Richie Rich (film) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Richie Rich |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Donald Petrie |
| Produced by | Joel Silver John Davis |
| Screenplay by | Tom S. Parker Jim Jennewein |
| Story by | Neil Tolkin |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Alan Silvestri |
| Cinematography | Don Burgess |
| Editing by | Malcolm Campbell |
| Studio | Silver Pictures Davis Entertainment The Harvey Entertainment Company |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
| Release date(s) | December 21, 1994 |
| Running time | 96 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $40 million |
| Money made | $38.1 million |
Richie Rich (also known as Ri¢hie Ri¢h) is a fun comedy film from 1994. It was directed by Donald Petrie. The movie is based on the famous comic book character created by Alfred Harvey and Warren Kremer.
Warner Bros. released the film for families. It stars Macaulay Culkin as Richie Rich. This was one of his last movies as a child actor. Other stars include John Larroquette, Edward Herrmann, Jonathan Hyde, and Christine Ebersole. You might also spot famous people like Reggie Jackson, Claudia Schiffer, and Ben Stein in small roles. Macaulay Culkin's younger brother, Rory Culkin, plays a younger Richie. When the movie was in theaters, it came with a Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner cartoon called Chariots of Fur. Later, a sequel called Richie Rich's Christmas Wish was made.
Contents
The Story of Richie Rich
Richie Rich is known as the richest boy in the world. His dad, Richard Rich, is a billionaire businessman. Richard is also a philanthropist, which means he loves to help others. Richie has a kind butler named Herbert Cadbury. But Richie doesn't have many friends his own age.
Richie's Search for Friends
One day, Richie visits a factory his dad bought. His dad plans to make it modern and give it to the workers. There, Richie sees some kids playing baseball. He wants to talk to them, but the strict security chief, Ferguson, pulls him away. Cadbury tells Ferguson off for being too rough with Richie.
Richie's dad tries to spend time with him, but he's often busy. So, the family's main scientist, Professor Keenbean, invents a "Dadlink." It's like a special phone that finds Richard anywhere. This way, Richie can talk to his dad whenever he's away.
A Dangerous Plan
Meanwhile, Lawrence Van Dough, the greedy financial boss of Rich Industries, wants to steal the Rich family's money. He thinks it's hidden in their secret vault. Van Dough works with Ferguson. They plan to blow up the plane carrying Richie's family to England.
Richie tries to make friends with the baseball kids, but it doesn't go well at first. Cadbury suggests that Richie stay home in Chicago for a fun weekend with them. This weekend helps Richie become friends with the kids. He especially connects with Gloria Koscinski. Cadbury also starts to like Gloria's mom, Diane.
Trouble in the Air
During the plane trip, a bomb is found. Richard throws it out the window. But it explodes close to the plane, damaging the tail. The plane crashes near the Bermuda Triangle. Richard and Regina survive and float on a life raft.
Van Dough thinks Richie's parents are dead. He takes over the Rich company. He stops all the good things the Rich family used to do, like closing the factory. This makes Richie angry. With Cadbury's help, Richie goes to the company office. As the only living Rich family member, he takes charge.
Richie Fights Back
Van Dough sees this as a small problem. Since Richie is underage, his power is limited by Cadbury. So, Van Dough frames Cadbury for the Rich family's supposed death. Bomb parts are found in Cadbury's room. Many other loyal Rich family workers are fired. Van Dough plans to get rid of Cadbury in jail.
Professor Keenbean overhears this plan. He helps Richie sneak out. They successfully help Cadbury escape from prison just as a tough man arrives to harm him. Cadbury and Richie go to Gloria's house. Diane takes care of Cadbury. Richie uses Gloria's computer to connect to the Dadlink system at Rich Manor.
The Vault's Secret
Van Dough finds out Cadbury escaped. He and Ferguson confront Keenbean. They tie him up and threaten him with his own invention. It's a "molecular reorganizer" that can change things. Keenbean says the Rich family vault opens only with Richard and Regina's voices.
In the Bermuda Triangle, Richard sends a distress signal on his fixed Dadlink. But Ferguson intercepts it. He disconnects Richie's computer and tells Van Dough that Richie's parents are alive.
Richie and his friends rescue Keenbean. They sneak Richie and Cadbury back into Rich Manor. They find out Van Dough had already rescued Richie's parents. Van Dough forces the Rich parents to show him the vault. Ferguson takes Richie and his friends to the molecular reorganizer.
In the lab, Keenbean uses a super sticky substance called "cementia" to stop Ferguson. But Keenbean gets stuck too! Cleverly, he uses a remote to make a robot bee sting Ferguson. Ferguson crashes into the machine's emergency off button, saving Richie and the others.
The Final Showdown
Van Dough is led to Mount Richmore. This is a huge mountain carved with the Rich family's faces. The vault is inside. Van Dough is furious when he sees the vault holds only family memories and treasures, not money. All their money is in banks and real estate.
Desperate, Van Dough tries to shoot Richard and Regina. But Richie appears and stops him. Van Dough tries to shoot Richie, but it doesn't hurt him. Professor Keenbean had sprayed Richie's clothes with a special fabric that makes them bulletproof!
The Rich family escapes down the mountain. Ferguson attacks them with a rock-blasting laser. Cadbury finally disarms Ferguson. Van Dough ends up hanging upside down after Cadbury blasts the rock near him. Richard has never fired anyone before. But he lets Richie fire Van Dough, who then gets punched by Regina!
A Richer Life
Later, Richie plays baseball with his new friends. They are the United Tool team, playing in the Rich Manor yard. Cadbury is the coach, and Keenbean is the umpire. Richie hits a home run. Van Dough, who is gardening as part of his punishment, picks it up. He angrily throws the ball into a fountain.
Richard and Regina happily say that Richie is now truly the richest boy in the world. He has found something money can't buy: true friendship.
Main Characters
- Macaulay Culkin as Richard "Richie" Rich Jr. - The kind and wealthy son of the Rich family. He has a pet dog named Dollar.
- Rory Culkin as Young Richie Rich
- Peter Lampley as Baby Richie Rich
- John Larroquette as Laurence Van Dough - The greedy financial boss who wants to steal the Rich family's money.
- Edward Herrmann as Richard Rich Sr. - Richie's loving father.
- Christine Ebersole as Regina Rich - Richie's caring mother.
- Jonathan Hyde as Herbert Arthur Runcible Cadbury - The Rich family's loyal butler. He is like a third parent to Richie.
- Mike McShane as Professor Keenbean - A brilliant inventor who works for the Rich family.
- Chelcie Ross as Ferguson - The Rich family's rude security chief. He helps Van Dough.
- Mariangela Pino as Diane Koscinski - Gloria's mother, who starts dating Cadbury.
- Stephi Lineburg as Gloria Koscinski - One of Richie's new friends.
- Michael Maccarone as Tony - One of Richie's friends, often seen with a hat and sunglasses.
- Joel Robinson as Omar - One of Richie's friends, who is smart and loyal.
- Jonathan Hilario as Pee Wee - One of Richie's friends, who loves to eat.
- Reggie Jackson as Himself - Richie's private baseball coach.
- Matt DeCaro as Dave Walter - The manager of the United Tool factory.
- Claudia Schiffer as Herself - Richie's private aerobics instructor.
- Ben Stein as Economics Teacher - A teacher with a deep, slow voice.
- Sean A. Tate as Reynolds - One of Richie's schoolmates.
- Joel Ellegant as Ellsworth - One of Richie's schoolmates.
- Justin Zaremby as Reginald - The most annoying kid in Richie's class.
Filming Locations
Even though the movie is set in Chicago, most of Richie Rich was filmed at the beautiful Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. Some scenes were filmed in Chicago, like a fencing scene at DePaul University. The roller coaster in Richie's backyard was actually the "Iron Wolf" roller coaster at Six Flags Great America.
A company called Data East even made a special pinball machine just for the Richie Rich movie!
Sequel Film
Richie Rich's Christmas Wish is a sequel to this movie. It came out in 1998 directly to video. David Gallagher played Richie Rich in that film.
Images for kids
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Theatrical release poster
See also
In Spanish: Richie Rich (película) para niños
