HOUSESITTER

US, 1992, Colour.
Goldie Hawn, Steve Martin, Dana Delaney, Peter Mc Nicol, Julie Harris, Donald Moffat, Richard B. Shull.
Directed by Frank Oz.

Housesitter is quite an entertaining comedy, a romantic comedy even though it is also a battle of the sexes. An exasperated architect meets a ditsy waitress, has a one night stand with her, and then forgets her. However, she is quite an opportunist, letting people make assumptions about who she is and what she does rather than telling them.

She turns up in the architect’s town, moving into the house that he was organising with his fiancee. She makes friends with everyone in the town including the architect’s parents as well as his fiancee. Once the lies start, they multiply and continue. She gets herself tangled but is always able to get out of the problems. He gets tangled and does not know how to get out. But, in discussions with his fiancee and his parents, he comes to accept the waitress – and ultimately falls in love with her.

The film is a star vehicle for both Goldie Hawn and Steve Martin (who elected to appear in the remake of Neil Simon’s the Out-of-Towners). It is a typical performance from Goldie Hawn. And it is also a typical Steve Martin performance. The film has a very entertaining supporting cast, including Julie Harris is Steve Martin’s mother.

Housesitter was directed by Frank Oz, director of a wide range of comedy is, including Dirty, Rotten Scoundrels with Steve Martin.

1. A romantic comedy with differences?

2. The stars, their careers, reputations, working well together? The report? The supporting cast, very strong?

3. The screenplay, the basic idea, the theme of lies, consequences, the ever-enlarging stories, no way out? The wit of the screenplay?

4. Boston, Massachusetts, the atmosphere? The city, the firms? The taller buildings and cityscapes? The contrast with the town, quiet, a sense of community, the shops, the Church? The musical score?

5. The range of foods, the jaunty atmosphere?

6. Davis and Becky, driving into the country, their love, in the car, seeing the house, the red ribbon, Becky saying no?

7. Davis and his disappointment, his work, at the party, with his best friend, the critique of the boss and his ideas? The friend and his advice, sex? Gwen as a waitress, not understanding English, Hungarian?

8. Gwen and her serving, Davis at the bar, her understanding English, the discussions outside, his comment about her being a law student, her walking him home, arriving back at the restaurant where she lived? His going in, the sexual encounter, his leading, his low self-esteem? Gwen, Goldie Hawn and her verve, the decision to go to the house, getting the bus, finding the house, going to the shops, buying up and putting it on Davis’s account? Chatting with everyone, everybody liking her? Meeting Becky, sympathy and friendship? Encountering Davis’s father, his revealing who he was, her ingratiating herself with him, and especially his wife, the chats, going shopping? The chatting to everyone, the firemen…?

9. Her range of stories, her accident and her face covered, Davis and his visiting another patient, falling in love, the proposal, first sight? The wedding? Honeymoon? The visit to Maui and all that happened? Davis’s charity? Telling his parents that he was sorry? The stories of his gallantry? The story about her parents? Involving herself more and more in the fantasy?

10. Davis, his arrival, finding Gwen? His plan to sell the house, to propose to Becky? Caught up in Gwen’s stories and lies, with his parents and the reconciliation with his father’s forgiveness? The borrowing money to build the house? encounters with Becky, the meetings, her jogging, going to her home, the sexual possibilities? The build-up to the clashes with Gwen? His not wanting her to look sexy? The visit from the reverend and the attempt at counselling?

11. His going to the boss with his plan for the house, finding Gwen there already, the smart talk, calling the boss by his name, her father and the shared war experiences? His the decision to come to the reception?

12. The prospect of the reception, Gwen and agreeing, shopping with Davis’s mother? The meal at home, the father wanting him to call him ‘dad’? The build-up to the reception?

13. The reception, getting the vagrants outside the restaurant to dress up as her parents, their knowing the story, telling it well? Gwen and her being upset, the gifts and smashing them, drawing her out, everybody happy? The scene about Davis and his relationship with Becky? ?

14. Davis and his going to Becky’s house? Finding Gwen? Her wanting to see where he would go?

15. The company boss, making allowances for Gwen’s father’s memory, accepting him as the real thing? Giving Davis the promotion?

16. Gwen, the clashes with Davis, her agreement that they would divorce, the imaginary affair with her schoolfriend, everybody knowing, urging forgiveness? Her decision to leave, going to the bus, Davis and his pursuit of her, his lies, her accepting them and coming out of the bus? The irony of building a house for her make-believe parents?

17. The plausibility of the ending? Happy ever after?