The Brady Bunch Movie
Encyclopedia
The Brady Bunch Movie is a 1995 American comedy film
based on the 1969–1974 television series The Brady Bunch
.
The film features all the original regular characters, all played by new actors. It also took the unusual route of placing the original sitcom characters, with their 1970s fashion
sense and 1970s sitcom family morality, in a contemporary 1990s setting, and parodied the resulting culture clash. The film was a hit and was followed by A Very Brady Sequel
in 1996 and a television film called The Brady Bunch in the White House
in 2002.
Larry Dittmeyer (Michael McKean
), an unscrupulous real estate developer, explains to his boss that almost all the families in his neighborhood have agreed to sell their property as part of a plan to turn the area into a shopping mall. The only exception is one family, which prompts his angry boss to ask, "What's their story?" which leads into the opening blue-box credits of The Brady Bunch.
The concept of the film is that although it is set in the 1990s, the Brady family are still portrayed as their 1970s television incarnations
and are unaware of the disparity between their lives and their surroundings. The parents, Mike (Gary Cole
) and Carol (Shelley Long
), are having breakfast prepared by their housekeeper, Alice (Henriette Mantel
), while the six children prepare for school. Jan (Jennifer Elise Cox
) is jealous of her elder, popular sister Marcia (Christine Taylor
); Cindy (Olivia Hack
) is tattling about everything she's hearing; Greg (Christopher Daniel Barnes
) is dreaming of becoming a singer; Peter (Paul Sutera) is nervous that his voice is breaking
; Bobby (Jesse Lee
) is excited about his new role as hall monitor at school.
Cindy gives Mike and Carol a tax delinquency notice (which was earlier mistakenly delivered to the Dittmeyers) stating that they face foreclosure on their house if they do not pay $20,000 in back taxes. The two initially ignore the crisis, but when Mike's architectural design is turned down by two potential clients, he tells Carol that they may have to sell the house. Cindy overhears this and tells her siblings and they look for work to raise money to save the house, but their earnings are nowhere near enough to reach the required sum.
In a subplot
, Marcia is asked by popular Doug Simpson (Shane Conrad) to go to the school dance with him, when she had already promised to go with nerdy Charlie Anderson (R.D. Robb). She explains the "difficulty" of the choice to her friend, Noreen (Alanna Ubach
), unaware that she is a lesbian
and is attracted to Marcia herself. She ends up breaking her promise to Charlie. On the night of the dance, Doug takes her to a lookout point where he French kiss
es her, only for her to say that she's not interested. He abandons her at the side of the road, but she is rescued when a limousine arrives. She later arrives at the dance and introduces the star performer of the night, Davy Jones
. He gets a rousing reception from the teachers, and when the backing rock band charges up his performance, the kids respond, too. Marcia apologizes to Charlie, who forgives her and asks her to dance with him.
Larry discovers that the Bradys have past-due property taxes and confronts Mike, only to learn that he has finally sold one of his designs and has the money he needs. Larry secretly meets with the client, claiming (falsely) that Mike's design resulted in a building collapse, which causes him to lose his advance. On the night before the Bradys have to move out, Marcia suggests that they enter a "Search for the Stars" contest, the prize of which is exactly $20,000. Jan, having originally suggested this and been rejected, runs away from home. Cindy sees her leave and tattles, and the whole family goes on a search for her. They use their car's C.B. radio
, and their transmission is heard by Schultzy (Ann B. Davis
), a driver who picks up Jan and convinces her to return home.
The next day, the children join the "Search for the Stars" contest with a dated performance that receives poor audience response compared to the more modern performances of other bands. However, the judges — Jones, Micky Dolenz
, and Peter Tork
, all of the 1960s band The Monkees
— vote for them, who win the contest as a result. The tax bill is paid and their neighbors withdraw their homes from the market, foiling Larry's plan and securing the neighborhood.
The film ends with the arrival of Carol's mother (Florence Henderson
), who finally convinces Jan to stop obsessing over Marcia, only for Cindy to start feeling jealous of Jan.
In the end credits, the Bradys are in their traditional blue boxes, but are updated for the time and include various humorous outtakes.
Cameos by original Brady Bunch actors
, with the Brady house being located in Sherman Oaks. The school scenes were shot at Taft High School in Woodland Hills
.
The producers had sought to film the original house that had been used for exterior shots during the original Brady Bunch series, but the owner of the Studio City, California home refused to restore the property to its 1969 appearance. Instead, the filmmakers erected a facade around a house in nearby Encino and filmed scenes in the front yard.
, the consensus stated, "Though lightweight and silly, The Brady Bunch Movie still charms as homage to the 70s sitcom." The film opened at #1 at the box office with $14,827,066.
shown in trailers were cut at the last minute because producer Sherwood Schwartz
objected. These included a grunge
band scene in the garage with Greg and Eddie, and a seduction scene between Mrs. Dittmeyer and Peter. Some of these scenes were edited back in for the network TV showings, but not for the DVD edition.
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
based on the 1969–1974 television series The Brady Bunch
The Brady Bunch
The Brady Bunch is an American sitcom created by Sherwood Schwartz and starring Robert Reed, Florence Henderson, and Ann B. Davis. The series revolved around a large blended family...
.
The film features all the original regular characters, all played by new actors. It also took the unusual route of placing the original sitcom characters, with their 1970s fashion
Fashion
Fashion, a general term for a currently popular style or practice, especially in clothing, foot wear, or accessories. Fashion references to anything that is the current trend in look and dress up of a person...
sense and 1970s sitcom family morality, in a contemporary 1990s setting, and parodied the resulting culture clash. The film was a hit and was followed by A Very Brady Sequel
A Very Brady Sequel
A Very Brady Sequel is a 1996 comedy film and sequel to 1995’s The Brady Bunch Movie. Both films are parodies-homages of the classic 1969–1974 television sitcom The Brady Bunch. The film was directed by Arlene Sanford and stars Shelley Long and Gary Cole as Carol and Mike Brady. The film was a box...
in 1996 and a television film called The Brady Bunch in the White House
The Brady Bunch in the White House
The Brady Bunch in the White House is a 2002 TV movie. It is the second sequel to the The Brady Bunch Movie , following A Very Brady Sequel . It was directed by Neal Israel and written by Lloyd J...
in 2002.
Plot
The film opens with a montage of scenes reflecting life in the 1990s, with heavy traffic, rushing commuters, and homeless people on the street.Larry Dittmeyer (Michael McKean
Michael McKean
Michael John McKean is an American actor, comedian, writer, composer and musician, perhaps best known for his portrayal of Squiggy's friend, Leonard 'Lenny' Kosnowski, on the sitcom Laverne and Shirley; and for his work in the Christopher Guest ensemble films, particularly as David St...
), an unscrupulous real estate developer, explains to his boss that almost all the families in his neighborhood have agreed to sell their property as part of a plan to turn the area into a shopping mall. The only exception is one family, which prompts his angry boss to ask, "What's their story?" which leads into the opening blue-box credits of The Brady Bunch.
The concept of the film is that although it is set in the 1990s, the Brady family are still portrayed as their 1970s television incarnations
The Brady Bunch
The Brady Bunch is an American sitcom created by Sherwood Schwartz and starring Robert Reed, Florence Henderson, and Ann B. Davis. The series revolved around a large blended family...
and are unaware of the disparity between their lives and their surroundings. The parents, Mike (Gary Cole
Gary Cole
Gary Michael Cole is an American actor. Cole is known for his supporting roles in numerous film and television productions since the 1990s.-Early life:...
) and Carol (Shelley Long
Shelley Long
Shelley Lee Long is an American actress best known for her role as Diane Chambers on the sitcom Cheers, for which she won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress and two Golden Globe Awards for Best Actress...
), are having breakfast prepared by their housekeeper, Alice (Henriette Mantel
Henriette Mantel
Henriette Mantel is an Emmy Award-winning American writer, actress, producer, director, and stand-up comic from Vermont.She was born and raised in Newfane, Vermont on her family's farm....
), while the six children prepare for school. Jan (Jennifer Elise Cox
Jennifer Elise Cox
Jennifer Elise Cox is an American actress best known for her satirical portrayal of Jan Brady in The Brady Bunch Movie.-Film roles:...
) is jealous of her elder, popular sister Marcia (Christine Taylor
Christine Taylor
Christine Taylor-Stiller is an American actress.- Early life :Taylor was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Joan, a homemaker, and Skip Taylor, an owner of a security company. She grew up in neighboring Wescosville, Pennsylvania...
); Cindy (Olivia Hack
Olivia Hack
Olivia Hack is an American actress and voice actress, best known for providing the voice of Rhonda Wellington Lloyd in Nickelodeon's Hey Arnold!, and for playing Cindy Brady in the 90's theatrical Brady Bunch films. She has also done voices for Fillmore!, Bratz as Cloe, Family Guy, Blood+ and...
) is tattling about everything she's hearing; Greg (Christopher Daniel Barnes
Christopher Daniel Barnes
Christopher Daniel Barnes , also known professionally as C.D. Barnes and C.B. Barnes, is an American actor. He is best known for providing the voice of Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the 1990s Fox television series Spider-Man: The Animated Series, and for his portrayal of Greg Brady in the films The...
) is dreaming of becoming a singer; Peter (Paul Sutera) is nervous that his voice is breaking
Puberty
Puberty is the process of physical changes by which a child's body matures into an adult body capable of reproduction, as initiated by hormonal signals from the brain to the gonads; the ovaries in a girl, the testes in a boy...
; Bobby (Jesse Lee
Jesse Soffer
Jesse Lee Soffer is an American actor. His film debut at the age of eight was in Matinee. In 1995, he played the role of Bobby Brady in The Brady Bunch Movie and returned for A Very Brady Sequel a year later....
) is excited about his new role as hall monitor at school.
Cindy gives Mike and Carol a tax delinquency notice (which was earlier mistakenly delivered to the Dittmeyers) stating that they face foreclosure on their house if they do not pay $20,000 in back taxes. The two initially ignore the crisis, but when Mike's architectural design is turned down by two potential clients, he tells Carol that they may have to sell the house. Cindy overhears this and tells her siblings and they look for work to raise money to save the house, but their earnings are nowhere near enough to reach the required sum.
In a subplot
Subplot
A subplot is a secondary plot strand that is a supporting side story for any story or the main plot. Subplots may connect to main plots, in either time and place or in thematic significance...
, Marcia is asked by popular Doug Simpson (Shane Conrad) to go to the school dance with him, when she had already promised to go with nerdy Charlie Anderson (R.D. Robb). She explains the "difficulty" of the choice to her friend, Noreen (Alanna Ubach
Alanna Ubach
Alanna Noel Ubach is an American actress and voice actress. She is known for her roles in Legally Blonde as Serena and Meet the Fockers as Isabel Villalobos...
), unaware that she is a lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
and is attracted to Marcia herself. She ends up breaking her promise to Charlie. On the night of the dance, Doug takes her to a lookout point where he French kiss
French kiss
A French kiss is a kiss in which one participant's tongue touches the partner's lips or tongue and usually enters his or her mouth. A French kiss is a slow passionate kiss which is usually considered intimate, romantic, erotic or sexual...
es her, only for her to say that she's not interested. He abandons her at the side of the road, but she is rescued when a limousine arrives. She later arrives at the dance and introduces the star performer of the night, Davy Jones
Davy Jones (actor)
David Thomas "Davy" Jones is an English rock singer-songwriter and actor best known as a member of the Monkees.-Early life:...
. He gets a rousing reception from the teachers, and when the backing rock band charges up his performance, the kids respond, too. Marcia apologizes to Charlie, who forgives her and asks her to dance with him.
Larry discovers that the Bradys have past-due property taxes and confronts Mike, only to learn that he has finally sold one of his designs and has the money he needs. Larry secretly meets with the client, claiming (falsely) that Mike's design resulted in a building collapse, which causes him to lose his advance. On the night before the Bradys have to move out, Marcia suggests that they enter a "Search for the Stars" contest, the prize of which is exactly $20,000. Jan, having originally suggested this and been rejected, runs away from home. Cindy sees her leave and tattles, and the whole family goes on a search for her. They use their car's C.B. radio
Citizens' band radio
Citizens' Band radio is, in many countries, a system of short-distance radio communications between individuals on a selection of 40 channels within the 27-MHz band. Citizens' Band is distinct from the FRS, GMRS, MURS and amateur radio...
, and their transmission is heard by Schultzy (Ann B. Davis
Ann B. Davis
Ann Bradford Davis is an American television actress.Davis achieved prominence for her role in The Bob Cummings Show for which she twice won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series...
), a driver who picks up Jan and convinces her to return home.
The next day, the children join the "Search for the Stars" contest with a dated performance that receives poor audience response compared to the more modern performances of other bands. However, the judges — Jones, Micky Dolenz
Micky Dolenz
George Michael "Micky" Dolenz, Jr. is an American actor, musician, television director, radio personality and theater director, best known as a member of the 1960s made-for-television band The Monkees.-Biography:...
, and Peter Tork
Peter Tork
Peter Tork is an American musician and actor, best known as a member of The Monkees.-Early life:Tork was born Peter Halsten Thorkelson in Washington, D.C.. Although he was born in 1942, many news articles report him as born in 1944 in New York City as this was the date and place given on early...
, all of the 1960s band The Monkees
The Monkees
The Monkees are an American pop rock group. Assembled in Los Angeles in 1966 by Robert "Bob" Rafelson and Bert Schneider for the American television series The Monkees, which aired from 1966 to 1968, the musical acting quartet was composed of Americans Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork,...
— vote for them, who win the contest as a result. The tax bill is paid and their neighbors withdraw their homes from the market, foiling Larry's plan and securing the neighborhood.
The film ends with the arrival of Carol's mother (Florence Henderson
Florence Henderson
Florence Agnes Henderson is an American actress and singer. She is perhaps best known for her role of Carol Brady on the ABC sitcom The Brady Bunch from 1969 to 1974...
), who finally convinces Jan to stop obsessing over Marcia, only for Cindy to start feeling jealous of Jan.
In the end credits, the Bradys are in their traditional blue boxes, but are updated for the time and include various humorous outtakes.
Cast
- Gary ColeGary ColeGary Michael Cole is an American actor. Cole is known for his supporting roles in numerous film and television productions since the 1990s.-Early life:...
as Mike Brady - Shelley LongShelley LongShelley Lee Long is an American actress best known for her role as Diane Chambers on the sitcom Cheers, for which she won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress and two Golden Globe Awards for Best Actress...
as Carol Brady - Henriette MantelHenriette MantelHenriette Mantel is an Emmy Award-winning American writer, actress, producer, director, and stand-up comic from Vermont.She was born and raised in Newfane, Vermont on her family's farm....
as Alice Nelson - Christopher Daniel BarnesChristopher Daniel BarnesChristopher Daniel Barnes , also known professionally as C.D. Barnes and C.B. Barnes, is an American actor. He is best known for providing the voice of Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the 1990s Fox television series Spider-Man: The Animated Series, and for his portrayal of Greg Brady in the films The...
as Greg Brady - Christine TaylorChristine TaylorChristine Taylor-Stiller is an American actress.- Early life :Taylor was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Joan, a homemaker, and Skip Taylor, an owner of a security company. She grew up in neighboring Wescosville, Pennsylvania...
as Marcia Brady - Paul Sutera as Peter Brady
- Jennifer Elise CoxJennifer Elise CoxJennifer Elise Cox is an American actress best known for her satirical portrayal of Jan Brady in The Brady Bunch Movie.-Film roles:...
as Jan Brady - Jesse LeeJesse SofferJesse Lee Soffer is an American actor. His film debut at the age of eight was in Matinee. In 1995, he played the role of Bobby Brady in The Brady Bunch Movie and returned for A Very Brady Sequel a year later....
as Bobby Brady - Olivia HackOlivia HackOlivia Hack is an American actress and voice actress, best known for providing the voice of Rhonda Wellington Lloyd in Nickelodeon's Hey Arnold!, and for playing Cindy Brady in the 90's theatrical Brady Bunch films. She has also done voices for Fillmore!, Bratz as Cloe, Family Guy, Blood+ and...
as Cindy Brady - David GrafDavid GrafPaul David Graf was an American actor, best known for his role as Sgt. Eugene Tackleberry in the Police Academy series of films...
as Sam Franklin - Megan WardMegan WardMegan Marie Ward is an American actress best known for her numerous credits in science fiction and horror movies and television series...
as Donna Leonard - Michael McKeanMichael McKeanMichael John McKean is an American actor, comedian, writer, composer and musician, perhaps best known for his portrayal of Squiggy's friend, Leonard 'Lenny' Kosnowski, on the sitcom Laverne and Shirley; and for his work in the Christopher Guest ensemble films, particularly as David St...
as Larry Dittmeyer - Jean SmartJean SmartJean E. Smart is an American film, television, and stage actress. She is known for her comedic roles, one of the best known being her role as Charlene Frazier Stillfield on the CBS sitcom Designing Women. She later gained critical acclaim for dramatic work, with her portrayal of Martha Logan on 24...
as Dena Dittmeyer - Moriah Snyder as Missy Dittmeyer
- Jack Noseworthy as Eric Dittmeyer
- Alanna UbachAlanna UbachAlanna Noel Ubach is an American actress and voice actress. She is known for her roles in Legally Blonde as Serena and Meet the Fockers as Isabel Villalobos...
as Noreen - Shane Conrad as Doug Simpson
- Marissa RibisiMarissa RibisiMarissa Ribisi is an American actress. She has performed in the films Dazed and Confused, True Crime, The Brady Bunch Movie, Pleasantville, and Don's Plum and television shows such as Felicity, Friends, Grace Under Fire, Watching Ellie, and Tales of the City.-Early life:Ribisi was born Santina...
as Holly - R.D. Robb as Charlie Anderson
- Elisa Pensler-GabrielliElisa GabrielliElisa Gabrielli is an American actress, voice artist, and comedienne, who voiced the character of Sarena Sanchez in W.I.T.C.H., as well as "Pepper" Potts in the animated movie The Invincible Iron Man, among other roles. Gabrielli also played the part of Miss Linley in The Brady Bunch Movie...
as Miss Linley - RuPaulRuPaulRuPaul Andre Charles , best known as simply RuPaul, is an American actor, drag queen, model, author, and singer-songwriter, who first became widely known in the 1990s when he appeared in a wide variety of television programs, films, and musical albums. Previously, he was a fixture on the Atlanta...
as Mrs. Cummings - "Mudd Pagoda" David DarlingDavid Darling (musician)David Darling is an American cellist and composer. He won the Grammy award for Best New Age Album in 2010. He has performed and recorded with artists such as Bobby McFerrin and Spyro Gyra in addition to putting out several solo and small ensemble albums as well as albums of his...
, vocals; Marc Danzeisen, drums; Roger Manning, Jr, keyboards; Eric DoverEric DoverEric Dover is an American musician, guitarist and singer, most notably with Jellyfish, Slash's Snakepit, Imperial Drag and Alice Cooper.-Biography:...
, guitar; and Sheldon Strickland, bass guitar as members of the high school band - Davy JonesDavy Jones (actor)David Thomas "Davy" Jones is an English rock singer-songwriter and actor best known as a member of the Monkees.-Early life:...
as himself - Micky DolenzMicky DolenzGeorge Michael "Micky" Dolenz, Jr. is an American actor, musician, television director, radio personality and theater director, best known as a member of the 1960s made-for-television band The Monkees.-Biography:...
as himself - Peter TorkPeter TorkPeter Tork is an American musician and actor, best known as a member of The Monkees.-Early life:Tork was born Peter Halsten Thorkelson in Washington, D.C.. Although he was born in 1942, many news articles report him as born in 1944 in New York City as this was the date and place given on early...
as himself
Cameos by original Brady Bunch actors
- Ann B. DavisAnn B. DavisAnn Bradford Davis is an American television actress.Davis achieved prominence for her role in The Bob Cummings Show for which she twice won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series...
, the original Alice, plays a trucker. Her character's name, Schultzy, was a reference to her most famous role prior to The Brady Bunch, that of Charmaine "Schultzy" Schultz, on The Bob Cummings ShowThe Bob Cummings ShowThe Bob Cummings Show is an American sitcom starring Robert "Bob" Cummings which was produced from January 2, 1955 to September 15, 1959, and originally sponsored by R.J. Reynolds' Winston cigarettes...
. - Christopher Knight, the original Peter, plays a coach who stops two boys from bullying the film's Peter in a cafeteria scene.
- Barry WilliamsBarry WilliamsBarry William Blenkhorn , known professionally as Barry Williams, is an American actor best known for his role as Greg Brady in the ABC television series The Brady Bunch.-Early life and career:...
, the original Greg, plays a record producer who rejects the film's Greg's attempts to sell his song. - Florence HendersonFlorence HendersonFlorence Agnes Henderson is an American actress and singer. She is perhaps best known for her role of Carol Brady on the ABC sitcom The Brady Bunch from 1969 to 1974...
, the original Carol, plays the film's grandmother.
Production
The film was shot entirely in Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, with the Brady house being located in Sherman Oaks. The school scenes were shot at Taft High School in Woodland Hills
Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California
Woodland Hills is a district in the city of Los Angeles, California.Woodland Hills is located in the southwestern area of the San Fernando Valley, east of Calabasas and west of Tarzana, with Warner Center in its northern section...
.
The producers had sought to film the original house that had been used for exterior shots during the original Brady Bunch series, but the owner of the Studio City, California home refused to restore the property to its 1969 appearance. Instead, the filmmakers erected a facade around a house in nearby Encino and filmed scenes in the front yard.
Reception
The film's response among critics has been mixed. Although bearing a 61% "Fresh" rating on Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
, the consensus stated, "Though lightweight and silly, The Brady Bunch Movie still charms as homage to the 70s sitcom." The film opened at #1 at the box office with $14,827,066.
Censorship
A number of scenesDeleted scene
In Entertainment, especially the film and television industry, Deleted scenes are parts of a film removed or censored from or replaced by another scene in the final "cut", or version, of a film...
shown in trailers were cut at the last minute because producer Sherwood Schwartz
Sherwood Schwartz
Sherwood Charles Schwartz was an American television producer. He worked on radio shows in the 1940s, and created the television series Gilligan's Island on CBS and The Brady Bunch on ABC...
objected. These included a grunge
Grunge
Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
band scene in the garage with Greg and Eddie, and a seduction scene between Mrs. Dittmeyer and Peter. Some of these scenes were edited back in for the network TV showings, but not for the DVD edition.