MADHOUSE

US, 1990, 90 minutes, Colour.
John Larroquette, Kirstie Alley.
Directed by Tom Ropelewski.

Madhouse is a light, predictable comedy about an affluent couple whose relations all come to stay with them, with disastrous results. John Larroquette from Night Court and films such as Second Sight, and Kirstie Alley, star of Cheers and many films, are the husband and wife, he a broker, she a television personality. His cousin and his allegedly pregnant wife arrive first and cause mayhem. Her wealthy sister separates from her husband and also comes to stay, as does her teenage son (who turns out to be involved in drug-dealing). After destroying the house of their neighbours, he comes to stay with his two children. Things go from bad to worse, financial disasters for him, a nervous breakdown on air for her. Eventually, things are righted and there is a happy ending.

The film is amusing in an easy kind of way - with fairly straightforward and obvious jokes.

1.Entertaining comedy? Madcap style, farce? The exasperation of people taking over one's home? Coping and not coping?

2.The affluent Los Angeles settings? The house itself, next door? Business settings? Television stations? Audiences identifying with the ambitious couple and the possibilities for their life and style? Musical score, songs?

3.The title - and the tone of the film?

4.Jessie and Mark, their love together, the new home? His work in the broker's office, his skills - and ingratiating himself with the boss? Her questions on television - and the collages of people answering the questions about their lives, about stress? (The irony in jokes in their answers?)

5.The news that Freddie and Bernice were coming? Going to the airport to meet them? Freddie and his bedraggled behaviour? Bernice coming on so strongly? Arrival at the house, complaints about the size of the rooms? Bernice incessantly talking? The outings? The criticisms? Sending Freddie and Bernice out by themselves - and their buying all the junk? Bernice and her pregnancy? Their eventually leaving - after the clashes with Claudia? Bernice slipping on the welcome mat, her legs, having to be strung up in the house, confined during her pregnancy? Her being so demanding? Her wanting her own doctor and the opinion? The contrast with Freddie, Mark taking him out, trying to cheer him up? Mark advising him to be his real self, their dancing at the hotel? Freddie deciding to go off and find himself? (Mark's nickname of Pudge and everybody laughing at the home movies of him as a boy?) Bernice, confined, screeching, food demands, watching television, ringing Mark at work? Her urine test?

6.Claudia and her petulance, landing on the couple, their accepting her? Her demands? Wealth and style, looking for another husband? Phone calls and antipathy with her husband? Their going to his house and her ruining the statue?

7.Jonathan and his arrival, his mother letting him stay? Doing nothing? His coming to work, the mailroom? The bill for the phone calls to South America? The drug parcels?

8.Dale, his work next door? His home as a showcase? His kids and their wilfulness? Mark and Jessie and the barbecue, burning his house down? Dale and the kids taking over? Claudia and her attraction to Dale?

9.Life in the house, Mark and Jessie going out to the tent at the back? Mark bewildered? Jessie and her nervous breakdown on air? The threat to her job? The man from the office coming to look for Mark? Dale and his repairs? The girl on the phone? The boy and his behaviour? Cheeky?

10.The cat, clawing Jessie, its dying - so many times, being buried? Eventually deciding to scratch Bernice?

11.The final mayhem - Freddie's return with the elephant, Mark with the drugs, Jessie watching on television and rushing off? Everybody involved - the police, the destruction of the home? Jessie and Mark deciding to assert themselves? Ousting everyone? Their leaving and overwhelmed by Jessie and Mark? The police, their apology - and the restoration of their home?

12.Mr Grindle arriving, Mark's speech, his being offered a better job - and Grindle attracted by Claudia?

13.Urban comedy? The menace of urban life? Family coming to stay - and Jessie's request to the television audience for the various theories with which they could get rid of unwelcome guests?