2002 film by Steven Brill
Mr. Deeds is a 2002 American comedy film directed by Steven Brill, written by Tim Herlihy, and produced by Sid Ganis and Jack Giarraputo. It stars Adam Sandler in the title role, alongside Winona Ryder, Peter Gallagher, Jared Harris, Allen Covert, Erick Avari, and John Turturro. The film is a remake of the 1936 Frank Capra film Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, which itself was based on the 1935 short story Opera Hat by Clarence Budington Kelland. It tells the story of a pizzeria owner who learns that he is the heir of a late multi-billionaire as he also meets a television reporter wanting a story on him.
Produced by Sandler's production company Happy Madison Productions in association with New Line Cinema and Out of the Blue... Entertainment, Mr. Deeds was released in the United States by Columbia Pictures on June 28, 2002. The film received negative reviews.
Plot
Multi-billionaire Preston Blake freezes to death upon reaching the top of Mount Everest. With no immediate heir, it is unclear who will inherit Blake's massive fortune. His board of directors discover that he has a living great-nephew named Longfellow Deeds, who runs a pizzeria in Mandrake Falls, New Hampshire, and also writes greeting cards hoping that they might be accepted by Hallmark.
Deeds is flown to New York City by businessman Chuck Cedar, who temporarily controls Blake Media, and general counsel Cecil Anderson. Once he arrives, plans are made for him to sell his shares in the company to Cedar and return home with $40 billion. Deeds remains in New York while the legal details are worked out.
The story is major news and reporter Babe Bennett, who works for a tabloid television show called Inside Access, wants in on the inside story. She has lecherous co-worker Marty pretend to steal her purse in sight of Deeds who "rescues" Babe. She then goes out with him pretending to be "Pam Dawson", a school nurse from the fictional town of Winchestertonfieldville, Iowa (a name she made up on the spot).
Deeds later accompanies Pam to the 'actual' town as a surprise, much to her shock. Though Babe initially just wanted a career-advancing story, she eventually falls for the unfailingly soft-hearted Deeds. During a dinner date at Madison Square Garden, Inside Access, in concert with Cedar following a revealing tip from Marty, reveals Pam's true identity to Deeds.
Heartbroken, Deeds decides to return home to Mandrake Falls. He's assured that the company will stay open in Blake's honor, and he donates his $40 billion to the United Negro College Fund.
After returning to Mandrake Falls, Deeds learns from his friend Crazy Eyes that Cedar intends to sell the company, causing thousands of employees to lose their jobs. Babe follows Deeds to Mandrake Falls to win him back. After saving her life when she falls through a frozen lake, he rejects her saying he does not really know who she is. Babe returns to New York despondent and rejects Marty for his betrayal despite his apology.
At a shareholders' meeting, Cedar has persuaded everyone to sell the company until Deeds, who has bought a single share, arrives and convinces everyone not to sell. However, Cedar controls a majority of the shares and the sale is approved. Babe arrives after having studied Blake's diary (which she stole) and has determined Blake's longtime butler Emilio Lopez is actually Blake's illegitimate son and the true heir as a result of an affair with his maid.
Emilio immediately takes control of Blake Media and fires Cedar, much to the latter's anger, and those involved while sparing Cecil. Babe reconciles with Deeds after professing she loves him; he accepts her apology and returns her love. Emilio thanks Deeds for his support and gives him a billion dollars as a friendly farewell gesture.
Deeds returns to the pizzeria with Babe, where he reads one of his accepted cards to her as other people are seen reading it. As for his money, he spent some of it on red Corvettes for everyone in Mandrake Falls - the movie ends with Crazy Eyes crashing his Corvette, but he is unharmed.
Production
The producers were looking for a small, "old-fashioned, New England-type" town close to New York, when they serendipitously discovered New Milford, Connecticut, and, upon having lunch there at "The Bistro Cafe", decided the town would be the perfect choice to portray the fictional home-town of Deeds, Mandrake Falls, New Hampshire, and that the cafe was a great location to use as "'Deeds' Pizza" restaurant.[2] Some scenes were also shot in Carmel, New York. Several sequences were filmed in New York City around Spring 2001. Following the September 11th, 2001 attacks, images of the World Trade Center towers were digitally removed from several shots of New York City. The Blake Media Hotel scenes were shot in Beverly Hills, California. The scene where Longfellow Deeds and Chuck Cedar are playing tennis at the tennis court was filmed at Roosevelt Island, New York.
Release
Home media
Mr. Deeds was released on DVD and VHS on October 22, 2002.[3]
Reception
Critical response
Mr. Deeds received mainly negative reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 22% based on reviews from 153 critics, with an average rating score of 4.20/10. Its consensus states: "This update of Capra doesn't hold a candle to the original, and even on its own merits, Mr. Deeds is still indifferently acted and stale."[4]
Mr. Deeds received three Razzie Award nominations including Worst Actor (Adam Sandler), Worst Actress (Winona Ryder) and Worst Remake or Sequel. However, the film also won a Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Movie Actor (Sandler).
Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale.[5]
Box office
Though critically panned, the film was a major financial success. Box office:
- United States: US$126,293,452
- International: US$44,976,083
- Gross worldwide: US$171,269,535[1]
Accolades
The film won and was nominated for a number of awards throughout 2002-2003.
