Richie Rich's Christmas Wish
Encyclopedia
Richie Rich'$ Christmas Wish is a 1998 direct-to-video
sequel to the 1994 film
Ri¢hie Ri¢h, released by Warner Bros. Family Entertainment
, Harvey Home Entertainment
and Saban Entertainment (and also CineGroupe
in Canada) and starring David Gallagher
as the titular character.
and Richie Rich, the world's richest kid, is all excited to spend the day with his friends. While racing wildly with his friends in the snow, Richie's caretaker, Cadbury, controls the cars using a remote and guides the children back to Richie's house. He then reminds Richie Rich about his responsibilities that are due to be executed on Christmas eve, and instructs Richie to change his clothes and get ready for tea. Before going to change his clothes, Richie visits his home scientist, Professor Keanbean, who shows Richie his recent invention, a Wishing Machine which works only on Christmas eve. The day being Christmas eve, Richie wishes for a "Big Pie" from the machine, and is gifted with a "Pig Sty" instead. Cadbury is enraged seeing this, and sends Richie off to change his clothes. Richie meets his parents, Richard and Regina Rich, to ask what they would like to have for a Christmas present. While with them, he also tries out his father's new fishing rod invented by Keanbean, which hooks on to any catch in the vicinity. He then goes on to change his clothes.
During tea, Richie meets his spoiled cousin, Reggie Van Dough, who wishes that he were as rich as Richie. Later, Richie dresses up like an elf and Cadbury dresses up like Santa Claus, to distribute Christmas presents to the orphanage run by the Rich family. While getting ready, Cadbury tells Richie about how he was a pop star in his youth days, in a band called "Root Canal". When Richie and Cadbury take off in the sleigh with presents for the orphanage with Richie driving the sleigh, Reggie takes control of the sleigh using a remote control invented by Keanbean. He guides the sleigh through shops and houses and people, thus destroying the whole place. Richie and Cadbury end up in an accident in which the sleigh gets burnt along with the presents, while Cadbury hurts his knee badly. Richie runs off to fetch help, but once he enters the city, he sees that the situation has changed dramatically. Reggie is cooking up rumors about Richie, and all the people have turned against Richie.
Devastated, Richie goes into Keanbean's laboratory and squats in front of the wishing machine. While fretting over his ill luck, Richie accidentally wishes that he were never born. The wishing machine at once grants his wish, following which Richie is transported to another world in which he was never born and hence nobody recognizes him. Reggie has taken over as the son of Richard and Regina Rich, and is now the richest kid in the world. He bosses around everyone. Roads and buildings are named after Reggie. Nobody is happy, and hunger and misery are seen all over. This makes Richie realize that things would not be better if he were not born, and hence decides to go back to the world in which he is Richie Rich.
Though his parents do not recognize him anymore, he is happy that his dog, Dollar, recognizes him. He takes the dog with him, only to enrage Reggie, who is the current owner of the dog. Reggie orders policemen to search for Richie, the dognapper, and also announces a reward for catching him. After dodging various people who try to catch him, Richie finds Cadbury, who is part of the Root Canal music band, and Keanbean, who runs his own laboratory. Richie questions Keanbean about the wishing machine, which Keanbean says, requires a wishing bone in order to be complete. Along with his friends who decide to help him, Richie goes to the city museum to retrieve the bone from a dinosaur fossil. After passing through laser detection systems successfully, Richie and his friends get the bone from the dinosaur, using the fishing rod invented by Keanbean. Before they get out from the museum, Richie and his friends spot Reggie's parents, who are now working as night guards in the museum.
Once they reach the lab, they get the machine to work properly. However, before Richie could wish himself back, Reggie arrives there with a bunch of policemen. Richie, Cadbury, Keanbean, and Richie's friends are put in jail, while Reggie takes the wishing machine to his house. At home, Reggie wishes himself to be able to fly, and then when his robotic servant maid had accidentally turned off the machine, tries to make a wish again. When the machine does not work the second time, Reggie leaves the room in a huff, and retires to sleep. In the jail, Richie and his friends are bailed out by Cadbury's band group. They all rush to Reggie's home, and while Reggie is still sleeping, Richie tries to wish himself back. However, they find that the machine is no longer working, as Reggie had kicked it in anger earlier. While Keanbean is fixing the machine, Reggie wakes up and comes flying, only to be attacked by Richie and his friends. After a lot of confusion, the machine starts working again, and Richie wishes himself back as Richie Rich.
Richie sets right all the things that had gone wrong since his vanishing act, and is now much more grateful to be alive.
). The background music in some scenes such as when the wishbone was taken out of the wishing machine by Dollar, and the characters standing in front of the Professor's shop for the first time was used in Digimon
, obviously because the music was done by Saban
. Colonial Street at Universal City, previously used in The Munsters
, Leave it to Beaver
, and The 'burbs
, is also featured.
Direct-to-video
Direct-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television...
sequel to the 1994 film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
Ri¢hie Ri¢h, released by Warner Bros. Family Entertainment
Warner Bros. Family Entertainment
Warner Bros. Family Entertainment is the family film label of Warner Bros., established in 1992. It is best-known for producing numerous family films and television series in either live-action or animation .-History:The division was founded in 1992 to produce more family-friendly films.The first...
, Harvey Home Entertainment
Harvey Comics
Harvey Comics was an American comic book publisher, founded in New York City by Alfred Harvey in 1941, after buying out the small publisher Brookwood Publications. His brothers Robert B...
and Saban Entertainment (and also CineGroupe
CinéGroupe
CinéGroupe Corporation is a Canadian animation studio based in Montreal, Quebec. The company also has offices in nearby Toronto and in the U.S. city of Los Angeles...
in Canada) and starring David Gallagher
David Gallagher
David Lee Gallagher is an American actor. Beginning a prolific career as a child actor and model at the age of two, Gallagher is a five-time Young Artist Award nominee and Teen Choice Award winner, best known for his role as Simon Camden on the long running television series 7th Heaven, as well as...
as the titular character.
Plot
It is Christmas EveChristmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
and Richie Rich, the world's richest kid, is all excited to spend the day with his friends. While racing wildly with his friends in the snow, Richie's caretaker, Cadbury, controls the cars using a remote and guides the children back to Richie's house. He then reminds Richie Rich about his responsibilities that are due to be executed on Christmas eve, and instructs Richie to change his clothes and get ready for tea. Before going to change his clothes, Richie visits his home scientist, Professor Keanbean, who shows Richie his recent invention, a Wishing Machine which works only on Christmas eve. The day being Christmas eve, Richie wishes for a "Big Pie" from the machine, and is gifted with a "Pig Sty" instead. Cadbury is enraged seeing this, and sends Richie off to change his clothes. Richie meets his parents, Richard and Regina Rich, to ask what they would like to have for a Christmas present. While with them, he also tries out his father's new fishing rod invented by Keanbean, which hooks on to any catch in the vicinity. He then goes on to change his clothes.
During tea, Richie meets his spoiled cousin, Reggie Van Dough, who wishes that he were as rich as Richie. Later, Richie dresses up like an elf and Cadbury dresses up like Santa Claus, to distribute Christmas presents to the orphanage run by the Rich family. While getting ready, Cadbury tells Richie about how he was a pop star in his youth days, in a band called "Root Canal". When Richie and Cadbury take off in the sleigh with presents for the orphanage with Richie driving the sleigh, Reggie takes control of the sleigh using a remote control invented by Keanbean. He guides the sleigh through shops and houses and people, thus destroying the whole place. Richie and Cadbury end up in an accident in which the sleigh gets burnt along with the presents, while Cadbury hurts his knee badly. Richie runs off to fetch help, but once he enters the city, he sees that the situation has changed dramatically. Reggie is cooking up rumors about Richie, and all the people have turned against Richie.
Devastated, Richie goes into Keanbean's laboratory and squats in front of the wishing machine. While fretting over his ill luck, Richie accidentally wishes that he were never born. The wishing machine at once grants his wish, following which Richie is transported to another world in which he was never born and hence nobody recognizes him. Reggie has taken over as the son of Richard and Regina Rich, and is now the richest kid in the world. He bosses around everyone. Roads and buildings are named after Reggie. Nobody is happy, and hunger and misery are seen all over. This makes Richie realize that things would not be better if he were not born, and hence decides to go back to the world in which he is Richie Rich.
Though his parents do not recognize him anymore, he is happy that his dog, Dollar, recognizes him. He takes the dog with him, only to enrage Reggie, who is the current owner of the dog. Reggie orders policemen to search for Richie, the dognapper, and also announces a reward for catching him. After dodging various people who try to catch him, Richie finds Cadbury, who is part of the Root Canal music band, and Keanbean, who runs his own laboratory. Richie questions Keanbean about the wishing machine, which Keanbean says, requires a wishing bone in order to be complete. Along with his friends who decide to help him, Richie goes to the city museum to retrieve the bone from a dinosaur fossil. After passing through laser detection systems successfully, Richie and his friends get the bone from the dinosaur, using the fishing rod invented by Keanbean. Before they get out from the museum, Richie and his friends spot Reggie's parents, who are now working as night guards in the museum.
Once they reach the lab, they get the machine to work properly. However, before Richie could wish himself back, Reggie arrives there with a bunch of policemen. Richie, Cadbury, Keanbean, and Richie's friends are put in jail, while Reggie takes the wishing machine to his house. At home, Reggie wishes himself to be able to fly, and then when his robotic servant maid had accidentally turned off the machine, tries to make a wish again. When the machine does not work the second time, Reggie leaves the room in a huff, and retires to sleep. In the jail, Richie and his friends are bailed out by Cadbury's band group. They all rush to Reggie's home, and while Reggie is still sleeping, Richie tries to wish himself back. However, they find that the machine is no longer working, as Reggie had kicked it in anger earlier. While Keanbean is fixing the machine, Reggie wakes up and comes flying, only to be attacked by Richie and his friends. After a lot of confusion, the machine starts working again, and Richie wishes himself back as Richie Rich.
Richie sets right all the things that had gone wrong since his vanishing act, and is now much more grateful to be alive.
Cast
- David GallagherDavid GallagherDavid Lee Gallagher is an American actor. Beginning a prolific career as a child actor and model at the age of two, Gallagher is a five-time Young Artist Award nominee and Teen Choice Award winner, best known for his role as Simon Camden on the long running television series 7th Heaven, as well as...
- Richie Rich - Martin MullMartin MullMartin Mull is an American actor who has starred in his own television sitcom and acted in prominent films. He is also a comedian, painter, and recording artist...
- Richard Rich - Lesley Ann WarrenLesley Ann WarrenLesley Ann Warren is an American actress and singer. She has been nominated once for an Academy Award and Emmy Awards and five times for Golden Globe, winning one....
- Regina Rich - Jake RichardsonJake RichardsonJacob Matthew Richardson is an American actor, currently acting mostly in TV series. He is perhaps best known for his roles in the film Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves and the TV series Fudge.-Career:...
- Reggie Van Dough - Eugene LevyEugene LevyEugene Levy, CM is a Canadian actor, comedian, television director, producer, musician, and writer. He is known for his work in Canadian television series, American movies, and television movies. He is the only actor to have appeared in all eight of the American Pie films, as Noah Levenstein...
- Professor Keanbean - Keene CurtisKeene CurtisKeene Holbrook Curtis was an American character actor.-Film career:Curtis made his film debut in the 1948 Orson Welles adaptation of Macbeth...
- Cadbury - Don McLeodDon McLeodDonald Martin "Smokey" McLeod is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played briefly in the National Hockey League and 6 full seasons in the World Hockey Association....
- Irona - Michelle TrachtenbergMichelle TrachtenbergMichelle Christine Trachtenberg is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Dawn Summers in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and as Georgina Sparks in Gossip Girl...
- Gloria - Richard FancyRichard FancyRichard Fancy is an American actor known for his long recurring role on Seinfeld as publisher Mr. Lippman, Elaine Benes' one-time boss. He appeared on the third and fourth seasons of It's Garry Shandling's Show as network boss Mr. Stravely. He also plays the Priest in the 1991 Film What About...
- Mr. Van Dough - Marla MaplesMarla MaplesMarla Maples is an American actress, television personality, and socialite, best known for her marriage to businessman celebrity Donald Trump.- Personal life :...
- Mrs. Van Dough - Blake Jeremy Collins - Freckles
- Austin Stout - Pee Wee
Location shots
The Langham Huntington Hotel and Spa, in Pasadena, CA, was used for exterior scenes of the sprawling Rich Family Mansion. The interior lobby and vault of the disused (currency exchange) Valuta Bank building, in downtown Los Angeles, was used for the scene in which Richie traps the pursuing Rich security men (this same bank was also used for the bank-robbery scene in Spider-Man 2Spider-Man 2
Spider-Man 2 is a 2004 American superhero film directed by Sam Raimi, written by Alvin Sargent and developed by Alfred Gough, Miles Millar, and Michael Chabon. It is the second film in the Spider-Man film franchise based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Spider-Man...
). The background music in some scenes such as when the wishbone was taken out of the wishing machine by Dollar, and the characters standing in front of the Professor's shop for the first time was used in Digimon
Digimon
, short for , is a Japanese media franchise encompassing digital toys, anime, manga and video games. The franchise's eponymous creatures are monsters of various forms living in a "Digital World", a parallel universe that originated from Earth's various communication networks.-Conception and...
, obviously because the music was done by Saban
Saban
Saban Entertainment , was a worldwide-served independent American television production company formed in 1984 by music and television producers Haim Saban and Shuki Levy as "Saban Productions", a U.S...
. Colonial Street at Universal City, previously used in The Munsters
The Munsters
The Munsters is a 1960s American family television sitcom depicting the home life of a family of monsters. It starred Fred Gwynne as Herman Munster and Yvonne De Carlo as his wife, Lily Munster. The series was a satire of both traditional monster movies and popular family entertainment of the era,...
, Leave it to Beaver
Leave It to Beaver
Leave It to Beaver is an American television situation comedy about an inquisitive but often naïve boy named Theodore "The Beaver" Cleaver and his adventures at home, in school, and around his suburban neighborhood...
, and The 'burbs
The 'Burbs
The 'Burbs is a 1989 American black comedy thriller film directed by Joe Dante starring Tom Hanks, Bruce Dern, Carrie Fisher, Rick Ducommun, Corey Feldman and Henry Gibson. The film was written by Dana Olsen, who also has a cameo in the movie...
, is also featured.