Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead (1991)

User Rating:

5.4/10   

Director:

Stephen Herek

Writers (WGA):

Neil Landau (written by) &
Tara Ison (written by)

Release Date:

7 June 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

No rules. No curfews. No nagging. No pulse.

Plot:

Five kids are left home when their mother leaves town on a three-month vacation, only to have their geriatric babysitter die of a heart attack, leading to the eldest teen, Sue Ellen, to scam her way into taking a job at a hip Los Angeles fashion company to feed and support her needy siblings.

Plot Keywords:

Babysitter | Job | Fashion | Fast Food Restaurant | Deception

Awards:

4 nominations

Cast

Christina Applegate	...	Sue Ellen Crandell
Joanna Cassidy	...	Rose Lindsey
John Getz	...	Gus
Josh Charles	...	Bryan
Keith Coogan	...	Kenny Crandell
Concetta Tomei	...	Mrs. Crandell
David Duchovny	...	Bruce
Kimmy Robertson	...	Cathy
Jayne Brook	...	Carolyn
Eda Reiss Merin	...	Mrs. Sturak
Robert Hy Gorman	...	Walter Crandell
Danielle Harris	...	Melissa Crandell
Christopher Pettiet	...	Zach Crandell
Chris Claridge	...	Lizard
Jeff Bollow	...	Mole

Also Known As:

The Real World (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:M (TV rating) | Netherlands:AL | South Korea:12 | Australia:PG | Germany:12 | Netherlands:12 | Sweden:7 | UK:12 | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Cinema Plus

Trivia:

In one of the earlier script drafts the babysitter's death was supposed to be a more elaborate storyline- the Crandell children were all suspects, and they all had their reasons to kill her. Although certain scenes were scaled down, elements of their motives remain in the final cut of the film- Walter having to do a book report, Melissa forced to wear a dress, Zack losing Cynthia.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Sue-Ellen has just come home from work, she puts her purse on the kitchen island. In the next scene at the office the secretary is going through Sue-Ellen's things and finds her purse and goes through it, finding her driver's license and discovering that she is only 17.

Quotes:

Mom: Melissa, want to get down from there?
Melissa Crandell: No.
Mom: Get down from there.

Movie Connections:

Features "The $10,000 Pyramid" (1973)

Soundtrack:

DRAGGIN' THE LINE

"Don't Tell Mom The Babysitter's Dead"- 8/10. Christina Applegate brings humor to this classic 80's style movie.

Don't Tell Mom The Babysitter's Dead (1991)

This is one of the best and the last 80's style comedies along the lines of "Uncle Buck". Sue Ellen (Christina Applegate) is the oldest of 3 brothers- Kenny (Keith Coogan), Walter (Robert Gorman), Zach (Christopher Pettiet) , and 1 sister- Melissa (Danielle Harris). Excited about her mom leaving for Australia on vacation, Sue Ellen is expecting to have a great summer- that is until she discovers she is going to be "babysat" by the evil Mrs. Sturak- a mean, grumpy old hag who gives you book reports instead of letting you watch television in the evening. Then, Mrs. Sturak dies- leaving Sue Ellen and her four siblings to survive the summer, prompting her to get a job to support her brothers and sister, put food on the table, and learn the true meaning of responsibility. This movie has some laughs and is pretty fun and entertaining. A good family comedy. 8/10.