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:

vermont | mailman | children's book | small town | fish out of water | 

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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

The teams playing in the first baseball match were the "Redbud Raiders" and the "Bartsonville Bombers". The team seasons tickets that Andy Farmer (Chevy Chase) left one of his fellow sports-writers at the start of the film were for "The Giants". The sports team names that featured on Andy's cap and t-shirt in the movie were for the "New York Mets" (baseball) and "Los Angeles Rams" (football) respectively.

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Goofs

During the inning change-out, the catcher calls for 3rd base, but throws to 2nd base.

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Quotes

Andy Farmer: I want a Goddamn refund!

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Connections

Referenced in Before I Die (2003)

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Soundtracks

Silent Night
(uncredited)
Written by Franz Gruber (as Franz Xaver Gruber) and Joseph Mohr
Performed by Redbud Choir

User Reviews

Fun film, worth a watch.

I wouldn't say this is one of Chevy Chase's best films, but this one still has some good things to offer. There is a fair amount of good laughs and an entertaining story, but not as great as some of Chevy's other credits.

Chevy Chase does a fine job with his role, playing a very similar character to most of his other films. Chevy is good at what he does and doesn't seem to stray very far from what works. Madolyn Smith-Osborne is fantastic in the film, looking just gorgeous and playing her role very well. The only other actors that were familiar to me were the movers in the beginning of the film, Mike Starr and Glen Plummer. Both actors do a fine job, although very small roles in the film.

If you are a fan of Chevy Chase, then I'd recommend seeing this film, you'll probably enjoy it. But, if Chevy Chase isn't your cup of tea, then this may not be the film for you. In any case, if you do see it, I hope you enjoy it. Thanks for reading,

-Chris