Captain Ron is a 1992 American
comedyComedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
film directed by
Thom EberhardtThom Eberhardt is an American film director, producer and writer. Eberhardt has won two awards and two nominations. He is most noted for his work on Captain Ron, Honey, I Blew Up the Kid, and the cult classic Night of the Comet....
, produced by
David PermutDavid A. Permut is an American television and movie producer. He was the producer of Richard Pryor: Live in Concert , the first theatrical live comedy concert, and Dragnet , an early example of remaking a television series into a motion picture. He is owner and president of Permut Presentations,...
, and written by
John DwyerJohn Dwyer may refer to:*John Dwyer *John Dwyer , 19th-century baseball player*John Dwyer , American*John Dwyer , Australian*John M. Dwyer, set decorator*John Dwyer...
for
Touchstone PicturesTouchstone Pictures is an American film production label and is one of several film labels of the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group. Established in 1984, its releases typically feature more mature themes and darker tones than those that are released under the Walt Disney Pictures banner.Touchstone...
. It stars
Kurt RussellKurt Vogel Russell is an American television and film actor. His first acting roles were as a child in television series, including a lead role in the Western series The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters...
as the title character, a sailor with a quirky personality and a checkered past, and
Martin ShortMartin Hayter Short, CM is a Canadian actor, comedian, writer, singer and producer. He is best-known for his comedy work, particularly on the TV programs SCTV and Saturday Night Live...
as a middle-class family man who hires him to sail a yacht through the
CaribbeanThe Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
with the man and his family aboard.
Mary Kay PlaceMary Kay Place is an American actress, singer, director and screen writer. She is best known as portraying Loretta Haggers on the television series Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, a role which won her a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress - Comedy Series in 1977...
,
Benjamin SalisburyBenjamin David Salisbury is an American actor best known for playing the role of Brighton Sheffield on the CBS television sitcom The Nanny from 1993 to 1999.-Biography:...
, and Meadow Sisto also star as the man's wife and children.
Plot
Martin Harvey (Short) is a middle-aged office worker who lives in Chicago with his wife Katherine (Place), 11-year-old son Ben (Salisbury), and 16-year-old daughter Caroline (Sisto). When Martin learns that his recently deceased uncle has bequeathed him a sailing yacht once owned by
Clark GableWilliam Clark Gable , known as Clark Gable, was an American film actor most famous for his role as Rhett Butler in the 1939 Civil War epic film Gone with the Wind, in which he starred with Vivien Leigh...
, he decides to take the family to the island of Ste. Pomme de Terre ("Saint Potato" literately "Apple of Earth" ) to retrieve the boat so he can sell it. At first, Katherine resists the idea of taking the family away from work and school, but she agrees after Caroline announces that she has just gotten engaged to an uncouth young man.
When the Harveys arrive at the island, they discover that the boat is in terrible condition. Upon hearing this, the yacht broker cancels his plan to send an experienced captain to help them sail to Miami, and instead hires a local sailor. Captain Ron (Russell) arrives at the dock a bit later. He is a one-eyed man with a very casual attitude, a Navy veteran who claims to have piloted the
USS SaratogaUSS Saratoga , was one of four Forrestal- class supercarriers built for the US Navy in the 1950s. Saratoga was the sixth US Navy ship, and the second aircraft carrier, to be named for the Battle of Saratoga in the American Revolutionary War.Commissioned in 1956, she spent most of her career in...
. He initially plans to inspect the yacht before setting sail, but he decides to launch immediately when he discovers that the car he arrived in has fallen off of the dock. As the yacht motors out to sea, the man who owns the car arrives at the dock, shouts "You stole my wife!", and tries to shoot Captain Ron.
As the story progresses, we learn that Captain Ron is different from anything the family has ever experienced. He has no problem taking Ben's money in a game of Monopoly, giving him beers to drink and then charging him for them later, but shows a surprising loyalty to Martin, who he only refers to as "Boss". Martin, however, doesn't like Captain "
MoronMoron is a term once used in psychology to denote mild mental retardation. The term was closely tied with the American eugenics movement. Once the term became popularized, it fell out of use by the psychological community, as it was used more commonly as an insult than as a psychological...
", as he calls him in his diary. It appears that he is getting strangely close to his family, and also believes that he doesn't know what he's doing. The other family members learn to love Captain Ron and his quirky life style.
While on their way to Miami, the family decides to make the most of it, and stop off at certain islands of the Caribbean, but learn that Captain Ron doesn't know how to navigate. While on a random island that they mistook for another place, Martin becomes infuriated with Captain Ron and decides to go on a "nature hike" instead of staying with his family to make the most of it. Captain Ron warns him to stay on the path, because of "guerrillas", which Martin shrugs off as ridiculous, believing him to mean "gorillas", but the angered Martin strays from the path only to run into guerrillas led by General Armando (
Sunshine LogroñoEmmanuel Logroño , better known as Sunshine Logroño is a Puerto Rican actor, radio announcer, television show host, singer, comedy writer, entrepreneur and comedian...
). Captain Ron eventually bargains for Martin's freedom by giving them a lift to the next island, and receiving some firearms in return to fight off pirates. This only angers Martin more, as he declares there will be no firearms on his boat and tosses them overboard, before realizing that without them, he is indeed going to be forced to give the revolutionaries a ride.
When the family arrives at their next destination, Martin and Katherine are arrested for smuggling revolutionaries onto the island. The children, however, have a great time partying with the locals on the island which ends with Caroline getting a tattoo and Ben breaking his glasses. Martin and Katherine are released from jail, but are forced to leave the island that night. Martin decides to leave Captain Ron behind and go on without him. Not soon after, they encounter pirates, have their boat stolen, and are stuck floating in the ocean on a raft. After some drifting, they land on the island of
CubaThe Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
and discover that their boat is there. The pirates discover them, but with the surprising help of Captain Ron, they are able to escape with their boat. Ron learns that the family underrates Martin and decides to play hurt, forcing Martin to take control in the escape of the pirates. Using the skills that Captain Ron taught the family, they are able to get their sails up after their engine breaks from lack of oil to better the distance between them and the pirates. In the end, the
United States Coast GuardThe United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
fires once at the pirates, scaring them away and creating a safe passage to Miami for the family.
They arrive in Miami and part ways with Captain Ron. As they sail to their destination, they decide to turn the boat around and keep it. Then a couple in another boat who envy the Harvey Family see them sail off. To their surprise, Captain Ron, now cleaned up with his hair pulled back and wearing a suit, pops up and says they should take the boat out for a spin.
Cult Following
In the years subsequent to its release, Captain Ron has gained a large cult following due to its many quotable lines and strong comedic performance by Kurt Russell.
The film frequently places high in the
Rotten TomatoesRotten 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...
"Ripe and Round" polling of great films.
On September 18, 2007, fans (wearing their best eye-patches and fake battleship tattoos) gathered for the first annual "Ron Con" to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the films release.
It was Kurt Russell's idea to have Captain Ron wear an eye patch, as a tribute to his
Snake PlisskenS.D. Bob "Snake" Plissken is a fictional character in John Carpenter's films Escape from New York and Escape from L.A., played by Kurt Russell. He is an ex-special forces commando/war hero in World War III turned criminal...
character from
Escape from New YorkEscape from New York is a 1981 American science fiction action film directed and scored by John Carpenter. He co-wrote the screenplay with Nick Castle. The film is set in the near future in a crime-ridden United States that has converted Manhattan Island in New York City into a maximum security...
. Captain Ron also appeared in a non-canon to his universe, John Carpenter's Snake Plissken Chronicles.
At the behest of his campaign manager, presidential candidate
Ross PerotHenry Ross Perot is a U.S. businessman best known for running for President of the United States in 1992 and 1996. Perot founded Electronic Data Systems in 1962, sold the company to General Motors in 1984, and founded Perot Systems in 1988...
screened the movie weekly on his campaign bus for his staffers.
Cast
- Kurt Russell
Kurt Vogel Russell is an American television and film actor. His first acting roles were as a child in television series, including a lead role in the Western series The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters...
as Captain Ron
- Martin Short
Martin Hayter Short, CM is a Canadian actor, comedian, writer, singer and producer. He is best-known for his comedy work, particularly on the TV programs SCTV and Saturday Night Live...
as Martin Harvey
- Mary Kay Place
Mary Kay Place is an American actress, singer, director and screen writer. She is best known as portraying Loretta Haggers on the television series Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, a role which won her a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress - Comedy Series in 1977...
as Katherine Harvey
- Benjamin Salisbury
Benjamin David Salisbury is an American actor best known for playing the role of Brighton Sheffield on the CBS television sitcom The Nanny from 1993 to 1999.-Biography:...
as Benjamin Harvey
- Meadow Sisto as Caroline Harvey
- Sunshine Logroño
Emmanuel Logroño , better known as Sunshine Logroño is a Puerto Rican actor, radio announcer, television show host, singer, comedy writer, entrepreneur and comedian...
as General Armando (as Emannuel Logrono)
- Jorge Luis Ramos as General's Translator
- J.A. Preston
J. A. Preston is an African American actor of both film and television. He was most active from the late 1970s to the early 1990s.-Filmography:* Body Heat* Real Life* Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins...
as Magistrate
- Rich Baldwin as Corporate Attorney #2
- Tanya Soler as Angeline
- Raúl Estela as Roscoe
- Jainardo Batista as Mamba
- Dan Butler
Daniel Eugene "Dan" Butler is an American playwright and actor known for his role as Bob "Bulldog" Briscoe on the TV series Frasier.- Life and career :...
as Bill Zachery
- Tom McGowan
Thomas "Tom" McGowan is an American actor, known for his recurring roles on Frasier, as KACL station manager Kenny Daly; Everybody Loves Raymond, as Ray's friend Bernie; and on The War at Home, as Dave Gold's friend Joe. McGowan also appeared on Curb Your Enthusiasm as a disgruntled fan of Larry's...
as Bill
- Paul Anka
Paul Albert Anka, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and actor.Anka first became famous as a teen idol in the late 1950s and 1960s with hit songs like "Diana'", "Lonely Boy", and "Put Your Head on My Shoulder"...
as Yacht Broker
- Roselyn Sanchez
Roselyn Sánchez is a Puerto Rican singer-songwriter, model, actress, producer and writer of film and television.-Early life:...
as Clarise