Scavenger Hunt (1979)

To inherit a fortune, various addressees of a will must compete in a wild scavenger hunt to collect selected items, but cannot be simply bought.

Director:

Michael Schultz

Writers:

Steven Vail (story) (as Steven A. Vail), John Thomson (adaptation) (as John Thompson)

Stars:

Richard Benjamin, James Coco, Scatman Crothers

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Richard Benjamin	...	Stuart Selsome
James Coco	...	Henri
Scatman Crothers	...	Sam
Ruth Gordon	...	Arvilla Droll
Cloris Leachman	...	Mildred Carruthers
Cleavon Little	...	Jackson
Roddy McDowall	...	Jenkins
Robert Morley	...	Bernstein
Richard Mulligan	...	Marvin Dummitz
Tony Randall	...	Henry Motley
Dirk Benedict	...	Jeff Stevens
Willie Aames	...	Kenny Stevens
Stephanie Faracy	...	Babbette
Stephen Furst	...	Merle
Richard Masur	...	Georgie Carruthers

Storyline

Milton Parker has made millions inventing and selling games. Upon his death, his relatives and domestic staff gather for the reading of the will. However, Old Mr. Parker is a game player to the last, and his will stipulates that a Scavenger Hunt will be held to determine the beneficiaries of his sizeable estate. The winning team gets all the money, the rest get nothing.

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Plot Keywords:

year 1979 | 1970s | pantyhose | black pantyhose | female stockinged legs | 

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Taglines:

Winner takes all!

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 December 1979 (USA)

Also Known As:

Galen i stålar

Filming Locations:

Centre City Building, 233 "A" Street, San Diego, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$7,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Melvin Simon Productions,Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

116 min

Sound Mix:

Mono Mono (Glen Glenn Sound)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to Director Michael Schultz, Richard Masur played his role annoyingly as possible and mostly improvised. In an interview 30 years later, Masur claims that he based his role of 'Georgie' on Nicky, an angry, drooling and spoiled five-year-old neighbor and schoolmate of his who would throw fits and tantrums when he did not get his way. All of Masur's facial expressions and movements were based on his memories of Nicky. Masur modeled his character, a 30-year-old man, as having the mind of a spoiled five-year-old. The eyeglasses worn by Masur were props instead of Masur's real prescription eyeglasses with thick glass lenses in which he had some difficulty seeing through them.

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Goofs

Just before Jeff, Kenny & Lisa head back to the house to drop the first load of stuff in their van following the laughing gas scene, Lisa is still wearing the outfit (minus one or two items) she was in when the will was read. When they return to unload what they collected she is wearing a checkered shirt & jeans, yet had no change of clothes.

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Quotes

[Stuart Selsome is refusing to get into his car to drive on the start of the scavenger hunt]
Mildred Cruthers: What are you waiting for?
Stuart Selsome: A full share!
Mildred Cruthers: You greedy, blood-sucking, ambulance chaser!
Georgie Carruthers: Mother, we don't have any choice. It's his car.
Stuart Selsome: Why don't you call a taxi, Mildred?
Mildred Cruthers: What happened to your cut of 15%? Fine, I'll give you 20% if we win.
Stuart Selsome: I want 50%. Non-negotiable.
[after a pause]
Mildred Cruthers: [grimaces] It's a deal!

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Alternate Versions

CBS edited 20 minutes from this film for its 1982 network television premiere.

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Connections

References Animal House (1978)

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Soundtracks

You're the Only One That I Ever Needed
by Willie Aames
Produced by Bones Howe
Courtesy of Lorimar Records
©1979 British Rocket Music Publishing Co. and Neon Baby Music

User Reviews

This movie is hilarious and great for family viewing

Anyone that does not like this movie is a snob with no sense of humor. For example, the art-deco neighbors to the Griswolds in Christmas Vacation, they probably wouldn't like this movie, it would be far too unsophisticated. Mike Myers character, Dieter, from the Saturday Night Live skit "Sprockets, he wouldn't like this movie either. I say, "lighten up Francis", to borrow a phrase from Stripes. Enjoy it for what it is. Sometimes it is enjoyable to eat something from a four- star restaurant, sometimes it is enjoyable to chew on a piece of bubblegum. The cast is all-star from the 70s and there are many funny moments. Political correctness adherents, steer clear, you won't like this movie. By the way, get a life, PC adherents.