Big (1988)

After wishing to be made big, a teenage boy wakes the next morning to find himself mysteriously in the body of an adult.

Director:

Penny Marshall

Writers:

Gary Ross, Anne Spielberg

Stars:

Tom Hanks, Elizabeth Perkins, Robert Loggia

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 11 wins & 12 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tom Hanks	...	Josh
Elizabeth Perkins	...	Susan
Robert Loggia	...	MacMillan
John Heard	...	Paul
Jared Rushton	...	Billy
David Moscow	...	Young Josh
Jon Lovitz	...	Scotty Brennen
Mercedes Ruehl	...	Mrs. Baskin
Josh Clark	...	Mr. Baskin
Kimberlee M. Davis	...	Cynthia Benson
Oliver Block	...	Freddie Benson
Erika Katz	...	Cynthia's Friend
Allan Wasserman	...	Gym Teacher
Mark Ballou	...	Derek
Gary Howard Klar	...	Ticket Taker (as Gary Klar)

Storyline

Josh Baskin would do anything to be big to hang out with his crush at the carnival. He finds a Zoltar machine, and he wishes to be big. After Zoltar tells him, "his wish is granted", Josh notices the machine is unplugged. He wakes up the next morning in an adult's body but he still has the same personality. With the help of his best friend, Billy, Josh learns how to act like a grown up. But as he gets a girlfriend and a fun job, he doesn't want to be a kid again. Will Josh stay big or become a 13 year old boy again?

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Plot Keywords:

carnival | chopsticks the song | wish | new york city | body switching | 

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Taglines:

Remember...When Buddies Were Buddies, Girls Were a Mystery, And You Couldn't Wait to Grow Up?

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy | Romance

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 June 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

Big

Filming Locations:

Garden State News 666 Anderson Ave, Cliffside Park, New Jersey, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$18,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$114,968,774

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$151,668,774

Company Credits

Production Co:

American Entertainment Partners II L.P., Gracie Films, Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min 130 min (extended edition)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo (Todd-AO/Glen Glenn Sound)

Color:

Color (DuArt)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Jeff Bridges turned down the role of Josh Baskin. Interestingly Robert Loggia played MacMillan. Bridges and Loggia co-starred in Jagged Edge (1985).

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Goofs

Susan leaves the meeting and goes outside; she is only wearing a suit jacket. Yet, when she tracks Josh down at Sea Point Park, she's suddenly wearing a long cream-colored coat over her suit.

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Quotes

Josh: [checking Billy's baseball cards] Got it, got it, need it, got it...

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Alternate Versions

Some believe that a home video release of this movie in New Zealand included an alternate ending. The alternate ending allegedly shows young Josh sitting in his classroom at school when he turns around to notice a young female classmate of whom who he recognizes as Susan- who went back to the fairground machine and wished that she was Josh's age. Some claim that this version was also seen on Latin American television. The Book of Lists, Canadian Edition, 2005 includes the following account: "During test screenings, an additional scene was included at the end, in which Josh is back at school, and a new girl named Susan arrives. The implication is that Susan used the same machine to make herself young to grow up with Josh. Due to audience feedback, this scene was cut, and so the movie ends when Josh goes back home."

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Connections

Spoofed in Jack (1996)

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Soundtracks

Be a Helper Bee
Written by Kimberly A. Bradstreet
Performed by Kimberly and Friends
Courtesy of Dance and Jingle Inc.

User Reviews

might enter the "classic" category

Saw this movie again recently and found that it stands up well to repeat viewings. Tom Hanks meets a difficult challenge here - to convincingly show us how a twelve-year old boy would act if he were trapped in an adult's body and had to "pass" in a grownup world. He meets the challenge in spades, aided by a script that is by turns witty, clever, insightful, and touching, and by Penny Marshall's able direction. Much is added by Robert Loggia's sympathetic portrayal of Tom/Josh's boss, and by Jared Rushton as his friend Billy. The movie is much more than an exercise in slapstick or farce: it is really a disquisition on the wonder of childhood. In the end it is quite touching, if not moving, reminding us all of the innocence of youth and the aching sadness of recalling its loss. Too early to tell, but the film might very well be destined to become a classic.