Initial release date: December 11, 1987
Studios: Orion Pictures
Tagline: Owen asked his friend, Larry, for a small favor ...
Plot: Larry, an author with a cruel ex-wife, Margaret, teaches a writing workshop where Owen, one of his students, is fed up with his domineering mother. When Owen watches a Hitchcock classic that seems to mirror his own life, he decides to put the movie's plot into action and offers to kill Margaret, if Larry promises to do the same to his over-bearing mother. Before Larry gets a chance to react to the plan, it seems that Owen has already sealed Margaret's fate.
Cast
Danny DeVito - Owen Lift
Billy Crystal - Larry Donner
Kim Greist - Beth Ryan
Anne Ramsey - Momma Lift
Kate Mulgrew - Margaret Donner
Branford Marsalis - Lester
Rob Reiner - Joel
Bruce Kirby - Detective DaBenedetto
Annie Ross - Mrs. Hazeltine
Raye Birk - Pinsky
Olivia Brown - Ms. Gladstone
Writer: Stu Silver
Director: Danny DeVito (Duplex; Death to Smoochy; Matilda)
Rated PG-13 (88 minutes)
The other night I took a look at the 1987 comedy Throw Momma from the Train, a sort of parody of Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train. This was also the first time watching this Billy Crystal/Danny DeVito dark comedy. Now, this may not be greatest comedy out there, but it really does have some very hilarious moments.
During their comedic bits, DeVito (who also directed the movie) and Crystal have great comedic timing together. There are a few moments they have together that are really memorable. There's one scene where Owen has Larry over at his home to discuss Owen's little situation with his little cranky mother. When the mother sees them, Owen says that Larry is "Cousin Paddy" and Momma says there is no "Cousin Paddy." So, the only thing Owen can think of is hit Larry with a pan. I literally cracked up during that scene.
One line that Crystal said in the movie that really had me rolling with laughter is when his character was talking about the movie and that "She's not a woman ... She's the Terminator." His delivery of the lime made it funnier. And I also realized that the mother in this movie is also in The Goonies!
The comedy can go off the rails a bit, especially after Owen travels to get rid of Larry's ex-wife and expects Larry to help Owen get rid of his over-bearing mother. And some of Billy Crystal's rants in this movie (especially after Owen tells him that his ex-wife is taken care of) is really funny.
Throw Momma from the Train is available to stream on the Max streaming service.
Here are some fun tidbits for Throw Momma from the Train!
Anne Ramsey's speech impediment was caused by operations she underwent in order to treat throat cancer. During filming she was undergoing additional oral surgery and endured intense pain. However, according to DeVito, she never requested to be excused from work. "Momma" went on to become Ramsey's most critically-lauded performance, culminating with an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Sadly, she died only 6 months after the ceremony due to the same throat cancer.
Anne Ramsey had ten minutes screen time total.
Orion Pictures needed to approach Warner Bros. about getting permission to use the references to Strangers on a Train but WB wasn't keen to cooperate. Warner realized that Orion still owned the rights to 1981s Arthur, so they traded the 1951 Hitchcock classic to make an Arthur sequel. Arthur 2: On the Rocks turned out to be a complete disaster at the box office, whereas Throw Momma from the Train was the 13th most successful movie of 1987.
The film parodies the thriller genre and is a comedic take on Alfred Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train.
Bill Murray was considered for the role of Larry Donner and Robin Williams for the role of Owen.
Joe Pesci, Dudley Moore and John Candy were also considered for the role of Owen Lift.
Comments