Home Alone (film)
"Home Alone" is a popular family comedy film released on November 16, 1990, directed by Chris Columbus and written by John Hughes. The film stars Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister, an eight-year-old boy who is accidentally left behind when his family travels to France for the holidays. As Kevin navigates his newfound independence, he must protect his home from two inept burglars, played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern. The film's comedic appeal lies in Kevin's clever use of booby traps to thwart the burglars' attempts to break in.
Despite mixed critical reviews, "Home Alone" achieved immense commercial success, becoming the third-highest-grossing film of all time at the time of its release, with over $533 million worldwide. It also received a few award nominations, including two Academy Award nominations for John Williams' score and song. The film's legacy includes spawning three sequels and influencing the slapstick comedy genre of the 1990s, while also solidifying the careers of its lead actors. With its blend of humor and heart, "Home Alone" remains a beloved holiday classic for audiences around the world.
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Subject Terms
Home Alone (film)
Director Chris Columbus (1958- )
Date Released on November 16, 1990
An instant hit with the public, this film combined a holiday theme with a child-stranded-at-home story line and broad slapstick humor. The sometimes crude but ultimately sweet movie became one of the biggest movies of 1990 and 1991.
The impeccable casting and solid direction of Home Alone overcame a plot with a number of gaping holes. Beyond Macaulay Culkin’s star-making turn as Kevin McCallister, Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern played perfect foils as two stooges, Harry and Marv, intent on breaking into every home in the near-deserted neighborhood during the holidays. Kevin’s parents, Peter (John Heard) and Kate (Catherine O’Hara), realize too late that they have left their eight-year-old son at home while the rest of the family is in-flight to France. While their attempts to get home to their son provide the heart of the film, it is Kevin’s self-reliance and elaborate booby traps that make the film enjoyable to watch.
At the end of its run in 1991, Home Alone sat at the top of the box office from its release on November 16, 1990, through February 3, 1991, and held a top-ten spot until April 26, 1991. The total 1990-1991 domestic ($285,761,243) and worldwide gross ($533,800,000) earned the film the distinction of being, at the time, the third-highest-grossing motion picture of all time.
While a box-office success, the film received a lukewarm reception from critics. John Hughes’s penchant for writing and producing movies that focus on the experiences of young protagonists (Sixteen Candles, 1984; The Breakfast Club, 1985; Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, 1986) continued with Home Alone, but crude jokes and comic violence undermined what was promoted as “a family comedy without the family.” While the film did spawn three sequels (1992’s Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, also starring Culkin, directed by Chris Columbus, and written and produced by Hughes; 1997’s Home Alone 3, written and produced by Hughes; and the direct-to-video Home Alone 4, released in 2002) and a slew of other slapstick-inspired comedies, Home Alone was the box-office high point (and turning point) in a long line of incredibly successful films by Hughes.
On the awards front, Home Alone was modestly successful. John Williams was nominated for two Academy Awards: for Best Original Score and (with lyricist Leslie Bricusse) Best Original Song, “Somewhere in My Memory.” Culkin won an American Comedy Award for Funniest Actor in a Motion Picture (Leading Role), and the film was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards: Best Comedy/Musical and Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture—Comedy/Musical (Culkin). The film, cast, and crew received several other minor awards and nominations.
Impact
Home Alone set the stage for many subsequent broad comedies of the 1990’s and launched the careers of Macaulay Culkin and Chris Columbus. The film remains one of the highest grossing of all time.
Bibliography
Maltin, Leonard, Luke Sader, and Spencer Green. Leonard Maltin’s Movie Encyclopedia: Career Profiles of More than Two Thousand Actors and Filmmakers, Past and Present. New York: Plume Books, 1995.
Peske, Nancy, and Beverly West. Advanced Cinematherapy: The Girl’s Guide to Finding Happiness One Movie at a Time. New York: Dell, 2002.