Weekend at Bernie's (1989)

Two losers try to pretend that their murdered employer is really alive, leading the hitman to attempt to track him down to finish him off.

Director:

Ted Kotcheff

Writer:

Robert Klane

Stars:

Andrew McCarthy, Jonathan Silverman, Catherine Mary Stewart

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Andrew McCarthy	...	Larry Wilson
Jonathan Silverman	...	Richard Parker
Catherine Mary Stewart	...	Gwen Saunders
Terry Kiser	...	Bernie Lomax
Don Calfa	...	Paulie, Vito's Hit Man
Catherine Parks	...	Tina, Vito's Girl
Eloise DeJoria	...	Tawny (as Eloise Broady)
Gregory Salata	...	Marty, Vito's Assistant
Louis Giambalvo	...	Vito
Ted Kotcheff	...	Jack Parker, Richard's Dad
Margaret Hall	...	Lomax's Secretary
Timothy Perez	...	Central Park Mugger
Mark Kenneth Smaltz	...	Harris, Security Oficer
Anthony Mannino	...	Superintendant
Polly Segal	...	Woman in Elevator

Storyline

Two young men are trying to make their way in a corporation. One on charm, the other on hard work. When they go to the president (Bernie) with a serious financial error on a printout, he pretends to be thrilled and invites them to his beach house for the weekend. He actually plans on having them killed. Bernie is also fooling around with the girlfriend of his mafia partner. When the partner has Bernie killed, the boys end up having to pretend Bernie is still alive as the frustrated hit man tries time and time again to complete the job.

---

Plot Keywords:

character name in title | boss | weekend | beach | beach house | 

---

Taglines:

A lively comedy about a guy who isn't. [USA Theatrical]

---

Genres:

Adventure | Comedy | Crime

---

Certificate:

PG-13

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 July 1989 (USA)

Also Known As:

Weekend at Bernie's

Filming Locations:

Figure Eight Island, Harnett, North Carolina, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,506,086, 9 July 1989

Gross USA:

$30,218,387

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$30,218,387

Company Credits

Production Co:

Gladden Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Catherine Parks (Tina) and Terry Kiser (Bernie) are both Friday the 13th series alumni. Parks starred as Vera Sanchez in Friday the 13th Part III (1982), and Kiser appeared as Dr. Crews in Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988).

---

Goofs

When Richard confronts Larry about throwing Bernie's body over the deck he is barefoot. When he subsequently goes to call the cops, he is wearing shoes. But then when he runs outside onto the deck and then the beach with Larry to retrieve Bernie, he is barefoot again. Once he and Larry bring him back inside of the house to vacuum sand off of him, his shoes are on once again.

---

Quotes

[the first "killer" enters opens the front door with Richard standing behind it with a fire log]
Beach Bum: You in here, Lomax, you little bastard?
[Richard swings, but misses when the bum turns his head]
Beach Bum: You jerk?
[He swings again, but misses again... ]
Beach Bum: Kick me in the ass. It's my turn now.
[... before finally whacking the bum's head, knocking him unconscious]
Richard Parker: Got him, Lar.

---

Alternate Versions

The stapling of Bernie's toupee to the head was edited out of the German TV-version.

---

Connections

Referenced in Growing Pains: Weekend at Mike's (1990)

---

Soundtracks

Night on Bald Mountain
by Modest Mussorgsky
Arranged by Randy Waldman

User Reviews

Uproariously funny black comedy.

Hilarious, totally off the wall black comedy about two buddies (Andrew McCarthy and Jonathan Silverman) whose boss, Bernie, has been bumped off by gangsters but whose death goes unrecognized the entire weekend by his self-centered beach friends. Utterly tasteless, goofy, ridiculous, wonderfully funny movie with loads of quirky characters. Andrew McCarthy at his most charmingly loopy and Jonathan Silverman terrific as his straight arrow buddy. Great turn by Terry Kiser as Bernie, who will not go away or play dead. Ridiculous situations that are just plain fun to watch. A movie to remember with delight and to enjoy at a repeat viewing.