Richie Rich (film)
Richie Rich | |
---|---|
Produced by | Joel Silver John Davis |
Starring | |
Cinematography | Don Burgess |
Edited by | Malcolm Campbell |
Music by | Alan Silvestri |
Production companies | |
Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
Release date |
|
Running time | 95 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $40 million |
Box office | $76 million |
Richie Rich is a 1994 American
Plot
Lawrence Van Dough, the greedy
Flying the plane themselves, Richard and Regina discover the bomb just before it explodes, crashing the plane into the ocean. Stranded on a life raft, Richie's parents are presumed dead, and Van Dough takes control of Rich Industries. He attempts to close the factory, prompting Richie to assume leadership of the company himself, with Cadbury as his legal guardian and business proxy. Determined to seize the Riches' fortune, Van Dough has Cadbury framed for the bomb and arrested, and subsequently petitions successfully to take over as Richie's legal guardian. He then regains control of Rich Industries removing Richie as the company's leader, evicts the rest of the Rich family servants, and installs his own security team at Rich Manor to keep Richie prisoner.
Overhearing Van Dough's plan to have Cadbury killed in jail, Professor Keenbean warns Richie, who sneaks out and rescues Cadbury. They enlist the help of Gloria and Diane, while Van Dough and Ferguson threaten Keenbean into revealing that the family vault requires a
Richie and Gloria rally the sandlot kids to break into Rich Manor with Cadbury and Diane, using Keenbean's inventions against Van Dough's men. Holding Richard and Regina at gunpoint, Van Dough is led to the vault hidden within "Mount Richmore", their gigantic mountainside family portrait. Inside, he is furious and outraged to discover no money (which is actually in multiple banks, the stock market, real estate, and insurance companies), but what the Riches actually value most: treasured family mementos and heirlooms. Richie confronts Van Dough, who shoots him, but the bullets prove harmless thanks to Keenbean's bulletproof spray. Van Dough pursues the Riches down the side of the mountain, until Cadbury disarms Ferguson and the Riches subdue and fire Van Dough.
Days later, Richie plays baseball with Gloria and his new friends for the United Tool team on Rich Manor's yard, coached by Cadbury, who shares a kiss with Diane. Van Dough and Ferguson serve as the manor's gardeners as part of their work release, while Richard and Regina are overjoyed that Richie has finally found what money cannot buy: friends.
Cast
- Richie Rich
- Rory Culkin as Young Richie Rich
- Peter Lampley as Baby Richie Rich
- CFOof Rich Enterprises, who plots to steal the Rich family fortune.
- Edward Herrmann as Richard Rich Sr
- Christine Ebersole as Regina Rich
- Jonathan Hyde as Herbert Arthur Runcible Cadbury - the Rich family's trustworthy butler.
- Mike McShane as Professor Keenbean - a brilliant inventor who works for Rich Industries.
- Chelcie Ross as Ferguson - the Rich family's rude and tough security chief, who plots with Van Dough to usurp the Rich empire.
- Mariangela Pino as Diane Koscinski
- Stephi Lineburg as Gloria Koscinski
- Michael Maccarone as Tony
- Joel Robinson as Omar
- Jonathan Hilario as Pee Wee
- Reggie Jackson as himself - Richie's private baseball coach.
- Matt DeCaro as Dave Walter - the plant manager for United Tool.
- Claudia Schiffer as herself - Richie's private aerobics instructor.
- Ben Stein as Economics Teacher
- Sean A. Tate as Reynolds
- Joel Ellegant as Ellsworth
- Justin Zaremby as Reginald
- Eddie Bo Smith as Ambler
Production
Though set in
Data East was one of few regular pinball companies that manufactured custom pinball games e.g. for the film Richie Rich. This pinball machine was based on The Who's Tommy Pinball Wizard machine.[1]
Reception
The film has been met with mixed reception. A
Richie Rich received a 26% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 23 reviews, with an average rating of 4.5/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "With Macaulay Culkin barely registering any emotion, Richie Rich feels disjointed and free of a sense of fun and wonderment."[5] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 49 out of 100 based on 17 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[6] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A-" on an A+ to F scale.[7]
The film grossed $38 million at the box office in the United States and Canada[8] and the same internationally[9] for a worldwide total of $76 million on a $40 million budget.[10][11] It was an even bigger home video success, with $125 million in VHS rentals[12] and, as of April 1997, $44.2 million in retail sales, the studio receiving 75%.[13]
Year-end lists
- Fifth worst – Sean P. Means, The Salt Lake Tribune[14]
Sequel
Richie Rich's Christmas Wish is a 1998 direct-to-video sequel starring David Gallagher in the titular role.
References
- ^ "Internet Pinball Machine Database: Data East 'Richie Rich'". Retrieved 14 November 2016.
- The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-12-31.
- ^ Ebert, Roger. "Richie Rich Movie Review & Film Summary (1994) - Roger Ebert". Retrieved 14 November 2016.
- Internet Movie Database. 1995. Archived from the originalon 2009-02-07. Retrieved 2022-07-27.
- ^ "Richie Rich". Rotten Tomatoes. 21 December 1994. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
- Fandom, Inc.Retrieved May 2, 2023.
- ^ "Home". CinemaScore. Retrieved 2022-09-19.
- ^ "Richie Rich | Boxofficemojo".
- ^ Klady, Leonard (February 19, 1996). "B.O. with a vengeance: $9.1 billion worldwide". Variety. p. 1.
- The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-12-31.
- ^ "Richie Rich (1994) - Box Office Mojo". Retrieved 14 November 2016.
- ^ Harvey Capitalizes on Ghost, Rich Kid, Billboard
- ^ Matzer, Marla (1997-04-16). "Direct-to-Video Family Films Are Hitting Home". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 4 June 2011.
- ^ P. Means, Sean (January 1, 1995). "'Pulp and Circumstance' After the Rise of Quentin Tarantino, Hollywood Would Never Be the Same". The Salt Lake Tribune (Final ed.). p. E1.