OVERBOARD
US, 1987, 112 minutes, Colour.
Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russell, Edward Hermann, Katherine Helmond, Roddy Mc Dowell.
Directed by Garry Marshall.
Overboard is a Goldie Hawn vehicle. She appears startlingly at the opening as imperious, opinionated, wealthy and spurning ordinary carpenter Kurt Russell. Overboard she goes, suffers amnesia and turns up as Russell's backwoods wife (and stepmother of four awful boys). A commentator notes that she had to be like Ma Kettle. The film is no great shakes but Goldie Hawn fans will be amused. Direction is by Garry Marshall - Young Doctors in Love, The Flamingo Kid, Nothing in Common.
1. Enjoyable Americana? Goldie Hawn vehicle? Comedy?
2. The Oregon locations, the wealthy yacht, the backwoods, the town? Stunt work? Musical score?
3. American comedy: daffy, bitchy, the satire on the he-man, the wealthy and their lifestyle, domestic comedy? Backwoods?
4. Joanna and her wealth, bitchy style, costume, sexy, sour? Her mother and her fussing arrogance? Grant and his using her wealth? Her whims about the job, rudeness to Dean? Dissatisfied with the job, throwing him and his tools overboard? Her ring and her falling overboard? Her relationship with the crew, with Andrew, with her husband? Their not missing her?
5. Dean as a carpenter, in the town, his work, friends, good at his job, the clash with Joanna, being pushed overboard and wanting revenge? Seeing her on the television, his decision, claiming her - and his knowledge of her birthmark?
6. Joanna's dilemma - and her appearance as the familiar Goldie Hawn? Grant seeing her and refusing to identify her? Concerned about her identity, her haughty manner, horror at the situation she found herself in, her reaction to Dean, to the house and its ugliness, dirt, to the children? Work and exhaustion? The couch, the ugly clothes, the meals, going to town, Dean coming home drunk? Her taking over, the work, cleanliness, the kids and the discipline, falling in love with Dean? The change and her puzzle? From being trapped to a certain amount of freedom?
7. Dean, his revenge, his boys, the schoolteacher? The hurting of Joanna, the jokes played on her? His relationship with the kids? His best friend and the stories he spun? Drunk? Taking on extra work in town/
8. Dean's friend, his girlfriend, their complicity in the story?
9. The kids, their behaviour, the teacher, her exasperation, Joanna going to the school and defending the boys against the teacher? Their all breaking out in a rash and her care for them?
10. Grant on the boat, all the girls, his enjoying his freedom, macho image? Andrew and the crew? The mother's phone calls and her eventually turning up?
11. The design for the mini-golf course, its building, the opening? Falling in love with Dean and their sexual relationship? His trying to tell the truth? Grant's arrival, her realisation? The hurt?
12. Her return, resuming her life, the effect on herself, the rough edges, her reaction to Grant and her mother? The discovery of his leaving her there? Her decision? Dean and the boys with the Coast Guard? Overboard and the happy ending? American values, family, wealth and poverty, identity, authenticity and love?
