Melvin and Howard
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| - | '''Robert Jonathan Demme''' (February 22, 1944 – April 26, 2017) was an American filmmaker, producer and screenwriter. Demme rose to prominence in the 1980s with his comedy films ''[[Melvin and Howard]]'' (1980), ''[[Swing Shift (film)|Swing Shift]]'' (1984), ''[[Something Wild (1986 film)|Something Wild]]'' (1986) and ''[[Married to the Mob]]'' (1988). He became best known for directing ''[[The Silence of the Lambs (film)|The Silence of the Lambs]]'' (1991), for which he won the [[Academy Award for Best Director]]. He later directed the acclaimed films ''[[Philadelphia (film)|Philadelphia]]'' (1993) and ''[[Rachel Getting Married]]'' (2008). | + | '''''Melvin and Howard''''' is a 1980 American [[comedy-drama]] film directed by [[Jonathan Demme]]. The [[screenplay]] by [[Bo Goldman]] was inspired by real-life [[Utah]] service station owner [[Melvin Dummar]], who was listed as the beneficiary of [[United States dollar|USD]]156 million in a [[will (legal)|will]] allegedly handwritten by [[Howard Hughes]] that was discovered in the headquarters of [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] in [[Salt Lake City]]. A [[novelization]] of Goldman's script later was written by [[George Gipe]]. |
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| + | The film starred [[Paul Le Mat]], [[Jason Robards]] and, in an [[Academy Award]]-winning performance, [[Mary Steenburgen]]. | ||
| + | ==Plot== | ||
| + | In the opening scene, [[Howard Hughes]] loses control of his [[motorcycle]] and crashes in the [[Nevada]] desert. That night, he is discovered lying on the side of a stretch of U.S. Highway 95 when [[Melvin Dummar]] stops his pickup truck so he can relieve himself. The disheveled stranger, refusing to allow Melvin to take him to the hospital, asks him to instead drive him to [[Las Vegas, Nevada|Las Vegas]]. En route, the two engage in stilted conversation until Dummar cajoles his passenger into joining him in singing a [[Christmas]] song he wrote. Hughes then suggests they sing his favorite song "[[Bye Bye Blackbird]]", and they do. The man warms up to his rescuer and before he is dropped off at the [[Desert Inn]] (which Hughes owns and therein resides), he identifies himself as the reclusive billionaire. | ||
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| + | Most of the remainder of the film focuses on Melvin's scattered, up-and-down life, his spendthrift, trust-in-luck nature, his rocky marital life with first wife Lynda, and his more stable relationship with second wife Bonnie. Lynda leaves him and their daughter to dance in a sleazy strip club, but eventually returns, but she remains frustrated by her husband's futile efforts to achieve the [[American dream]]. Melvin convinces her to appear on ''Easy Street'', a [[game show]] hybrid of ''[[The Gong Show]]'' and ''[[Let's Make a Deal]]'', and although her tapdancing initially is booed by the audience, she wins them over and nabs the top prize of living room furniture, a piano, and $10,000 cash. | ||
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| + | Melvin agrees to invest in an affordable house in a new development, but while Lynda tries to keep their finances under control, he rashly buys a new car and a boat, prompting her to take their daughter and toddler son and sue for divorce. Melvin is comforted by Bonnie, the payroll clerk at the dairy where he drives a truck, and the two eventually wed and move to Utah, where they take over the operation of a service station her relatives had owned. | ||
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| + | One day, a mysterious man in a limousine stops at the station ostensibly to buy a pack of cigarettes, but after he drives off Melvin discovers an envelope marked "Last Will and Testament of Howard Hughes" on his office desk. Afraid to open it, he takes it to Mormon headquarters and secrets it in a pile of incoming mail. It doesn't take long for the media to descend upon him and his family, and eventually Melvin finds himself in court, admitting he once met Hughes but vigorously denying he forged the will that finally fulfills his dreams. | ||
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| + | ==Principal cast== | ||
| + | *[[Paul Le Mat]] ..... [[Melvin Dummar]] | ||
| + | *[[Mary Steenburgen]] ..... [[Melvin Dummar|Lynda West Dummar]], Melvin's 1st wife | ||
| + | *[[Pamela Reed]] ..... Bonnie Bonneau Dummar, Melvin's 2nd wife | ||
| + | *[[Michael J. Pollard]] ..... Little Red | ||
| + | *[[Jack Kehoe]] ..... Jim Delgado | ||
| + | *[[Rick Lenz]] ..... Lawyer | ||
| + | *[[Dabney Coleman]] ..... Judge Keith Hayes | ||
| + | *[[Charles Napier (actor)|Charles Napier]] ..... Ventura | ||
| + | *[[Jason Robards]] ..... [[Howard Hughes]] | ||
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| + | The real Melvin Dummar has a cameo appearance as a man behind a bus depot counter. | ||
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| + | Robards and Steenburgen went on to co-star in the 1989 comedy film ''[[Parenthood (film)|Parenthood]]'', with Robards playing the father-in-law of Steenburgen's character. | ||
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Melvin and Howard is a 1980 American comedy-drama film directed by Jonathan Demme. The screenplay by Bo Goldman was inspired by real-life Utah service station owner Melvin Dummar, who was listed as the beneficiary of USD156 million in a will allegedly handwritten by Howard Hughes that was discovered in the headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City. A novelization of Goldman's script later was written by George Gipe.
The film starred Paul Le Mat, Jason Robards and, in an Academy Award-winning performance, Mary Steenburgen.
Plot
In the opening scene, Howard Hughes loses control of his motorcycle and crashes in the Nevada desert. That night, he is discovered lying on the side of a stretch of U.S. Highway 95 when Melvin Dummar stops his pickup truck so he can relieve himself. The disheveled stranger, refusing to allow Melvin to take him to the hospital, asks him to instead drive him to Las Vegas. En route, the two engage in stilted conversation until Dummar cajoles his passenger into joining him in singing a Christmas song he wrote. Hughes then suggests they sing his favorite song "Bye Bye Blackbird", and they do. The man warms up to his rescuer and before he is dropped off at the Desert Inn (which Hughes owns and therein resides), he identifies himself as the reclusive billionaire.
Most of the remainder of the film focuses on Melvin's scattered, up-and-down life, his spendthrift, trust-in-luck nature, his rocky marital life with first wife Lynda, and his more stable relationship with second wife Bonnie. Lynda leaves him and their daughter to dance in a sleazy strip club, but eventually returns, but she remains frustrated by her husband's futile efforts to achieve the American dream. Melvin convinces her to appear on Easy Street, a game show hybrid of The Gong Show and Let's Make a Deal, and although her tapdancing initially is booed by the audience, she wins them over and nabs the top prize of living room furniture, a piano, and $10,000 cash.
Melvin agrees to invest in an affordable house in a new development, but while Lynda tries to keep their finances under control, he rashly buys a new car and a boat, prompting her to take their daughter and toddler son and sue for divorce. Melvin is comforted by Bonnie, the payroll clerk at the dairy where he drives a truck, and the two eventually wed and move to Utah, where they take over the operation of a service station her relatives had owned.
One day, a mysterious man in a limousine stops at the station ostensibly to buy a pack of cigarettes, but after he drives off Melvin discovers an envelope marked "Last Will and Testament of Howard Hughes" on his office desk. Afraid to open it, he takes it to Mormon headquarters and secrets it in a pile of incoming mail. It doesn't take long for the media to descend upon him and his family, and eventually Melvin finds himself in court, admitting he once met Hughes but vigorously denying he forged the will that finally fulfills his dreams.
Principal cast
- Paul Le Mat ..... Melvin Dummar
- Mary Steenburgen ..... Lynda West Dummar, Melvin's 1st wife
- Pamela Reed ..... Bonnie Bonneau Dummar, Melvin's 2nd wife
- Michael J. Pollard ..... Little Red
- Jack Kehoe ..... Jim Delgado
- Rick Lenz ..... Lawyer
- Dabney Coleman ..... Judge Keith Hayes
- Charles Napier ..... Ventura
- Jason Robards ..... Howard Hughes
The real Melvin Dummar has a cameo appearance as a man behind a bus depot counter.
Robards and Steenburgen went on to co-star in the 1989 comedy film Parenthood, with Robards playing the father-in-law of Steenburgen's character.
