Home Alone
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Home Alone is a Christmas comedy film from 1990, directed by Chris Columbus and written and produced by John Hughes. As the inaugural film in the Home Alone series, it features Macaulay Culkin in the role of Kevin McCallister, an eight-year-old boy who protects his Chicago residence from a pair of burglars after his family inadvertently leaves him behind during their Christmas trip to Paris. The cast also includes Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, John Heard, and Catherine O'Hara. The concept for Home Alone was developed by Hughes while he was on vacation, with Warner Bros. initially set to finance and distribute the film. However, production was halted by Warner Bros. due to budget overruns. Subsequently, 20th Century Fox took over after discussions with Hughes. Columbus and Culkin were brought on board shortly thereafter. Filming occurred from February to May 1990 at various locations throughout Illinois.
Home Alone had a sneak preview in 1,000 theaters on November 10, 1990, and was officially released in the United States on November 16. Although the film received a mixed response initially, it has garnered generally positive reviews over the years, with acclaim directed towards its cast, humor, and soundtrack. Home Alone achieved a worldwide gross of $476.7 million, making it the second-highest-grossing film of 1990. It catapulted Culkin to child stardom and held the title of the highest-grossing live-action comedy for twenty years. The film received nominations for two Academy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards. Home Alone is now regarded as one of the finest Christmas films. In 2023, it was chosen for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." A sequel, titled Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, was released in 1992.
Plot
The McCallister family is getting ready to celebrate Christmas in Paris, gathering at the residence of Kate and Peter in a suburb of Chicago on the eve of their departure. Kevin, the youngest son of Kate and Peter, faces ridicule from his siblings and cousins because of his childish behavior. After a confrontation with his eldest brother Buzz, Kevin unintentionally disrupts the family dinner, leading Kate to send him to the attic as a consequence. Upset with Kate for permitting the rest of the family to tease him, Kevin expresses a wish for his family to vanish. That night, strong winds cause a power outage, which disables the alarm clocks and results in the family oversleeping. In the ensuing chaos and hurry to reach the airport, Kevin is inadvertently left behind.
Cast
- Macaulay Culkin as Kevin
- Joe Pesci as Harry
- Daniel Stern as Marv,
- John Heard as Peter
- Roberts Blossom as Marley
- Catherine O'Hara as Kate
- Angela Goethals as Linnie
- Devin Ratray as Buzz
- Gerry Bamman as Uncle Frank
- Hillary Wolf as Megan
- John Candy as Gus Polinski
- Larry Hankin as Officer Balzak
- Michael C. Maronna as Jeff
- Kristin Minter as Heather
- Daiana Campeanu as Sondra
- Jedidiah Cohen as Rod
- Kieran Culkin as Fuller, Kevin's youngest cousin
- Senta Moses as Tracy, Kevin's older cousin
- Anna Slotky as Brook, Kevin's younger cousin
- Terrie Snell as Aunt Leslie, Uncle Frank's wife
- Jeffrey Wiseman as Mitch Murphy,
- Virginia Smith as Georgette
- Matt Doherty as Steffan, Kevin's older cousin
- Ralph Foody as Gangster #1 (Johnny)
- Michael Guido as Gangster #2 (Snakes)
- Ray Toler as Uncle Rob
- Billie Bird as Woman in Airport
- Bill Erwin as Man in Airport
- Gerry Becker as Officer #1
- Alan Wilder as Scranton Ticket Agent
- Hope Davis as French Ticket Agent
- Kenneth Hudson Campbell as Santa
- Jim Ortlieb as Herb the Drugstore Clerk