was pushed back to March of 1986.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: When the lead Cheap Girl tells Walter they want to change their name, you hear "Meryl Streep" but his lips say something else. The same thing for Walter when he tells him he's not changing their name. Perhaps another name was originally used and the producers didn't get the permission to use it.

Quotes:

Walter:I'm not trying to tell you your business but you haven't even looked at my pipes.
Brad Shirk:I looked at them three years ago. You figure they've improved with age?

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in FC Venus (2006)

Soundtrack:

COWBOY PARADISE

Mr. Hanks builds his dream (make that "nightmare") house

I know, the critics ripped at "The Money Pit" when it got released. They apparently didn't realize that it wasn't pretending to be a masterpiece; it was a big excuse to be funny, and they succeed. Some of the gags her seem to forecast the equally funny "Mousehunt". Personally, I think that Tom Hanks needs to act in some more comedies, and Shelley Long needs to get more roles in movies. My favorite scene? Well, I get the giggles whenever I think of the whole chain reaction. Just the kinds of things about which anyone should worry when moving into a new house (although my family didn't have such experiences when we moved into our house).

All in all, it shows that Richard Benjamin is as great a director as he is an actor. My generation ought to give him the recognition that my parents' generation gave him. Also starring Alexander Godunov (one of the Amish guys in "Witness"), Maureen Stapleton, Joe Mantegna and Josh Mostel.