On a purely conceptual level, Big shouldn’t work. Any film with a key plot point involving a 12 year old boy losing his virginity to a woman in her mid-thirties is likely to be problematic at best, unwatchably uncomfortable at worst. Yet Penny Marshall’s 1988 comedy somehow manages to elegantly skirt the ick-factor and land on pure charm, without dumbing down its tricky premise.
It’s tempting to give all of the credit for this to star Tom Hanks. In a career filled with defining roles, the way he manages to both physically and emotionally channel the spirit of a young adolescent may just be his most impressive achievement. Big is a light hearted movie, but Hanks’ performance is far from a throwaway, or the simplistic caricature it could have been in the hands of lesser actors.
But Marshall certainly deserves equal credit for her assured handling of the film’s tone. The late director spoke in subsequent interviews about how Hanks and her own background in TV sitcom helped to foster a free-flowing, spontaneous feeling on the set. Several of Big‘s most memorable moments are improvised, or were worked out on the day between Hanks and Marshall.
An instant hit on its 1988 release, Big became the first movie directed by a woman to clear $100 million at the US box office, and it earned Hanks his first ever Oscar nomination – no small feat for what is ostensibly a children’s film. It’s been frequently imitated since, but none of them ever quite captured the same magic. Hanks and Marshall would collaborate again in 1992 on A League of their Own, another widely acclaimed box office smash.
On this week’s podcast, we discuss our favourite moments, the casting choices that got away (Harrison Ford?!) and debate whether that implied sex scene would ever be made today. We also discuss some Big drinking games, check in with our listeners and pitch some sequel ideas to bring the surviving stars back to the big screen.
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Next week, we continue our final run with another Tom Hanks hit from somewhat later in his career. Until then, happy listening and remember – always be specific when making a wish!