RICHIE RICH

US, 1994, 94 minutes, Colour.
Macauley Culkin, John Larroquette, Edward Hermann, Christine Ebersole, Jonathan Hyde.
Directed by Donald Petrie.

Richie Rich is a star vehicle for Macauley Culkin. After his successes with Home Alone and Home Alone 2, his films were less successful: The Good Son, Getting Even with Dad, The Pagemaster. However, Richie Rich suits his screen presence. The film was based on comic strips and television shows. He is the richest boy in the world - except that he has no friends.

The film delights in presenting the affluence of the Rich family, the parents doing satiric turns, Edward Herrmann and Christine Ebersole. The villain is played with relish by John Larroquette. Jonathan Hyde also enjoys himself as a very English butler.

The film shows the wealthy family, Richie and the enclosed world of the Rich, his making friends, the disappearance of his parents, the villainy of John Larroquette - and his comeuppance. There is a film quote from North By Northwest which prepares us for the climax, a parody of North By Northwest as the family and villain chase each other over Mount Rushmore.

1. Comic strip fairy tale? American style?

2. Macauley Culkin, his popularity, children's audiences, adults'?

3. The picture of the estate and its wealth, the building, exteriors and interiors, the grounds? The city offices? The laboratories? The special effects and the jokes? The computer techniques?

4. The title and its focus, audiences identifying with Richie and his family? Fairy tales and dreams?

5. Cadbury as the very English butler, his introduction, the overview of Richie's birth, as a baby, growing up with wealth, playing with money, his vocabulary, baseball with his father, cars and all the trappings?

6. Richard and Regina, their love for each other, their style, sensible and silly? Consultation about Richie? The work, finance, advice to the President? Entertaining at home? The formal meals? Dad and his computers - and always able to be located (even when consulting the President)?

7. Richie and Cadbury, the exacting timetable, the classes, going to the factory and making the speech, the gift of the tools? Chemistry lessons and the professor - and the invention of the bee? The setting up of everything for the climax, the bee, the glue etc? The machine which made the wrong products?

8. The plane ride, Richard and Regina going to England to see the Queen? Cadbury enabling Richie not to go? The chocolates, the crash, Richard and Regina adrift in the sea, champagne, finding her suitcase, the computer, getting the signal to work, being rescued - but captured by the villain?

9. Richie and Cadbury, Richie wanting to play baseball with the kids, the bet and his winning, their reaction? Their coming for the day, the arrival, play, roller coaster (and editing of the plane crashing)? Food? Their being paid by Cadbury?

10. Van Dough and Ferguson as villains, Ferguson as the bodyguard, nasty, the bomb on the plane, his dominance of Richie? Van Dough and the meal, the takeover?

11. Richie as the successful businessman, the factories, his name on the magazines, his photos, profits rising, the board meetings? The fairy tale of the child being so successful at business? Cadbury and his being framed, going to prison? The professor and his overhearing the villainy - using all his techniques: the glue, the bee, the machine? The confrontation with Van Dough?

12. The computer, information about where Dad was? Richie being trapped?

13. Diane, Gloria and the kids, their relationship with Richie? Diane and Cadbury? The kids going to the mansion, the strategy, the attack, their techniques to outwit Van Dough? Television?

14. The vault, the professor, the glue and the bedpans?

15. The finale and the chase over Mount Rushmore? The parody of North by Northwest?

16. The happy ending, Richie as rich but rich in having friends?