The Brady Bunch MovieTheatrical release posterDirected byBetty ThomasWritten by Laurice Elehwany Rick Copp Bonnie Turner Terry Turner Based onThe Brady Bunchby Sherwood SchwartzProduced by Did Kirkpatrick Sherwood Schwartz Lloyd J. Schwartz Starring Shelley Long Gary Cole Michael McKean CinematographyMac AhlbergEdited byPeter TeschnerMusic byGuy MoonProductioncompaniesThe Ladd CompanySherwood Schwartz ProductionsDistributed byParamount PicturesRelease date February 17, 1995 (1995-02-17) Running time90 minutesCountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglishBudget$10-12 million[1][2]Box office$54.1 million[3]
The Brady Bunch Movie is a 1995 American comedy film that parodies the 1969–1974 television series The Brady Bunch (albeit in postmodern lens).[4][5] The film was directed by Betty Thomas, with a screenplay by Laurice Elehwany, Rick Copp, and Bonnie and Terry Turner, and stars Shelley Long, Gary Cole, and Michael McKean. It also features cameos; three Monkees members, Dy Jones, Micky Dolenz and Peter Tork and drag queen, RuPaul, and some of the original cast of The Brady Bunch in new roles.
The film (likewise with the connected sequels) is an alternate retroactive continuity of the Brady Bunch storyline and lore, based on the kitschy-camp parody musical "Live Brady Bunch" tour in the early 1990s.[6] The film places the original sitcom characters, with their 1970s fashion sense and sitcom family morality, in a contemporary 1990s setting. Mike Brady works as a successful architect in Los Angeles. Due to failure to pay property tax, his family's home is at risk for repossession. Mike has to contend with his conman neighbor Larry Dittmeyer, who tries to sabotage the Bradys' effort to se their home. The film features humorous side plots, based around the culture clash between the Bradys' quaint conservative lifestyle and their more liberal surroundings.
The Brady Bunch Movie was released in the United States on February 17, 1995, and grossed $54 million. A sequel titled A Very Brady Sequel was released on August 23, 1996, and a television film titled The Brady Bunch in the White House was aired on November 29, 2002.
Plot[edit]Larry Dittmeyer, an unscrupulous real estate developer, convinces all the families in his neighborhood — except for the Brady family—to sell their property as part of a plan to turn the area into a shopping mall.
The Bradys, who still live as if it were the 1970s, he their own problems. Jan is jealous of her elder, popular sister Marcia. Cindy is tattling about everything she hears. Greg is dreaming of becoming a singer, but sings pop songs more appropriate to the 1970s. Peter is undergoing puberty, and his voice is starting to break. He is exposed to numerous stimulation through sex education and his very attractive teacher, Miss Linley. He is also trying to win the affection of the girl he loves, Holly, but thinks his shy and awkward personality prevents him from doing so. Bobby is excited about his new role as a hall monitor at school.
Cindy gives Mike and Carol a tax delinquency notice (mistakenly delivered to the Dittmeyers) stating that they face foreclosure on their house if they do not pay $20,000 in back taxes. The two initially ignore the crisis, but when Mike's architectural design (which is exactly the same as their house) is turned down by two potential clients, he tells Carol that they may he to sell the house.
Cindy overhears this and tells her siblings. They look for work to raise money to se the house, but their earnings are nowhere near enough to reach the required sum. Mike sells a Japanese company on one of his dated designs, thereby securing the money, only for Larry to sabotage it by claiming that Mike's last building collapsed.
On the night before the Bradys he to move out, Marcia suggests they enter a "Search for the Stars" contest, the prize of which is $20,000. Jan, hing initially suggested this and been rejected, runs away from home. Cindy sees her lee and tattles, and the whole family searches for her. They use their car's citizens' band radio, and their transmission is heard by Schultzy, a long-haul trucker who picks up Jan and convinces her to return home.
The next day, the children join the "Search for the Stars" contest. Peter finally builds the confidence to stand up to Eric Dittmeyer, Peter's tormentor and Holly's boyfriend. This earns him a kiss from Holly, which gives him a deep masculine voice. The children's dated performance receives a poor audience response compared to the more modern performances of other bands. However, the judges — Dy Jones, Micky Dolenz, and Peter Tork of The Monkees — vote for them, and they win the contest as a result. The tax bill is paid, and their neighbors withdraw their homes from the market, foiling Larry's plan and securing the neighborhood.
Carol's mother arrives and finally convinces Jan to stop being jealous of Marcia, only for Cindy to start feeling envious of Jan.
Cast[edit] Gary Cole as Mike Brady Shelley Long as Carol Brady Christopher Daniel Barnes as Greg Brady Christine Taylor as Marcia Brady Paul Sutera as Peter Brady Jennifer Elise Cox as Jan Brady Jesse Lee Soffer as Bobby Brady Olivia Hack as Cindy Brady Henriette Mantel as Alice Nelson Did Graf as Sam Franklin Michael McKean as Larry Dittmeyer Jean Smart as Dina Dittmeyer Jack Noseworthy as Eric Dittmeyer Moriah Snyder as Missy Dittmeyer Shane Conrad as Doug Simpson R. D. Robb as Charlie Anderson Megan Ward as Donna Leonard Did Leisure as Jason Alanna Ubach as Noreen Marissa Ribisi as Holly James Avery as Steve Yeager Elisa Pensler-Gabrielli as Miss Linley RuPaul as Mrs. Cummings Cameos Florence Henderson as Grandma Ann B. Dis as Trucker Barry Williams as Music Producer Christopher Knight as Coach Dy Jones as himself Micky Dolenz as himself Peter Tork as himself Production[edit]In September 1992, it was announced Sherwood Schwartz and his son Lloyd J. Schwartz had sold The Brady Bunch Movie to Paramount Pictures with producer Did Kirkpatrick set to produce alongside the Schwartzes with the initial intention to he the film set in 1972.[7] In June 1993, it was announced Rick Copp and Laurice Elehwany had been hired to rewrite the first draft by the Schwartzes with the premise described as The Desperate Hours meets The Brady Bunch and follow the Brady family falling victim to a home invasion by escaped prisoners who then proceed to hold the family hostage while as they hide from the authorities.[8] Copp and Elehwany were reportedly hired to bring a parody element to the script which included hing the Brady Family act as they did in the 1970s while living in contemporary times.[8] Paramount offered directing duties to Paul Reubens with Reubens turning them down.[9] Alan Ladd Jr. took on a producer's role on the film after Kirkpatrick left Paramount.[10] Ladd voiced his hopes that The Brady Bunch Movie would be the first in a long running franchise citing his prior success shepherding The Omen, Police Academy, and Alien during his tenure at other studios.[1]
The film was shot almost entirely in Los Angeles, California, with the Brady house being located in Sherman Oaks. The school scenes were shot at Taft High School in Woodland Hills.
The producers had sought to film the original house that had been used for exterior shots during the original Brady Bunch series, but its appearance had been seriously altered since 1969. The filmmakers instead erected a façade around a house in nearby Encino and filmed scenes in the front yard.[11]
Release[edit]The Brady Bunch Movie was released in theaters on February 17, 1995. The film opened at number 1 at the US box office with $14.8 million in its opening four-day weekend and went on to gross $46.6 million in the U.S. and Canada.[12] Internationally, it only grossed $7.5 million for a worldwide total of $54.1 million.[3] The Brady Bunch Movie was released on DVD June 10, 2003 and re-released on April 25, 2017.[13] The film has also been released digitally on Google Play.[14]
Reception and legacy[edit]On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 64% of 44 critics' reviews are positive, with an erage rating of 5.9/10. The website's consensus reads: "Though lightweight and silly, The Brady Bunch Movie still charms as homage to the 70s sitcom."[15] Metacritic, which uses a weighted erage, assigned the film a score of 54 out of 100, based on 23 critics, indicating "mixed or erage" reviews.[16] Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore ge the film an erage grade of "B+" on a scale of A+ to F.[17]
Leonard Klady of Variety wrote, "For five years back in the early 1970s, U.S. TV homes were in the thrall of The Brady Bunch. Two decades after their small-screen demise, the clean-cut crew is back in mythic form as The Brady Bunch Movie. Part homage, part spoof, the deft balancing act is a clever adaptation—albeit culled from less than pedigreed source material."[18]
Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote: "The film establishes a bland, reassuring, comforting Brady reality – a certain muted tone that works just fine but needs, I think, a bleaker contrast from outside to fully exploit the humor. The Brady Bunch Movie is rated PG-13, which is a compromise: The Bradys themselves live in a PG universe, and the movie would he been funnier if when they ventured outside it was obviously Wayne's World."[19] He and Gene Siskel also agreed that the film offers charmingly bright and silly set decoration but fails to deliver genuine laughs.[20]
Common Sense Media said that "for those who grew up watching the TV show, The Brady Bunch Movie is deeply satisfying and the best part is its nostalgia. Sure, it's fun to see the Bradys treated as freaks. But the heart of the film is a campy, affectionate interpretation of the TV show."[21]
Sequels[edit] A Very Brady Sequel[edit] Main article: A Very Brady SequelA Very Brady Sequel, directed by Arlene Sanford, was released theatrically on August 23, 1996. It sees the family routine thrown into disarray when a man claiming to be Carol's long-lost first husband arrives on their doorstep. The family must then follow Carol to Hawaii in order to set things straight. The entire main cast reprised their roles.
The Brady Bunch in the White House[edit] Main article: The Brady Bunch in the White HouseThe second sequel, The Brady Bunch in the White House, sees a convoluted series of mishaps end with Mike and Carol Brady elected as President and Vice President of the United States. Despite innocent efforts to improve the country, the Brady family is beset on all sides by controversy and imagined scandals which threaten to tear them apart. Although the original actors for Mike and Carol return, the children and Alice are all recast for this film, which was released as a filmed-for-television movie.
See also[edit] 1970s nostalgia References[edit] ^ a b "Ladd hopes for many 'Brady' returns". Variety. Archived from the original on January 10, 2025. Retrieved January 9, 2025. ^ "H'wood Tries To Think Small". Variety. Archived from the original on January 10, 2025. Retrieved January 9, 2025. ^ a b Klady, Leonard (February 19, 1996). "B.O. with a vengeance: $9.1 billion worldwide". Variety. p. 1. ^ The Brady Bunch Movie Review|Empire ^ 'The Brady Bunch Movie'|Decider ^ "LA Times". Los Angeles Times. 21 April 1992. Archived from the original on 2024-01-18. Retrieved 2024-01-18. ^ "Schwartzes' 'Gilligan' still at sea". Variety. Archived from the original on September 18, 2021. Retrieved January 9, 2025. ^ a b "New team to rewrite 'Brady'". Variety. Archived from the original on October 22, 2021. Retrieved January 9, 2025. ^ "Yetnikoff trumpets new film". Variety. Archived from the original on January 10, 2025. Retrieved January 9, 2025. ^ "Eight's too much: 'Flintstones' scribes left in rubble". Variety. Retrieved January 9, 2025. ^ Cagle, Jess (September 30, 1994). "'The Brady Bunch Movie': Mike & Carol & Kids & Alice". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on February 22, 2018. Retrieved February 21, 2018. ^ "The Brady Bunch Movie". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on November 21, 2011. Retrieved February 21, 2018. ^ "The Brady Bunch Movie". Amazon.com. 10 June 2003. Retrieved 30 January 2017. ^ "The Brady Bunch Movie". Google Play. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 30 January 2017. ^ "The Brady Bunch Movie". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved April 13, 2024. ^ "The Brady Bunch Movie". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved October 19, 2023. ^ "BRADY BUNCH MOVIE, THE (1995) B+". CinemaScore. Archived from the original on 2018-12-20. ^ Klady, Leonard (17 February 1995). "Review: 'The Brady Bunch Movie'". Variety. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 30 January 2017. ^ Ebert, Roger. "The Brady Bunch Movie Review (1995)". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 30 January 2017. ^ "The Brady Bunch Movie, Just Cause, Billy Madison, Mr. Payback, 1995". Siskel and Ebert Movie Reviews. Retrieved 28 July 2019. Event occurs at 7:00-9:20. ^ "The Brady Bunch Movie Review". Common Sense Media. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 30 January 2017. External links[edit] The Brady Bunch Movie at IMDb The Brady Bunch Movie at the TCM Movie Database The Brady Bunch Movie at Box Office Mojo The Brady Bunch Movie at Rotten Tomatoes vteThe Brady Bunch Characters Episodes TV series & reunions The Brady Bunch (1969–74) The Brady Kids (1972–73) The Brady Bunch Hour (1976–77) The Brady Girls Get Married / The Brady Brides (1981) A Very Brady Christmas (1988) The Bradys (1990) Growing Up Brady (2000) The Brady Bunch 35th Anniversary Reunion Special: Still Brady After All These Years (2004) Books Growing Up Brady: I Was A Teenage Greg (1992) Here's the Story: Surviving Marcia Brady (2008) Love to Love You Bradys: The Bizarre Story of The Brady Bunch Variety Hour (2009) MusicStudio albums Merry Christmas from the Brady Bunch (1970) Meet the Brady Bunch (1972) The Kids from the Brady Bunch (1972) The Brady Bunch Phonographic Album (1973) Compilation albums It's a Sunshine Day: The Best of the Brady Bunch (1993) Songs "Time to Change" (1972) "It's a Sunshine Day" (1972) Musicals A Very Brady Musical (2008) Film series The Brady Bunch Movie (1995) A Very Brady Sequel (1996) The Brady Bunch in the White House (2002) Related shows Mission: Magic! The World of Sid & Marty Krofft at the Hollywood Bowl My Fair Brady "Sunshine Days" A Very Brady Renovation Dragging the Classics: The Brady Bunch vteFilms directed by Betty Thomas Only You (1992) The Brady Bunch Movie (1995) The Late Shift (1996) Private Parts (1997) Dr. Dolittle (1998) 28 Days (2000) I Spy (2002) John Tucker Must Die (2006) Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (2009)