Funny Farm (1988)

A couple swap city life for the country, but their picturesque new hometown turns out to be just a little bit different to what they were expecting.

Director:

George Roy Hill

Writers:

Jay Cronley (book), Jeffrey Boam (screenplay)

Stars:

Chevy Chase, Madolyn Smith Osborne, Kevin O'Morrison

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Chevy Chase	...	Andy Farmer
Madolyn Smith Osborne	...	Elizabeth Farmer (as Madolyn Smith)
Kevin O'Morrison	...	Sheriff Ledbetter
Joseph Maher	...	Michael Sinclair
Jack Gilpin	...	Bud Culbertson
Caris Corfman	...	Betsy Culbertson
William Severs	...	Newspaper Editor
Mike Starr	...	Crocker
Glenn Plummer	...	Mickey
William Duell	...	Old Character
Helen Lloyd Breed	...	Old Operator
Kit Le Fever	...	Young Operator (as Le Fevre)
Dakin Matthews	...	Marion Corey Jr.
William Newman	...	Gus Lotterhand
Alice Drummond	...	Mrs. Ethel Dinges

Storyline

When Andy and Elizabeth buy a farm in Vermont, they can't imagine the trouble that awaits them. Andy has quit his job as a sports journalist and is planning to use the peace and quiet of the country to write the Great American Novel. From the moment the movers' truck gets lost with their furniture, though, there's little peace and less quiet. From a manical mailman to a dead body buried in the garden, Andy is distracted by the town and its wacky inhabitants. His effort at a novel is mediocre, at best, and he's threatened by Elizabeth's foray into writing when she attempts a children's book. Can the Farmers survive the townsfolk and each other?

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Plot Keywords:

slapstick comedy | vermont | mailman | children's book | small town | 

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Taglines:

Chevy Chase finds life in the country isn't what it's cracked up to be!

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 June 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

Aventuras y desventuras de un yuppie en el campo

Filming Locations:

The Apthorp building - 2211 Broadway, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$19,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$25,537,221

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cornelius Productions,Pan Arts,Warner Bros.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to Allmovie, the picture featured such "veteran production staff" as "The likes of Composer Elmer Bernstein, Cinematographer Miroslav Ondrícek, Production Designer Henry Bumstead, and Director George Roy Hill (The Sting (1973), The World According to Garp (1982))".

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Goofs

In an earlier scene, the ducks that Andy and Elizabeth 'own' are a mating pair (duck and drake). Later on, Andy mistakenly refers to the ducks as 'fellas'.

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Quotes

Andy Farmer: [Andy and Elizabeth are showing Redbud to prospective buyers Bud and Betsy after hiring the town to "act normal"] This is going to cost us a fortune!
Elizabeth Farmer: The fifty-dollar bonus was YOUR idea.
Andy Farmer: [smiling] Little slice of heaven, isn't it, Bud?

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Connections

Referenced in Clerks (1994)

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Soundtracks

Joy To The World
(uncredited)
Written by Isaac Watts and Lowell Mason
Performed by Redbud Choir

User Reviews

Underrated comedy and often overlooked

I think this movie has some classic lines by Chevy Chase and the town people, why this movie doesnt get talked about more, i dont know, i happened to laugh my head off at it, but of course i love chevy chase in about everything but invisible man and cops and robbersons