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| Every great romance, mystery, and murder includes a train |
The expression goes that “imitation is the sincerest
form of flattery”. While imitation in the arts can range from lazy clichés to
outright plagiarism, one form of imitation is truly flattering and innovative
when executed properly; the spoof. In spoofs, a popular creative work that
audiences are familiar with is parodied and altered to comic effect. The most
deft spoofs manage to balance between poking fun at and
paying tribute to their original sources. Many spoofs take the more assured route and utilize classic
genres and sources that have since become overused or outdated and will easily
lend themselves to a comic reworking. When a spoof opts for the more difficult
approach by referencing well respected and/or dark source material, however,
the risks can prove hilariously rewarding. One such spoof, Throw Momma From the Train, succeeds in the unlikely task of making
a classic Alfred Hitchcock thriller into a slapstick comedy while offering commentary
on the absurdities of writers and the creative process.
The story begins as struggling writer, Larry Donner
(Billy Crystal), makes ends meet by teaching creative writing at a local
community college. It is quickly revealed that despite his talent as a writer, Larry
is forced to maintain his day job teaching a class of assorted misfits after a
messy divorce that resulted in his ex-wife, Margaret (Kate Mulgrew), gaining possession
of most of his assets. To make matters worse, Margaret plagiarized his
latest novel and used it to become an exceedingly wealthy best-selling author.
The combined loss of his marriage, financial assets, and creative work has led
Larry to become obsessed with Margaret and the life of critical and commercial success
that she stole from him. This obsession eventually becomes so consuming that he
is unable to focus on any other aspect of his life including his neglected love
interest, Beth (Kim Greist), and his failing writing career.
Meanwhile, one of Larry’s students, Owen Lift (Danny
Devito), faces a similar problem in that he is also unable to lead a full life
because of his obsession with wanting to kill his cantankerous mother (Anne
Ramsey). Unlike Larry, who is dwelling upon events from his past, Owen is
forced to endure his mother’s abuse on a daily basis. Mrs. Lift’s constant
barrage of insults, demeaning requests, and physical assaults takes such a toll
on Owen that he is unable to separate himself from his stressful situation in
order to see how irrational his obsession is. In an attempt to combat his matricidal
tendencies, Owen begins writing gruesome murder mysteries in Larry’s class,
hoping that vicariously killing in fiction will alleviate his fixation.
Unfortunately, Owen’s stories lack believability and complex plots. Desperate
to find some success in his life, Owen becomes fixated on becoming a competent
writer and harasses Larry into teaching him how to improve his mysteries. At
one point, Larry tries to use a hypothetical premise of killing Margaret to
explain the intricacies of planning a
murder in fiction and in the process bonds with Owen, who reveals his similar desire to kill his mother. Exhausted
by Owen’s relentless questions, Larry finally gives up and tells Owen to watch
Alfred Hitchcock movies to understand the structure of a mystery. Owen eagerly
follows Larry’s advice and views the Hitchcock classic Strangers on a Train. The film takes a hilariously zany turn when
Owen takes his notes on Hitchcock a bit too literally and proceeds to follow the
example of Strangers on a Train by
pushing Margaret overboard on a cruise ship and using the murder to blackmail
Larry into trying to kill Mrs. Lift.
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| Like mother, like homicidal son |
One of the most entertaining aspects of the film is
the way in which it balances parody and tribute. While the outrageousness of
Hitchcock’s initial premise would seem to lend itself to a comic send-up, the
reality of turning the director’s signature thrills into slapstick laughs could
not have been an easy task. The character of Owen, for example, had to be
likable enough to make audiences look past the fact that he is bent on
committing matricide. In Strangers on a
Train, Robert Walker’s expert combination of cunning and charisma made
psychotic Bruno an intriguing and unsettling, but far from relatable character.
In order to ensure that Owen would be sympathetic, the film’s makers used the
originally deviant image of a grown man living like an adolescent and turned it
on its head to make Owen the likable loser that he is on screen. Similarly,
while Throw Momma closely followed the
original film's sub plot of protagonist Guy Haines in Larry’s
struggle with Margaret, the crucial change of Bruno’s stern father to Owen’s
abrasive mother opened the story up to an array of comic possibilities. The
film also highlights the complexity of the plot in the original film by
showing how easily that same plot would be muddled when in the hands of modern
characters. The juxtaposition of retro plot and contemporary setting enables
the film to poke fun at the way in which Hitchcock’s film tended to take
themselves too seriously, while bringing one his most beloved classics to a new
generation. Thus, its innovative approach to Strangers’ original premise allows Throw Momma to be a success in its own right while paying homage to
its source.
Although the screenplay is filled with hilarious
action and clever dialogue, the film would not have been the unique success that it
is without its cast. Billy Crystal’s
deadpan delivery adds a biting element to Larry’s everyman persona, making him
an excellent stand-in for the audience point of view. Similarly, Danny Devito’s
unassuming portrayal makes Owen a paradoxical character in that he’s a killer that
audiences can’t help but root for. Anne Ramsey’s uproarious performance as the
caustic Mrs. Lift keeps the laughs coming while adding believability to Owen’s
obsession with killing her. During shooting, Ramsey was undergoing treatment
for throat cancer, but reportedly refused to miss a day of shooting as she didn’t
want to hold up production for the cast and crew. Her dedication paid off in a
performance that was so memorable that she was nominated for an Academy
Award for Best Supporting Actress; a rare feat for a performance in a comedy. The
supporting players all lend apt support, particularly Branford Marsalis who makes
a lasting impression in his brief part as Larry’s wisecracking friend, Lester.
Through its combination of black comedy, slapstick,
and parody Throw Momma From the Train is
a truly innovative film experience. The expert casting and writing enable the film
to balance dark themes with light comedy in a way that keeps audiences
entertained and on their toes. The film’s simultaneous sending up of
and respect for Strangers on a Train demonstrates
the very best in comedy spoofs. In this instance, imitation just might be the
sincerest form of flattery; even if you won’t look at Hitchcock the same way
again.
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| Let me tell you 'bout my best friend... |
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