DENNIS THE MENACE
US, 1993, 96 minutes, Colour.
Walter Matthau, Mason Gamble, Joan Plowright, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Paul Winfield.
Directed by John Hughes.
Dennis the Menace was written and produced by John Hughes, best known for his own films on teenagers such as The Breakfast Club and Sixteen Candles, adult films like She's Having a Baby and Planes, Trains and Automobiles, as well as his writing the Home Alone series. The film was directed by choreographer Nick Castle (The Last Starfighter). The film brings alive the popular comic strip by Hank Ketcham which was serialised on television in the '60s.
In bringing Dennis the Menace to the big screen, the film relies on a series of cartoon comedy adventures, caricature - so that the audience will enjoy the reality/unreality of the six-year-old menace.
Mason Gamble is Dennis - a reasonable portrayal though not striking. However, he has a rather extraordinary supporting cast including Walter Matthau as the cantankerous neighbour, Mr Wilson with Joan Plowright as his kindly wife. Leah Thompson and Robert Stanton are his parents, Christopher Lloyd is the villain Switchblade Same and Paul Winfield is the chief of police.
Easy entertainment - but certainly depends on one's mood and tolerance of children like Dennis the Menace. If Dennis is unsympathetic, Mr Wilson's change of heart at the end will be absolutely unbelievable.
1. The popularity of the comic strip, television series? The phrase `Dennis the menace'?
2. Suburbia, middle America, the leafy streets, the homes? The portrait of the American family - and the parody?
3. The strong cast and its diversity? The contribution of John Hughes, Nick Castle?
4. Audience expectations, the troublesome kid, getting into trouble, relationship with his parents, his friends, his victims? The cartoon style and caricature?
5. Dennis and his age, style, trouble? His parents and their being busy and away? Mr Wilson and the variety of accidents? Mrs Wilson and her kindness? The tree house, Margaret and her keeping house? With the Wilsons, breakfast in bed, the coins, the ruining of the orchids? His being banished, going into the woods? The encounter with Switchblade Sam and his causing him misery? The escape, the happy reunion? The reconciliation with Mr Wilson?
6. Mr and Mrs Wilson, grandparents, the cantankerous style of Mr Wilson, the accidents, Dennis in the house, breakfast, the orchids, the coins? His anger and ousting Dennis? Upset about Dennis's absence? Happy when he returned? Mrs Wilson and her kindness?
7. Dennis's parents, their concern, his mother having to earn money, his father being away, their entrusting him to Mr Wilson? The social worker and her concern? Dennis and his one-upping her?
8. Switchblade Sam, Christopher Lloyd's caricature of a villain, thieving in the suburbs, entering the Wilsons' house, the coins, the escape, the woods, his taking Dennis as hostage, his comeuppance?
9. The combination of slapstick and verbal gags, playing on the generation gap and on sentiment?
