Director: Richard Benjamin
Writer: David Giler
Stars: Tom Hanks, Shelley Long, Alexander Godunov
Synopsis: A young couple struggles to repair a hopelessly dilapidated house.
Tom Hanks has a long, storied history of film excellence. Ask any five people their three favorite Hanks films, and they will probably all give you different answers. As a result of all of Hanks’ success, Richard Benjamin’s The Money Pit gets lost in the shuffle. But don’t sleep on it. All the madcap hilarity is still there 40 years after its premiere.
Let’s not misinterpret this film: this is no unsung masterpiece. That being said, this is the ultimate “turn your brain off and enjoy yourself” film from the ‘80s. Whether it’s The Secret to My Success, Police Academy, or Overboard, the ‘80s were filled with silly premises, fronted by stars, doing increasingly preposterous things. The Money Pit features pratfalls, easy sight gags, one-liners, and easy jokes. That doesn’t make it bad. In fact, it’s mostly a lot of fun.
Hanks stars as Walter Fielding Jr, a lawyer attempting to clean up the mess of debts left by his absconded father. Walter’s girlfriend, Anna (Shelly Long), is a concert violinist who is doggedly pursued by her ex-husband and concert maestro Max (Alexander Godunov). Forced to vacate their apartment, Walter and Anna find a steal of a mansion being sold by Estelle (Maureen Stapleton). Together, they buy the house and move in.
The moment the pair arrive, the house begins to fall apart, including shoddy electrical work, sewage-filled plumbing, and a complete collapse of the staircase. Any attempts to repair the house themselves fall flat, which causes the pair to turn to shady contractors, the Shirks. Faced with financial and mental ruin, Walter and Anna must overcome everything to stay in the house and stay together.
For a film from 1986, there are some fascinating themes around debt, cohabitation without marriage, and jealousy; but those themes are mostly just the table-setting for humor. Yes, all the money Walter and Anna use for the house is borrowed, but it’s just mined for a scene where Hanks can say the film’s title. It doesn’t have to be that deep when you have an extended sequence where Walter flies through the air, is mauled by various construction equipment and ends up being peed on by a decorative statue. There isn’t subtext here. It’s funny for the sake of funny.
The comedy isn’t all physical. A standout scene late in the film finds Walter and Anna trading barbs about intelligence and alcoholism. All the while, dozens of construction workers input their opinions or just stare at the bickering. That said, it’s mostly physical. Hanks reaches a tipping point with the house following a bathtub falling through the floor, leading to a prolonged fit of wheezing laughter. It’s silly and pointless, but movies don’t have to be so serious all the time. This film knows exactly what it has, and it keeps pushing those same madcap buttons.
At this point in his career, Hanks was still honing his on-screen persona. Smug intelligence was his forte and he leans heavily into that characterization here. He might not stretch himself dramatically (the film never calls for it), but he is more than willing to go the extra mile for a laugh. It’s a much more physical performance than you would expect. Hanks ends up falling from great heights multiple times, covered in plaster, burned, charred, and humiliated throughout the film. Long doesn’t have as much to do as Hanks, but she gets her fair share of house chaos to deal with. Her chemistry with Hanks is easy and believable, which is as much as you could ask for.
Hanks and Long aren’t the only familiar faces. Godunov was still two years away from his role as the villainous Karl in Die Hard, but he nearly walks away with the film. Max is a character of silly contradictions, and Godunov never shies away from any of the preposterous antics. It’s a shame he didn’t get more of a chance to do comedy, as he has excellent timing and delivery. Joe Mantegna, Philip Bosco, Frankie Faison, Josh Mostel, Yakov Smirnoff, Mike Starr, Wendell Pierce, Nestor Serrano, and Michael Jeter all show up along the way to give the film some extra color.It might not be revolutionary cinema, but The Money Pit is stupid fun all these years later. More than anything, it’s a testament to the longevity of Hanks and how far he has come.
