A Simple Wish (1997)

Murray is a male fairy godmother, and he is trying to help 8-year-old Anabel to fulfil her "simple wish" - that her father Oliver, who is a cab driver, would win the leading role in a ... See full summary »

Director:

Michael Ritchie

Writer:

Jeff Rothberg

Stars:

Robert Pastorelli, Ruby Dee, Mara Wilson

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert Pastorelli	...	Oliver
Ruby Dee	...	Hortense
Francis Capra	...	Charlie
Jonathan Hadary	...	Lord Richard
Deborah Odell	...	Jeri
Mara Wilson	...	Anabel
Amanda Plummer	...	Boots
Alan Campbell	...	Tony Sable
Kathleen Turner	...	Claudia
Lanny Flaherty	...	Duane
Teri Garr	...	Rena
Martin Short	...	Murray
Clare Coulter	...	Ms. Bramble
Neil Foster	...	Manny
Jaime Tirelli	...	Joe

Storyline

Murray is a male fairy godmother, and he is trying to help 8-year-old Anabel to fulfil her "simple wish" - that her father Oliver, who is a cab driver, would win the leading role in a Broadway musical. Unfortunately, Murray's magic wand is broken and the fairies convention is threatened by evil witches Claudia and Boots.

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Plot Keywords:

8 year old | male fairy godmother | magic | convention | wish | 

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Taglines:

Your wish is his command... sort of.

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Genres:

Family | Comedy | Fantasy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for mild language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 July 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

Bir dilek tut

Filming Locations:

Brooks, Alberta, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$28,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$2,732,880 (USA) (11 July 1997)

Gross:

$8,119,205 (USA) (22 August 1997)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, Bubble Factory, The, Sheinberg Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Sound Mix:

DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Claudia: Everything is fine. No, nothing is wrong. Hortense... is flat.

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Crazy Credits

After "The Bubble Factory" at the start of the film, tricks are played for the next 4 frames: 1) "Feivbrsel Puctorus and Thn Beabla Uictsry Present" quickly rearranges itself to read "The Bubble Factory and Universal Pictures Present"; 2} "A Sheinberg Production" is first shown with "Sheinberg" rotated 180°; 3) "A Michael Ritchie Film" is first shown with the letters squashed to the right with the bottom of each letter unmoved - they each quickly right themselves; 4) The title is first shown as "A Simqle Wish" - the "q" then spins around its vertical axis, ending up as a "p".

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Connections

References 2 Days in the Valley (1996)

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Soundtracks

"The Best of Times"
Music by Lucy Simon
Lyrics by Michael Ritchie
Performed by Peter Samuels

User Reviews

This was a fun film, and part of what made the film amusing was that the actors/actresses really seemed to be having fun.

This was a fun film, and part of what made the film amusing was that the actors/actresses really seemed to be having fun.

(Mara Wilson)Anabel's Dad,(Robert Pastorelli)Oliver is a horse carriage rider and takes auditions to become a singer and Anabel meets a male fairy godmother,(Martin Short)Murray and Anabel's wish is for her father to actually become a singer. When the wish is granted it all changes.Anabel's father turns into a statue because Murray casts the spell wrong because he has not had that much training.A witch,(KLathleen Turner)Claudia wants Murray's wand because it is the most powerful.Join in the fun and watch how Anabel's father is turned back.