What About Bob? is a 1991
comedy filmComedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. Also, films in this style typically have a happy ending . One of the oldest genres in film, some of the very first silent movies were comedies...
directed by
Frank OzFrank Oz is a British-born American film director, actor and puppeteer.-Early life:Oz was born in Hereford, England, the son of Frances and Isidore Oznowicz, both of whom were puppeteers. His parents were refugees from the Holocaust who moved to England after fighting the Nazis with the Dutch...
, and starring
Bill MurrayWilliam James "Bill" Murray is an American actor and comedian. He first gained national exposure on Saturday Night Live, and went on to star in films including Caddyshack, Ghostbusters, Groundhog Day, Lost in Translation and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.-Early years:Murray, the fifth...
and
Richard DreyfussRichard Stephen Dreyfuss is an American actor best known for starring in a number of films, television and theater roles since the late 1960s. He is probably best known for his roles in the films Jaws, The Goodbye Girl, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Always, Mr...
. Murray plays Bob Wiley, a multiphobic psychiatric patient who follows his successful and (beyond) egotistical
psychiatristA psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in psychiatry and is certified in treating mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
Dr. Leo Marvin (played by Dreyfuss) on vacation. When the unstable Bob befriends the other members of Marvin's family, it pushes the doctor over the edge. Upon seeing his performance at the world premiere,
Steven SpielbergSteven Allan Spielberg KBE is an American film director, screenwriter, and film producer. In a career of over four decades, Spielberg's films have touched on many themes and genres. Spielberg's early sci-fi and adventure films, sometimes centering on children, were seen as an archetype of modern...
spent $250,000 on a campaign to not only get Bill Murray nominated for the Best Leading Actor Academy Award but actually win it. Murray didn't receive a nomination and he on several occasions has attempted to pay Spielberg back, but Spielberg refused.
Murray improvised so many lines during the movie that accurate scripts couldn't be written until after shooting the scenes.
This film is number 43 on
Bravo'sBravo is an American cable television channel owned by NBC Universal. It is currently seen in more than 80 million homes and was the first service dedicated to film, drama, and the performing arts when it launched by Cablevision as an advertisement-free channel in December 1980...
"100 Funniest Movies".
This film was made in
TamilTamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in India, Sri Lanka and Singapore. Tamil is also spoken by significant minorities in Malaysia, Mauritius and Réunion as well as emigrant communities around the world...
as
ThenaliThenali is a Tamil film which released on November 7, 2000 and was directed by K. S. Ravikumar. This film is a blatant copy of the Hollywood movie What About Bob?, and has Kamal Haasan and Jayaram playing the lead roles with female leads played by Devayani and Jyothika Saravanan. It turned out to...
Plot summary
When Dr. Leo Marvin (
Richard DreyfussRichard Stephen Dreyfuss is an American actor best known for starring in a number of films, television and theater roles since the late 1960s. He is probably best known for his roles in the films Jaws, The Goodbye Girl, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Always, Mr...
), a trained psychiatrist, goes on vacation in
New HampshireNew Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It borders Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian province of...
, he leaves his new patient, Bob Wiley (
Bill MurrayWilliam James "Bill" Murray is an American actor and comedian. He first gained national exposure on Saturday Night Live, and went on to star in films including Caddyshack, Ghostbusters, Groundhog Day, Lost in Translation and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.-Early years:Murray, the fifth...
), on his own with a copy of Marvin's latest book, "Baby Steps." Bob is a very nice man, but he suffers from multiple phobias and his last psychiatrist, Dr. Carswell Fendsterwald (driven to the brink of a nervous breakdown) is quitting his practice for a while and leaving town to get away from Bob.
Bob, terrified that he can’t make it without his doctor, contacts him twice by phone. Leo, however, makes it quite clear that he has no desire to work on his vacation. Desperate, Bob fakes his own death and poses as a homicide detective in order to find out where Leo's vacation home is. Bob then takes a bus to
New HampshireNew Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It borders Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian province of...
, where arriving at a gas station he begins frantically calling Leo's name. Upon seeing him, Leo is visibly upset, but agrees to call Bob at a local coffee shop. In return, Bob promises to return to New York via bus as soon as their session is over.
Bob waits diligently until just after 3:00. At this point, a chance comment alerts the Guttmans, the proprietors of the coffee shop, that Dr. Marvin is going to call him. The Guttmans have nursed a vicious grudge against Dr. Marvin, who purchased the vacation home which they had been saving to buy. Sensing a chance to make Leo miserable, the Guttmans offer to drive Bob directly there. After making his point to Bob about not being able to see him on vacation, Leo writes him a prescription saying, "Take a vacation from your problems." Bob seems to have made a breakthrough, but arrives the next morning and explains to Leo that he has decided to remain in
New HampshireNew Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It borders Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian province of...
on vacation. He also tells Leo that he's staying with the Guttmans, who have suggested that he visit the Marvins as a friend, not a patient.
Leo's family is increasingly charmed to have Bob with them. However, Bob's presence causes a number of events that shatter Leo's characteristic calm demeanor and transform him into a walking time bomb. First of all, Bob befriends Leo's kids, Anna and Sigmund, named for psychiatrist
Sigmund FreudSigmund Freud , Sigismund Schlomo Freud , was an Austrian neurologist who founded the psychoanalytic school of psychology...
and his daughter,
Anna FreudAnna Freud was the sixth and last child of Sigmund and Martha Freud. Born in Vienna, she followed the path of her father and contributed to the newly born field of psychoanalysis. With Melanie Klein, she is the cofounder of psychoanalytic child psychology...
. Anna is a typical teenage girl, distraught over having to deal with a father that communicates with her through
hand puppetA hand puppet is a type of puppet that is controlled by the hand or hands that occupies the interior of the puppet. Glove puppets are a variation of hand puppets...
s and other psychological aids. She sees Bob as a kindred spirit and helps him to conquer his fear of sailing. When an enraged Leo objects to her spending time with his patient, she accuses her father of being insensitive, of never listening, and of not being any fun. To Leo's horror, she says that Bob is just the opposite.
Sigmund, however, believes that he has lost his childhood and has an obsessive fixation with the inevitability of death. Bob becomes a father figure to him and helps Sigmund gain enough confidence to dive into the water (a feat Leo was previously unable to accomplish). He also persuades Sigmund that Tourettes syndrome is much a better focus for his fear.
To Leo's further horror, his wife Fay (
Julie HagertyJulie Hagerty is an American actress and former model.-Early life:Hagerty was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, the daughter of Harriet Yuellig, a model and singer, and Jerry Hagerty, a musician. The two later divorced. Hagerty attended Indian Hill High School. She was signed as a model for Ford Models at...
) invites Bob over for dinner. Bob continues to irritate Leo by going "Mmmmmm. Mmmmmm." during dinner. Leo starts choking on a piece of chicken and Bob performs the Heimlich maneuver to save his life. When a thunderstorm prevents him from going home, Leo is forced to let him spend the night.
The next morning, Leo anxiously prepares for a live interview with
Good Morning AmericaGood Morning America is an American news Morning show and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network, debuting on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour, available exclusively on ABC News Now, was introduced in 2007...
to publicize his book. He tries frantically to get Bob to leave before the TV crew arrives, to no avail, and Bob is actually allowed to appear on camera with Leo, and completely steals the limelight. After the TV crew leaves, an outraged Leo throws a massive tantrum, kicks Bob out of the house and, after appearing to have calmed down, takes Bob to a mental institution.
Leo returns home, ecstatic that he has outsmarted Bob. As soon as he arrives, however, he receives a phone call from the institution. Leo returns to find that Bob has completely charmed the doctors, nurses and other staff, and convinced them he is perfectly sane. Leo grudgingly picks Bob up, but throws an even bigger tantrum when Bob suggests that they meet for therapy sessions. Leo kicks Bob out of the car in the middle of nowhere and drives off.
Hurrying away from Bob, Leo is pulled over for speeding, gets a flat tire and is covered with mud from the wake of a passing car. It is nightfall when Leo returns home, beyond enraged.
Upon walking out onto the veranda, Leo is surprised by the birthday party which Fay has been secretly planning for him. The sight of his friends, colleagues, and especially his beloved sister Lily seem to put him in much better spirits. All of a sudden, Bob appears and puts his arm around Lily. This is the final straw; Leo becomes completely psychotic, attacking the bewildered Bob. Fay reluctantly informs Bob that he is the cause of Leo's instability, and Bob sadly agrees to leave once and for all.
Meanwhile, Leo sneaks out of the house and breaks into a sporting goods store, stealing a
shotgunA shotgun is a firearm that is usually designed to be fired from the shoulder, which uses the energy of a fixed shell to fire a number of small spherical pellets called shot, or a solid projectile called a slug...
and 20 pounds of black powder. He then kidnaps Bob at gunpoint, ties him to a log, and straps the explosives to him, maniacally labeling the bombs as "Death therapy, Bob. It's a guaranteed cure."
Leo, overjoyed to be free at last, returns to his house and dances around the yard. Bob, however, is convinced the explosives are fake, and its all just more radical therapy. Using Leo's "Baby Step" approach to tackling large problems, Bob unties his knots and returns to Leo and the family at the vacation home's dock, holding Leo's
birthday cakeThe birthday cake has been an integral part of the birthday celebrations in Western cultures since the middle of the 19th century. Certain rituals and traditions, such as singing of birthday songs, associated with birthday cakes are common to many Western cultures. The Western tradition of adding...
, happily proclaiming that Leo has cured him. Leo, astounded to see Bob again, demands to know where the bags full of explosives are. At that moment, Leo's extravagant house is blown to pieces as the therapist's cherished bust of
Sigmund FreudSigmund Freud , Sigismund Schlomo Freud , was an Austrian neurologist who founded the psychoanalytic school of psychology...
lands at his feet.
In the aftermath, Leo, has become completely catatonic and is temporarily institutionalized. Later, at his sister Lily's wedding to Bob, Leo recovers his senses just as Lily and Bob are pronounced husband and wife, screaming a desperate, "NO!" His words are lost in his family's joy at having him back. A title card appears in the end that says:
"Bob went back to school and became a psychologist.
He then wrote a huge best seller, Death Therapy.
Leo is suing him for the rights."
Cast
- Bill Murray
William James "Bill" Murray is an American actor and comedian. He first gained national exposure on Saturday Night Live, and went on to star in films including Caddyshack, Ghostbusters, Groundhog Day, Lost in Translation and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.-Early years:Murray, the fifth...
- Bob Wiley
- Richard Dreyfuss
Richard Stephen Dreyfuss is an American actor best known for starring in a number of films, television and theater roles since the late 1960s. He is probably best known for his roles in the films Jaws, The Goodbye Girl, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Always, Mr...
- Dr. Leo Marvin
- Julie Hagerty
Julie Hagerty is an American actress and former model.-Early life:Hagerty was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, the daughter of Harriet Yuellig, a model and singer, and Jerry Hagerty, a musician. The two later divorced. Hagerty attended Indian Hill High School. She was signed as a model for Ford Models at...
- Fay Marvin
- Charlie Korsmo
Charles Randolph "Charlie" Korsmo is an American former child actor turned lawyer and political activist.Korsmo was born in Fargo, North Dakota, the son of Deborah Ruf, an educational psychologist, and John Korsmo, a hospital administrator and chairman of the Federal Housing Finance Board...
- Sigmund Marvin
- Kathryn Erbe
Kathryn Erbe is an American actress, known for her role as Det. Alexandra Eames on Law & Order: Criminal Intent, a spin-off of Law & Order. Erbe is a veteran of film, stage, and television.-Personal life:...
- Anna Marvin
- Tom Aldredge
Tom Aldredge is an American actor.Aldredge was born in Dayton, Ohio, the son of Lucienne Juliet and W. J. Aldredge, a colonel in the United States Army Air Corps. His most notable roles have been on the stage...
- Mr. Guttman
- Susan Willis - Mrs. Guttman
- Roger Bowen
Roger Bowen was an American comedic actor and novelist, known for his portrayal of Lt. Col Henry Braymore Blake in the 1970 film MASH. He often portrayed roles as a stuffy defender of the upper class and had regular roles on a number of television series...
- Phil
- Fran Brill
Frances Joan Brill , is an American actress, voice actress and puppeteer, best known for her roles on Sesame Street.Brill was born in Chester, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Linette and Joseph M. Brill, who was a doctor...
- Lily Marvin
Production notes
- The movie was filmed in and around the town of Moneta, Virginia
Moneta is an unincorporated community in Bedford County, Virginia, United States, along Route 122 between Bedford and Rocky Mount; Route 122 follows a bypass around the community....
located on Smith Mountain LakeSmith Mountain Lake is a large reservoir in the Roanoke Region of Virginia, located southeast of the City of Roanoke and southwest of Lynchburg. Initial proposals were made in the late 1920s to dam the Roanoke River and the Blackwater River at the Smith Mountain gorge to generate electricity. ...
. Production had to go south because at the real Lake WinnipesaukeeLake Winnipesaukee is the largest lake in New Hampshire. It is approximately long and from wide , covering — when Paugus Bay is included—with a maximum depth of ....
in New Hampshire, the leaves were already turning for the fall season.
- The house used in the filming still stands. The exploding house was a prop house built for the explosion on a nearby lake front lot; the local inhabitants gathered to watch the explosion from land and boats.
- The scenes of Bob arriving in town on the bus with his goldfish were filmed in downtown Moneta
Moneta is an unincorporated community in Bedford County, Virginia, United States, along Route 122 between Bedford and Rocky Mount; Route 122 follows a bypass around the community....
, which was spruced up and repainted for the movie.
- The local institute which Leo tries to commit Bob in is actually the local Elks Home for retirees in the nearby town of Bedford, Virginia
Bedford is an independent city located within the confines of Bedford County in the U.S. state of Virginia. It serves as the county seat of Bedford County. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 6,299. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Bedford with surrounding...
.