My Girl (1991)

A young girl, on the threshold of her teen years, finds her life turning upside down, when she is accompanied by an unlikely friend.

Director:

Howard Zieff

Writer:

Laurice Elehwany

Stars:

Anna Chlumsky, Macaulay Culkin, Dan Aykroyd

2 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dan Aykroyd	...	Harry Sultenfuss
Jamie Lee Curtis	...	Shelly DeVoto
Macaulay Culkin	...	Thomas J. Sennett
Anna Chlumsky	...	Vada Sultenfuss
Richard Masur	...	Phil Sultenfuss
Griffin Dunne	...	Mr. Bixler
Ann Nelson	...	Gramoo Sultenfuss
Peter Michael Goetz	...	Dr. Welty
Jane Hallaren	...	Nurse Randall
Anthony R. Jones	...	Arthur
Tom Villard	...	Justin
Lara Steinick	...	Ronda
Kristian Truelsen	...	Charles
David Caprita	...	Ray
Jody Wilson	...	Mrs. Hunsaker

Storyline

1972. Vada Sultenfuss (played by Anna Chlumsky) is an intelligent, bubbly, hypochondriacal 11-year old girl. Her father, Harry (Dan Aykroyd), is a mortician and a widower. Her best friend is Thomas J Sennett (Macaulay Culkin). Then her father hires a new receptionist, Shelly (Jamie Lee Curtis), and life will never be the same again.

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Plot Keywords:

best friend | 11 year old | receptionist | first crush | widower | 

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Taglines:

A funny and moving family film!

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Family | Romance

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Official Sites:

Official Site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 November 1991 (USA)

Also Known As:

My Girl

Filming Locations:

113 Magnolia Ave, Sanford, Florida, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$17,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$59,847,242

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation, Imagine Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Anna Chlumsky and Macaulay Culkin took 15 takes in their kissing scene.

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Goofs

The film is set in 1972, but in the fairground, the Pirate Ship ride that is shown wasn't invented until 1978.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Vada Sultenfuss: I was born jaundiced. Once I sat on a toilet seat at a truck stop and caught hemorrhoids. And I've learned to live with this chicken bone that's been lodged in my throat for the past three years. So I knew Dad would be devastated when he learned of my latest affliction.
[to Harry]
Vada Sultenfuss: Dad, I don't want to upset you, but my left breast is developing at a significantly faster rate than my right. It can only mean one thing: cancer. I'm dying.
Harry: [making a sandwich] Okay, sweetie, hand me the ...

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Connections

Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Accidental Movie Deaths (2015)

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Soundtracks

Moonglow
Written by Will Hudson, Edgar De Lange (as Eddie DeLange), and Irving Mills
Performed by Artie Shaw
Courtesy of The RCA Records Label of BMG Music

User Reviews

Quality as a plot and a score

Something about this movie sucks you in. Even if you take away the guts, it has its own little world. I believe this might be so more for me, since I didn't live through the time it takes place, but I found the atmosphere one that almost makes you forget about the "adult world," which is charming.

The story is also very well done. This movie is typically revered as one more enjoyed by children, but I think adults can get something out of it too, from the psychological depth of the characters. The plot also is not very cliché at all...so little that it stands out, and is inimitable enough that no one has even tried to rip it off.

The acting is also pristine. Lastly, what tops off this movie is the music. As important as the movie itself is, even a good movie can be dulled out a little if the music isn't good. James Newton Howard outdoes himself here. The 70s tunes complete the effect of forgetting you're in a relatively punked out society where you won't find as many friendly streets. Also, several spots, such as Vada walking on the tree branches late in the movie, the music composed is an example of talent that few composers have to so fluently use music as a translation of emotions.

The story is good, and the execution, which is equally important (and often neglected in would-be awesome movies), is next to flawless. It is not by any means mind-blowing, but it is not meant to be, and you will remember it.