GREEDY

US, 1994, 113 minutes, Colour.
Michael J.Fox, Kirk Douglas, Nancy Travis, Olivia D'Abo, Bob Balaban, Ed Begley Jr, Phil Hartman, Colleen Camp.
Directed by Jonathan Lynn.

Greedy is based on Charles Dickens' Martin Chuzzlewit. The screenplay is by Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandell. These two have combined for many films including a number for Ron Howard (Parenthood) and such comedies as City Slickers.

The film is directed by Jonathan Lynn, director of the very successful series Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister. He moved to America and directed a mixed bag of films including My Cousin Vinnie with Joe Pesci, The Distinguished Gentleman with Eddie Murphy and Sergeant Bilko with Steve Martin. He himself appears as the butler in Greedy.

Kirk Douglas enjoys himself as the tyrannous Uncle Joe, leading his relatives on as they exhibit caricature greed for his fortune. The cousins are led by Ed Begley Jr, Phil Hartman (who was to be the villain in Sergeant Bilko), Bob Balaban and Colleen Camp. The star of the film is Michael J. Fox, who gives a performance akin to most of those he gave as variations on his Back to the Future persona. He is supported by Nancy Travis as his TV executive producer girlfriend.

The film opens with a clip from Jimmy Durante singing - reprised by Fox during the film. The reference to the family name Mc Teague is to Erich von Stroheim's classic film Greed, based on a novel called Mc Teague.

The film is quite comic at times, especially in its presentation of the cousins and the lengths they will go to to ingratiate themselves with their uncle. Even the Michael J. Fox character gets caught up in the greed. However, as is befitting a film like this, he finds some kind of redemption. Like the Book of Job, he then receives a hundredfold in worldly reward for his kindness to his uncle.

1. Entertaining fable about family greed and the lengths to which people will go? Realism/caricature?

2. The mansion of Uncle Joe and the lavish grounds, rooms? The contrast with Danny and the bowling world, Robyn and the television world? The home of the cousins? The musical score? The use of Jimmy Durante and his song?

3. The title and the focus on themes? The range of characters and their greed - except for Robyn and her being the catalyst for Danny's salvation? Danny's father and his opting out of the greedy world?

4. Kirk Douglas and the portrait of Uncle Joe? Age, crustiness, the rags-to-riches story, his still working in his factory? His lavish lifestyle and the fawning of the cousins? Their gifts, concerts, birthday celebrations? His enjoying these? His playing the cousins off against each other and seeing through their ploys? His relationship with Douglas and his offhand manner to the butler? His taking in Molly, her being the nurse, companion? Her glamour and sexiness? His enjoying flaunting Molly's presence for the cousins? His dislike of Danny's father and their falling out? (The actor impersonating Danny's father and Danny having to make a decision for his father or for his uncle? The real father turning up and confronting Joe?) Joe and his lifestyle, his welcoming Danny, wanting him to sing the Jimmy Durante song? The home movies and his delight in Joe when he was young, his favourite? His leading Danny with the promises of wealth and his setting him up against Molly? His leading Molly on and setting her against Danny? The visit to Washington, Danny's confronting Joe? His promises and Joe wanting affirmation, wanting love? The build-up to signing everything over to Danny? The reaction of the cousins? The revelation that he was broke? The reaction of the cousins, their fighting, Danny and his disgust with Joe? His later coming to visit him in hospital, the decision for Danny and Robyn to take him home? His cantankerousness about not liking the rooms? The revelation that he was still testing him with the collaboration of Douglas and Molly? The happy ending - and the credibility of the change of heart of the curmudgeon and his becoming old, not wanting to go into a home - but his getting out of the wheelchair fully healthy at the end?

5. Danny and the background of his father, clashing with him? His father opting out of the family, not wanting the money, involved in all the social justice causes around the world? Danny and the bowls, the possibility of the championship, hurting his back, his failure? His relationship with Robyn? His love for her, going to the television station, interfering with the director? The private detective and his meeting her, naked, at the door? The news about Uncle Joe? Meeting with the cousins, his becoming the birthday surprise? Reluctance to sing the song? Not wanting to fall into the trap of the cousins and their greed? The gradual transformation, Joe leading him on, the clashes with Molly and her presence in the house? His singing the song, enjoying the high life, the news of Joe's going to Washington, his pursuit, clash with Molly, with Joe? The discussions with Robyn and her trying to persuade him to see the truth and his resistance? His going to receive all the money, his actual father coming (after the piece of theatre with the actor playing his father)? His seeing the truth about himself, his telling the truth to Joe? Telling Robyn over the TV that he was broke? Their being together, going to visit Joe, the decision to take him home? The getting of the money? Danny and his journey through greed?

6. The cousins - seeing them at home, the early drive, the expensive presents, kowtowing to Joe? The alcoholic cousin and her husband? Frank and his venom and determination? Glen and the separation from his girlfriend and telling lies to Joe? The sequence at the table with them all trying to expose the foibles of the other? Their haunting the house, the children and their rudeness, the celebration of the birthday? Their fights amongst themselves? Antagonism towards Molly and their threatening her, especially Frank? Trying to get Danny on side, the birthday celebration and surprise, making a deal with him? Turning against him? Frank and his viciousness, the fights? The board meeting and the learning that he was broke, their anger and disgust? Their being written out of the will? The cousins as a group, as individuals - and as caricatures?

7. Robyn and her work, skills, TV, love for Danny and their relationship, urging him on with the bowls? Her friendship with Uncle Joe? Her growing disgust with Danny's decisions, trying to persuade him of the truth? Her leaving, trying to persuade Danny, the television show and learning that Joe was broke? Her willingness to have Joe in the home, welcoming him, his cantankerous reactions? Her being rewarded?

8. Molly, the glamour, the British background, the companion, people making rash judgments about her, her explanations of herself, her background, her interest in the money, Joe playing her off against Danny, the visit to Washington, the clash? Her being part of the plan to thwart the cousins?

9. Douglas, the English butler, his disdain for the guests, treatment by Joe, the time of the auction of all the furniture, his leaving? His being part of the plan?

10. The TV world, the sport, Danny intervening, the reaction of the director?

11. The world of bowling, championships, fans?

12. The film as a contemporary moral fable - a glossy fable about greed (and self-sacrifice still gaining its rewards)?