Film: Big
Director: Penny Marshall
Country: USA
Released: June 1988
Runtime: 130 minutes
Genre: Fantasy
Studio: Gracie Films / 20th Century Fox
Influenced: Rob Reiner, Nancy Meyers, Adam McKay, Judd Apatow, Diablo Cody
Directed by Penny Marshall and starring Tom Hanks in one of his first major screen roles, Big is a classic 80s family film that combines fantasy and comedy. The idea for the movie came from screenwriter Gary Ross, who was inspired by a real-life incident in which he saw a young boy playing with a toy car in a department store. Ross developed the film's concept of a young boy who magically becomes an adult overnight with Steven Spielberg's younger sister Anne, and together they explored the challenges and adventures of being a child in an adult's body. The film tells the story of Josh Baskin (Tom Hanks), a young and frustrated 12-year-old boy who wishes to be big.
After being turned down at a carnival for not meeting the height requirement for a roller coaster and failing to impress his crush, Josh comes across a mysterious fortune-telling machine called Zoltar Speaks. He makes a wish to become "big", not realising the magical powers of the machine, and wakes up the next morning to find himself in the body of a 30-year-old man. He struggles to adjust to his new life, but he eventually learns to embrace it. He gets a job as a toy salesman, falls in love with a woman named Susan (Elizabeth Perkins) and realises that being big isn't all it's cracked up to be. He also secures a job at a toy company called MacMillan Toy Company, where his childlike perspective leads to the creation of innovative and successful toys. His boss, Mr. MacMillan (Robert Loggia), takes a liking to him.
Big's famous piano scene is a perfect encapsulation of the film's theme of embracing the joy of childhood and finding wonder in everyday experiences. Hanks' genuine enjoyment in this scene adds to its charm and it's his character's childlike curiosity and willingness to engage in creative play that wins Susan's heart. Big was one of the first films to use computer-generated imagery (CGI) to create its special effects. For example, CGI was used to create the scene where Josh wakes up in his adult body and the scene where he grows to giant size. What I also find refreshing about the film, during an era where body swap comedies were all the rage, is Marshall's willingness to tackle the downsides of such a transformation. In one scene, we see Josh all alone in a grimy New York hotel, crying on his mattress while we hear the sound of gunshots outside on the streets and angry shouting in the corridor.
The film was also innovative in its use of music, with a soundtrack that features a variety of popular 80s songs, including by the likes of Katrina & The Waves and Tears For Fears. Big became the first film directed by a woman to earn over US$100mn and was both a critical and commercial success, earning Hanks his first Oscar nomination for Best Actor. The film not only demonstrated the power of the imagination and the importance of staying true to ourselves, but it also addressed that timeless challenge of balancing the responsibilities of adulthood with the joys of childhood. As well as being endlessly referenced in many other films and TV shows, it has also been parodied and spoofed many times, ensuring its continuing classic status. Big offered a fresh perspective on the age-old concept of "growing up too fast" by literally embodying it.
Comments