The Addams Family Movie

1991

Cast

In 1990 Orion Pictures got the rights to the Addams Family and attempted to bring it to the large screen. The success of earlier TV to film movies (Star Trek, Batman, Superman) made The Addams Family almost a guaranteed success. For Orion films it was an attempt to get back from the financial brink. Director Barry Sonnenfeld of "Raising Arizona" and Misery fame was brought aboard to direct after Terry Gilliam and Tim Burton had rejected the offers. The script writing was given to Larry Wilson and Carolyn Thompson who both had considerable experience in the Dark Comedy genre. However, the script they collaborated on had serious flaws. Paul Rudnick stepped up to rewrite the script (uncredited) with the promise of being able to do the writing for any sequel by himself.
The filming began and ran over budget. This and the fact that Orion already had serious financial troubles almost killed the project. Orion Productions declared bankruptcy. Paramount Pictures saw an opening and grobbed it. They purchased both the film and the rights for the movie.
In 1991 The Addams Family finally debuted in the theatre at a cost of 30 million; way overbudget and overschedule.

Changes

To appeal to movie audiences, Sonnenfeld went back to the Addams Family roots: the cartoons of Charles Addams. This created a less campy version of the clan. Some of the original cartoons were written into the scenes. ( the lemonade stand, the oil over the christmas carrollers, and others.)

A major change took place in Fester.
In the TV show Fester had been Morticia's Uncle. (Hence the name, Uncle Fester). For the movie, Fester became Gomez's brother who had a falling out over the Fauna twins 25 years ago.

Smaller changes developed around the trappings within the house. Gone was the two-headed turtle, the leg in the Swordfish mouth (cousin Farouk) and Lurch's harpsichord (replaced with an organ).

Differences aside, Addams Family fans enjoyed the movie. U.S. moviegoers payed 113 million dollars to see the movie, making chances for a sequel almost certain.

Plot

Fester has dissapeared due to an argument with his brother(?) Gomez. As the 25th anniversary of the conflict rolls around, Gomez is devestated.
Meanwhile, the greedy, but penniless lawyer, Tully Alford, hatches a scheme with the evil Abigail Craven and her adopted(?) son Gordon.
Gordon is a ringer for the long lost Fester. Together they plan to replace Fester with Gordon and get their hands on the family fortune. As the annual seance is held by the Addams Family to find Fester, Gordon comes to the door. citing amnesia while lost in the Bermuda triangle, the Family accepts Gordon as their long-lost family member. Only Wednesday has suspicions that something is wrong.

Gomez tries to accept Fester back into the family by trying to Help him regain some of his memory. He takes Fester to the family vault. As Fester cannot remember the combination (2-10-11; eyes, fingers, toes) he becomes suspicious. His fears are alleviated when psychiatrist, Dr. Pinderschhiss (Abigail Craven in disguise) explains that these are normal feelings and that Gomez is actually the one with a problem. The family is starting to grow on Gordon after helping the kids direct their school play, complete with dismembered limbs and spurting blood. Gomez decides he must throw a party for the returned Fester. As they dance the Mamoushka, Gordon decides he wants to be a part of the family. Mrs. Craven is furious. Tully has another brainstorm and has a judge deem that all the family fortune belongs to Fester as the oldest surviving son. Gordon is forced to throw the Family out of the mansion by Tully and Mrs Craven. As they try to break the series of traps set to protect the vault, the Addams Family moves into the motel.

Trying to make money, the kids sell lemonade and Morticia gets a job telling stories to young kids at the library. Gomez is almost incoherent over the decietful way Fester has treated the family. Morticia goes to the mansion to talk with Fester(Gordon) and is kidnapped by tully and Abagail. She is tortured( much to her pleasure) to tell the secret of how to get to the vault. Gordon can take no more. Using a book, Gordon calls up a hurricanewhich hurles Tully and Abigail into coffins in the family cemetary. The children place the lids on the coffins and bury them. Gordon, meanwhile, is struck by a lightning bolt called from the hurricane. this restores his memory. Gordon is REALLY Fester. As cousin Itt takes off with Tullys wife, Margaret, the rest of the family play "wake the Dead" in the Family cemetary. All is well with the Eccentric clan again.

Pictures
click on thumbnail to see full size picture

Want to see more Pictures? Click the movie Poster below to go directly to the Addams Family Movie photo gallery.

Main page // Whats new // Sign Guestbook // View Guestbook// Awards // Message Board //
Charles Addams // Origins // Cast and Characters // Classic Series // Halloween 1977 //
Addams Family Movie // Addams Family Values // Reunion 1998 // New Series // Odds and Ends //
Pictures // Sounds // Downloads // Addams Family Links // Other Links // Trivia // Email Itt //