Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead

Don't Tell Mom The Babysitter's Dead
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Stephen Herek
Produced by	Jeffery Silver Brian Reilly
Written by	Neil Landau Tara Ison
Starring	Christina Applegate Joanna Cassidy John Getz Josh Charles
Music by	David Newman
Cinematography	Tim Suhrstedt
Studio	HBO Pictures Outlaw Productions
Distributed by	Warner Bros.
Release date(s)	June 7, 1991
Running time	102 min.
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$10 million
Box office	$25,196,249

Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead is a 1991 comedy film directed by Stephen Herek starring Christina Applegate.

Applegate stars as a teenager whose mother leaves for a two-month summer vacation in Australia, putting all five siblings in the care of a strict tyrannical elderly babysitter. When the babysitter suddenly dies in her sleep, Applegate (as the eldest) assumes the role as "head of the household" to keep the freedom of having no parents around. She fakes a resume to get a job in the fashion industry, but proves capable and lucky enough to succeed.

The film also features Joanna Cassidy, Keith Coogan, Josh Charles, Danielle Harris, John Getz, and then-obscure actor David Duchovny, later of The X-Files fame. The original music score was composed by David Newman.

Plot

Sue Ellen Crandell is a 17-year old high school graduate who, due to lack of funds cannot go to Europe for the summer with her friends. Sue Ellen remains optimistic about a summer of freedom with her siblings: stoner Kenny, tomboy Melissa, ladies man Zach and TV fanatic Walter while their mother travels to Australia. Much to Sue Ellen's dismay, her mother hires a live-in babysitter, Mrs. Sturak, a deceptively sweet, humble old woman who assures Mrs. Crandell that she can take care of all five children. Eventually, Sue Ellen and her siblings find that Mrs. Sturak had died in her sleep. Instead of telling the authorities and their mother (which would ruin their summer), they agree to stuff the babysitter in a trunk and drop her off at a local funeral home, with a note attached reading "Nice old lady inside, died of natural causes".

With no money to pay the family's bills, Sue Ellen finds work at a fast food restaurant called Clown Dog. Despite a budding relationship with an attractive co-worker named Bryan, she quits. Sue Ellen then forges a resume under the guise of a 28-year-old fashion designer and applies at General Apparel West (GAW), hoping to secure a job as a receptionist. However, Rose Lindsey, a company executive, finds her resume so impressive that she offers Sue Ellen a job as her administrative assistant, much to the chagrin of Carolyn, a secretary on Rose's floor who was initially in line for the job.

At GAW, Sue Ellen has to balance the adult responsibilities thrust upon her while still trying to enjoy herself as a teenager. The double life causes a strain on her relationship with Bryan when she discovers that he and Carolyn are brother and sister.

Sue Ellen finds herself tested when she learns that GAW is in danger of going out of business. She takes it upon herself to create a new clothing line and Rose suggests holding a fashion show to exhibit their new designs. Sue Ellen offers to host the party, convincing her siblings to help clean up the house and act as caterers. Although she manages to pull off the party, it comes to an end when Bryan unexpectedly shows up to apologize for their breakup, shortly followed by Mrs. Crandell herself, who has come home early from Australia. With her cover blown, Sue Ellen has no choice but to confess the truth in front of everyone.

While apologizing to Rose after the party, Sue Ellen learns that her unique designs had effectively saved the company and that the owners did not care about her personal life. Rose then offers the real Sue Ellen the job as her personal assistant, which she respectfully declines in favor of going to college first. Meanwhile, Mrs. Crandell, impressed with the cleanliness of the house, the improved behavior of the children and the sudden maturity of Sue Ellen, decides not to punish them for throwing the party.

In the end, Sue Ellen and Bryan make up, but are soon interrupted by Mrs. Crandell, who inquires about Mrs. Sturak's whereabouts. As the credits roll, the scene cuts away to the cemetery, where two morticians look over a gravestone that reads "Nice Old Lady Inside, Died of Natural Causes".

Cast

• Christina Applegate as Sue Ellen Crandell
• Joanna Cassidy as Rose Lindsey
• John Getz as Gus Brandon
• Josh Charles as Bryan
• Keith Coogan as Kenneth "Kenny" Crandell
• Concetta Tomei as Mrs. Crandell
• David Duchovny as Bruce
• Kimmy Robertson as Cathy Henderson
• Jayne Brook as Carolyn
• Eda Reiss Merin as Mrs. Sturak
• Robert Hy Gorman as Walter Crandell
• Danielle Harris as Melissa Crandell
• Christopher Pettiet as Zachary "Zach" Crandell
• Jeff Bollow as Mole
• Michael Kopelow as Hellhound
• Dan Castellaneta (voice) as Animated Mrs. Sturak
• Antoina Irina Petre as the kid in the store

Soundtrack

• "Draggin' the Line", performed by Beat Goes Bang
• "Perfect World", performed by Alias
• "What She Don't Know", performed by Flame
• "Keep the Faith", performed by Valentine
• "Chains", performed by Lorraine Lewis
• "I Only Have Eyes For You", performed by Timothy B. Schmit
• "The Best Thing", performed by Boom Crash Opera
• "Viva La Vogue", performed by Army of Lovers
• "Stampede", performed by Brad Gillis
• "Bitter", performed by Terrell
• "Life's Rich Tapestry", performed by Modern English
• "Children of the Fire", performed by Mike Reeves
• "Runnin' on Luck Again", performed by Valentine
• "Gimme Some Money", performed by Spinal Tap
• "As Time Goes By", written by Herman Hupfield
• "(Love Is) The Tender Trap", lyrics and music Sammy Chahn and Jimmy Van Heussen
• "Twilight Zone Theme", written by Marius Constant

Reception

Review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a score of 33% based on reviews from 24 critics, with an average score of 4/10. The New York Post called Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead the best teen hit of 1991.^{[citation needed]}

Remake

In June 2010, reports surfaced that a remake of the film, produced by The Mark Goodwin Company, is currently in the works. As of December 2011, further details are unknown.

External links

• Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead at the Internet Movie Database
• Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead at AllRovi
• Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead at Box Office Mojo