PROBLEM CHILD
US, 1990, 81 minutes, Colour.
John Ritter, Jack Warden, Michael Oliver, Amy Yasbeck.
Directed by Denis Dugan.
Problem Child is a rather raucous Texas comedy directed by actor Denis Dugan (Norman is that You, A Spaceman in King Arthur's Court). It shows a troublesome child being offloaded to a variety of families and making mischief. He eventually ends up in an orphanage run by monstrous nuns. He is not popular there either.
In the meantime, little Ben (genially played by John Ritter) and his ultra fashionable and domineering wife, Florence, decide to adopt. Of course, the get Junior who continues to create mayhem. However, there is a moral - that if only such problem children were loved, they would be alright. There is no arguing with this principle - and it gives the film a nicer ending than might have been expected. However, Junior goes through a great deal of behaviour which is really unlovable.
The film is full of practical jokes and pranks which may or may not amuse. Also in the cast is Jack Warden as big Ben and there is some enjoyable adult satire on the power hungry businessman, about to sell out to the Japanese and contemptuous of the public. It is an oddball mixture - which is often unpleasant - but is also sometimes quite funny.
1. An entertaining comedy? Raucous? Full of practical jokes and pranks? Message?
2. Texas locations, the Texas towns and their lifestyles, the woods and the outdoors? The prison? The shopping mart? Songs and musical score?
3. The title, the focus on Junior? The problem child as a baby and growing up? Problem child because of circumstances? Unloved?
4. The prologue and the history of Junior: birth, being left at peoples doors, mischievous, destructive, carried from door to door in the basket as he grew older? In the orphanage? The visual impact of the nuns: big, ugly, demanding? The meals and the humiliation of the sisters in charge? Junior and his not getting on with the rest of the children? His voice over and comments on their behaviour, wise cracks, smart alec talk? The interview with Mr Peabody, misunderstanding him, playing up to him, wanting to get out and turning the tables in insult? His actually leaving the home and children and nuns all rejoicing? His initial attitudes towards Ben and Flo, his comments, criticism-of Ben’s attitude, what he was wearing - yet saying he liked blue etc? His going to the home, criticisms of it, the clowns in the room, setting fire to it? His meeting his grandfather and his reaction against him, injuring him, taking the money? The neighbours - especially the hostile little girl, going to the party as the devil, through her presence in the pool, the practical jokes, the exploding of the cake? His going out camping, luring the bear to the camp and watching the mayhem? Ridiculing the children? His attraction towards the bowtie murderer, writing him letters, giving him Ben's address? The encounter with Uncle Marty, his having a meal, his admiration of him? His being abducted, in the car with all the plan? Memories of Ben, the gift of the prune? Leaving the drawings behind - hostile to Flo and Big Ben, friendly towards Little Ben? The car driving episode, down the street, crashing into Big Ben's shop, so destructive? The confrontation with Uncle Marty, being rescued by Little Ben, his life being saved from the shooting, calling Little Ben Dad? The reconciliation -and being loved? The redemption of the problem child?
5. The orphanage, the picture of the nuns in old fashioned habits, big, with warts etc? Their tyranny, the dreadful meals? Junior and his causing mischief - the nuns swinging outside the classroom etc? Taking embarrassing photographs? The superior skittling along the floor etc? Their rejoicing when he left? Mr Peabody and his exaggerated wheezing, trying to pressurise the nuns, trying to pressurise Ben and Flo, their wanting to return Junior?
6. The picture of Ben and Flo, Ben as an ordinary and pleasant young man, his relationship with his father, being disinherited, his father taking away his bank balance because of the destruction, his antagonism towards Junior? The exposure of his father on television and his hostility towards the people in the town, selling off to the Japanese? His wanting a child, loving Flo, shrewd in playing up to her, desire for an easy life, her selfishness, shopping? Welcoming junior, videos, clothes, the house, trying to be friendly, meeting him in the night when he was lying in bed writing to his grandfather? The bonds, the trouble in the woods with the bear, at the children’s' party, the driving? His getting exasperated, wanting to get rid of Junior, taking him back? His nervous reaction? Uncle Marty and the kidnapping? Finding the drawing, going after his son, rescuing him, confronting Marty, being shot, the reconciliation? The contrast with Flo and her manner, wanting to be accepted, wondering what everybody thought? Adopting Junior, the clashes with him? Her going shopping at the party, not going camping? The arrival of Marty, the sex scene in the kitchen, going off with him, in the boot of the car, in the case, being thrown away, with the pigs? Come uppance?
7. Big Ben and his loud style, his attitude towards the town, wanting to become Mayor, selling his property off to the Japanese, cutting off his son? Wanting Flo to be pregnant, criticising Junior, the injuries and hospital? The party? The baseball match - and Junior with the bat knocking everybody over? The scoreboard with his photo bigger than the board? Little Ben turning on the television set and his contempt being exposed?
8. The friends and neighbours, the birthday party, the children, their harsh attitude towards junior, his ruining the little girls party? The parents, the camping, sitting around the campfire, getting dressed up as the bear? And the real bear?
9. Uncle Marty, psychopath, in the papers and on TV, in prison, everybody kowtowing to him, the psychologist, the escape? driving, the police and the garage, arriving, mistaking Junior for a colleague, staying and enjoying the meal, the sexual encounter with Flo, abducting Junior and Flo, the driving, the confrontation with Ben and his arrest?
10. A blend of the obnoxious and the funny?
