DROP DEAD FRED

US, 1991, 103 minutes, Colour.
Rik Mayall, Phoebe Cates, Marsha Mason, Tim Matheson, Carrie Fisher, Ron Eldard.
Directed by Ate de Jong.

Drop Dead Fred sounds like one of those macabre multi-death thrillers of the 60s and 70s. However, it is not. Drop Dead Fred is a film by the Young Ones' Rick Mayall as a childhood companion of a lonely little girl. He also appears in her childhood life but re-appears in her adult life when she is in difficulties. Drop Dead Fred is the companion who is almost like the Ying Yang archetype prankster, joker. He doesn't take life seriously (enjoying, throwing, paint over an old lady and upsetting the child's mothers very well organized house). With the aid of special effects, he can be run over and flattened and make all kinds of appearances. He also disappears with characters talking to invisible people. So, there is a lot of invisible man kind of jokes and humour.

However, the film also has a serious undertone: Elizabeth will never be her integrated self unless she learns from Drop Dead Fred and begins to stand on her own two feet. In fact, as he disappears, we find her embracing him and then embracing herself. While the film is light weight and designed for the popular audience, Jungians might enjoy his visualising of some psychological themes. Phoebe Cates is strong as Elizabeth, the troubled adult. Marsha Mason is very strong as her controlling mother. Tim Matheson as the philandering husband. Bridget Fonda is his new girlfriend. Carrie Fisher is Phoebe Cates's best friend. Ron Eldard is the potential suitor. The film was directed by Ati de Jong who also directed at this time the Amazing Story/Twilight Zone film Highway to Hell (replete with mythological and psychological archetypes in a pop story).

1. Entertaining comedy? Children, family, family pressures, growing up? Imagined companions? And the psychological overtones?

2. The American family, the absent father, the strong mother, the broken marriage? Children growing up? The world of business? The musical score?

3. The strong American cast? The presence of Rick Mayall, his television, film and stage background? The British clown? His prankster and joker style? Verbal repartee, accent? His appearance - and colour scheme of hair and clothes?

4. The presuppositions of the screenplay: children and loneliness, imaginary companions, the more adventurous side of their personality, the making of mischief, the breaking out of control? Yet the prankster telling the truth, protecting the child? Disappearing when there is personal wholeness?

5. The psychological background, its insight, presentation through comedy - and the search for integration and wholeness?

6. The child, the past, the stories of childhood? The telling of stories? The present (and then the flashbacks to childhood, the revelatory flashbacks)? And the fantasy of seeing Drop Dead Fred?

7. The portrait of Elizabeth, her mother reading her stories? Nigel and Polly and the American household, the put upon husband, his love for his daughter, clashes and suspicions, the dominance of Polly? The burglars in the house, the police and his decision to leave? Elizabeth as abandoned? Controlled in every detail by her mother? Her mother putting Drop Dead Fred in the Jack-in-the-box box?

8. Elizabeth as still a child, her mother's control, the effect on her growing up? Her mother's easy manipulation of her? Her marriage to Charles, her love for him, his affairs, her seeing him in the car with Annabella? The break with him? His special pleading, her propensity to listen to him, her having to take strong stances? Her work, the court, getting sacked? Her being accident prone?

9. The jack-in-the-box, Fred leaping out, Elizabeth and her imagination, memories of mischief, breaking free? Talking things over with Fred? The mischief of his pranks? embarrassing her, with Mickey, with Janey? With her mother's house? Listening in to Charles and his conversations? The behaviour in the restaurant? His telling the truth?

10. Elizabeth and her transformation, defying her mother, at home, Charles and his double talk, her almost succumbing? Taking the prescription and the possibility of destroying Drop Dead 'Fred? Mickey, the dinner, the invisible man routines, the mayhem in the restaurant? Janey, the destruction of the houseboat? Going to her office, Janey trying to talk, to him and his eluding her?

11. Janey, friendship with Elizabeth, advice about relationships, her mother? The meeting, her affair with the businessman? The destruction of the houseboat? Her scolding Fred?

12. Charles, smooth charm, philandering, smooth talking, unfaithful to Elizabeth, trying to make a reconciliation, contacts with Annabella, unfaithful to her? Elizabeth discovering the truth? Annabella, the party, her seeing through Charles, her liking for Elizabeth?

13. Mickey, the memories of the past, the dinner and its embarrassment, his attraction towards her, Natalie and a future?

14. Going to the doctor, the waiting room - and the humour of the joke with all of the imaginary companions communicating with each other in the waiting room?

15. Fred as a character, as a type? His interventions, appearances and disappearances? A healing?

16. The ending, Drop Dead Fred with Natalie? And happy ending for Mickey and Elizabeth?