The Money Pit (1986)

A young couple struggles to repair a hopelessly dilapidated house.

Director:

Richard Benjamin

Writer:

David Giler

Stars:

Tom Hanks, Shelley Long, Alexander Godunov

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tom Hanks	...	Walter Fielding
Shelley Long	...	Anna Crowley
Alexander Godunov	...	Max Beissart
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 (as John van Dreelen)
Douglass Watson	...	Walter Fielding, Sr.
Lucille Dobrin	...	Macumba Lady

Storyline

Walter Fielding and Anna Crowley have to start looking for a new house- but there's not much they can afford! This soon changes when they meet a lonely old con artist who sells them a beautiful mansion at a ridiculously low price. Only there's a catch. The second they move into the house it falls apart, starting with the stairway collapsing to the bathtub falling through the floor to eventually the chimney falling into the house! Finally, they have to renovate the house before the frame collapses but the renovations also prove to be a disaster.

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Plot Keywords:

house | dilapidated house | renovation | remake | couple | 

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Taglines:

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

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish Chinese Russian Portuguese

Release Date:

26 March 1986 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Money Pit

Filming Locations:

Vizcaya Museum & Gardens, 3251 South Miami Avenue, Miami, Florida, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$10,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$5,344,555, 30 March 1986

Gross USA:

$37,499,651

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$17,500,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Amblin Entertainment, U-Drive Productions, Universal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) Dolby Stereo (35 mm prints)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The start of principal photography on this picture was delayed due to Shelley Long's pregnancy. After Long's daughter Juliana was born, Long began work which included all the physical stunts and acting that was required.

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Goofs

When Anna is leaving Max's house after spending the night, she grabs her stockings which are hanging from the fireplace. The stockings are obviously brand new fresh out of the box.

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Quotes

[Anna is negotiating with Max, for money to repair the house]
Max: All you want to talk about is money, let's talk about love, and sex... forget love, let's just talk about sex.

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Alternate Versions

When originally released theatrically in the UK, the BBFC made cuts of 5 seconds to secure a 'PG' rating. All cuts were waived later in 1986 when the film was re-rated with a '15' certificate for home video.

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Connections

Featured in Special Collector's Edition: Especial redoblajes (2011)

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Soundtracks

Skin Tight
Written by Michel Colombier and Kathleen Wakefield

User Reviews

hanks at his physical comedy best

It continually amazes me that Tom hanks will go down as one of the best dramatic actors of our generation and little will be spoken of how good a physical comedian he was before "Philadelphia" changed his career. Hanks made a string of movies in the 80s relying on his physical comedy ability, most notable "Big", "the burbs", "dragnet", "turner & hooch" etc. But I think that with the POSSIBLE exception of "Big" - "The Money Pit" is his best. Some of the scenes involving Hanks in this movie made me laugh so hard I couldn't breathe. This movie is intended to be a farce and it succeeds totally. The rest of the cast is not very strong - I have never, and I assume never will be, a Shelley Long fan - she doesn't do anything but provide a sounding board for Hanks anyway. But then again, she really doesn't need to.

This movie is definitely worth taking a look at if you haven't seen it - the first time you watch it, it is genuinely hilarious. I just watched it again after about three years without seeing it and found it to still hold up. The scene when the chimney falls apart is my favorite. I wish hanks would do another comedy, but he's all serious now. oh well.