Funny story about two New Yorkers who after growing fed up with the hustle-bustle of the city decide to pack it all in and move to the country. Away from the noise of the city, and the smog, and taxicabs, peace and quiet! Here, Andy Farmer (Chevy Chase) could finally write that book that he has been always dreaming of writing, and his wife Elizabeth (Madolyn Smith) could garden and cook to her heart's content. Well, the big day finally comes, and upon arriving at their new house, the moving van is nowhere to be found. As it turns out, the directions that Andy wrote out, were so screwed up that nobody could have found this place. There are no signs or landmarks to be followed, and the most important sign the movers were to look for, was stolen by tourists. The bridge that the truck was directed to cross was a covered bridge about 200 years old that couldn't support the truck. When they tried to find out where their furniture was, they found out that the phone was not installed. The next day when the van did arrive, the movers were not happy. After a little criticism, it was obvious that all had better just shut up! They finally get settled in, but it doesn't take long to find out that the people in the country only look at people from the city as "suckers" to be taken advantage of. The mail man is a drunk who throws the mail on the ground, and everybody is unfriendly. The phone company installs a pay phone instead of a regular phone, there are raccoons and squirrels everywhere, and snakes in the lake. Andy has now been trying to write for three weeks and hasn't gotten past the first chapter. The birds are all singing too loudly, and the squirrels scurrying about too much. . .He just can't get started. Elizabeth has been having fun in her garden until she found the coffin! There's a man buried in the garden! Now, to move the coffin and bury it in the cemetery it's going to cost a fortune, and everybody in town is having a good laugh. Elizabeth wrote a childrens' book about a squirrel and it was immediately accepted by the publisher. Andy still can't get started so he puts his name on his wife's book. Big mistake! Now everything has gone to hell in a handbasket and all they can think of is moving back to New York. They make a deal to pay practically in town to be nice so that they can find a buyer. They eventually decide that in trying to make everything different that it was really what they were looking for in the first place. Andy writes a book about what really happened and it was a best seller.Read full review
It is a funny messed up movie that Chevy is great for saying things at the right time. The other actors don't know to react to. A good movie.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: New
Chevy Chase is an ok actor, but in this movie he does a great job portraying a "fish out of water" character. I think I've had the fantasy of moving to the country and writing a novel too which is just what this story is all about. He does it though and the fun begins. This is one of my favorite Chevy Chase movies.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
For all you Chevy Chase fans, here's a believably hilarious DVD you can sit down with the whole family and enjoy. No "fast forward" moments for children. Chevy, a writer with "writer's block," takes his wife, expertly played by Madolyn Smith, from the city out to the countryside, in the hopes that the change of scene will inspire him to write again. Ironically, it doesn't help him, but it inspires his wife, a fledgling writer. One wonders how he ever sold a book when you hear a sampling of his work. Her writing takes off as she writes about him, their married life, and their country-folk friends, in the guise of animal characters. Their marriage gets a well-needed wake-up call as does the seemingly cold-hearted town. It ends on a happy note which most Chevy Chase movies do. A must-see,must-have movie!Read full review
It doesn't get much better than this. This is the kind of movie I can watch over and over and over again. The hustle and bustle of modern living and of the big city may be exciting for awhile, but to really live, one needs to discover the simple pleasures that we nostalgically attribute to Currier & Ives and Norman Rockwell. That's what Funny Farm is all about, and the beautiful New England setting in autumn and winter make it even better. Small Town America is a wonderful place to live. While it might take some time for the locals to warm up to an outsider, once you're part of the community, you find that life doesn't get any better than this.
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