Larger Than Life (1996)

A motivational speaker discovers that the inheritance his father left for him is in the form of an elephant.

Director:

Howard Franklin

Writers:

Roy Blount Jr. (screenplay), Pen Densham (story)

Stars:

Bill Murray, Matthew McConaughey, Jerry Adler

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jerry Adler	...	Event Coordinator
Bill Murray	...	Jack Corcoran
Richard Alan Baker	...	Richie
Richie Allan	...	Man in Audience
Kimberly Thornton	...	Pyramid Woman
Anita Gillette	...	Mom
Maureen Mueller	...	Celeste
Jeremy Piven	...	Walter
Alex Neiwerth	...	Matthew
Alfa-Betty Olsen	...	Party Guest
Carrie Houk	...	Receptionist
Harve Presnell	...	Trowbridge Bowers
Tai	...	Vera
Earl Billings	...	Cop
Jeannine Hutchings	...	Outraged Woman

Storyline

Motovational Speaker Jack Corcoran is determined to get his career off the ground, but the biggest gigs he can get are the ones nobody wants. Then one day, he receives a telegram that his circus clown father has passed away, and has left a "huge" inheritance. When he gets there, he finds that his inheritance has come in the form of a elephant that was his father's pride and joy in circus acts. His main intention is to sell the pacaderm off. Jack must choose between loud and rude zookeeper Mo or attractive animal show owner Terry. As the two trek through the country Jack and the elephant develop a bond, and it changes his approach on life for the better.

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Plot Keywords:

elephant | inheritance | circus | telegram | clown | 

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Taglines:

He's got 5 days to go coast-to-coast. (There's just one BIG problem.)

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Genres:

Comedy | Family

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for mild language

Details

Official Sites:

MGM

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 November 1996 (USA)

Also Known As:

Large as Life

Filming Locations:

Denver, Colorado, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$30,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,779,504, 3 November 1996, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$8,289,972, 15 December 1996

Company Credits

Production Co:

United Artists Pictures,Trilogy Entertainment Group,RCS

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

DTS DTS-Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The airport scene was filmed in the San José, California airport.

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Goofs

As they are hitch-hiking, a truck pulls over and you can Bill have to step over the track for the camera dolly.

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Quotes

Tip Tucker: You don't do that to me! You don't do that to Tip Tucker and his Tip-Top Trucking!

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Connections

Referenced in Family Guy: The Former Life of Brian (2008)

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Soundtracks

Just a Lucky So & So
Written by Mack David and Duke Ellington
Performed by Charles Brown
Courtesy of Rounder Records
By Arrangement with Ocean Park Music Group

User Reviews

a misfire that works

This could have been a stupid, idiotic film. Well, actually, it /is/ a stupid, idiotic film. But it works, mostly because of Bill Murray's performance.

A man who has to unload his father's trained elephant does not make for a promising story, comic or dramatic. What makes this film work is Murray's generally laid-back performance. His character -- a motivational instructor who teaches patient and thoughtful behavior -- displays such. He rarely gets badly upset, and there's little of the frantic slapstick one would expect from other actors. (I suspect Roy Blount was consciously writing such a story.) When a reviewer states that the film misses the obvious sight gags its premise suggests -- well, that's the point of it, right?

This isn't a film that demands a second viewing. But it's far better than you might expect, and its refusal to assault the viewer is welcome. It's a perfect film when you don't want to watch anything demanding.

PS: I just love the parents who say this (and other films) are good family films because they lack sex, violence, adult language, etc. Unfortunately, most such films are garbage that pervert a child's taste.