CAPTAIN RON

US, 1992, 100 minutes, Colour.
Kurt Russell, Martin Short, Mary Kay Place.
Directed by Thom Eberhardt.

Captain Ron is a very mild comedy from Touchstone Studios. It was written and directed by Tom Eberhardt, director of the amusing Sherlock Holmes spoof, Without a Clue, and the drama, Gross Anatomy. Martin Short (less frantic than usual) and Mary Kay Place are a couple who inherit an old boat. They also find that the captain of the boat is Captain Ron, played by a more than usually scruffy Kurt Russell. The expected things happen, the adventures on the boat, the slapstick comedy, the encounter with pirates and Cubans - and, of course, the change of heart of the parents and their two children.

1.Comedy, piece of Americana?

2.The Chicago settings, the contrast with the Caribbean, the sea, the islands, Florida? Musical score?

3.The title, the focus, the irony of Captain Ron and his abilities?

4.Martin at work, his hopes, with people? The office? Katherine and her work? Benjamin and his precocious attitudes? Caroline and her age, leather clothes, engagement? The bequest, the decision to take the boat?

5.The Caribbean, the dead uncle, the boat, wanting to sell it? The buyers and the imposition of Captain Ron to bring it back to Florida?

6.Ron, appearance, manner? His stories about the war? Calling Martin the boss, Katherine Kitty, Benjamin as Swab? One eye, asleep with the glass eye showing? His steering, burning the map by accident? Teaching the family how to manage the boat? Gambling, women? His losing the car and its going into the water? Escape from creditors? The pirates, pursuits? The family, learning from him, exasperations? Cuba, the car and the escape? Contacting the Coast Guard? His achievement with the family, the farewell? Seen with the new couple and the same spiel? Catalyst for change?

7.The family, the types, at home, taken on the boat, being transformed? Their reaction to Ron? Martin and the steering, the social life? Ron's behaviour? Caroline and men at the ports? Benjamin precocious? The slapstick comedy, the danger of the pirates, the achievement?

8.The pirates, their background, Cuba, the pursuit? Set adrift, the dangers? The reaction, the car, eluding the pirates at the end and their achievement?

9.The children, the change, their attitude towards their father, pride in him, the support of their mother?

10.The decision to stay with the boat, change their lifestyle? A comedy to respond to the needs of recession of the 1990s?