I haven’t seen this movie in over 20 years. Hell, I barely remember much of it because I was just a youngin’ when I first saw it. After I revisited Bird on a Wire not that long ago, I started to think of other films I would like to revisit. Well, I stuck with a Goldie Hawn film and decided to pick one that involved her and her man; Kurt Russell (and his glorious hair!). So, Overboard it was. I don’t remember if I found it funny when I was a kid but I definitely found moments very amusing as an adult…and other moments to be a little disturbing if you think about them for too long.
Rich and snobby heiress Joanna Stayton (Hawn) and her husband Grant Stayton III (Edward Herrmann) one day dock their yacht in the small harbor town of Elk Cove, Oregon for repairs. Joanna hires local carpenter Dean Proffitt (Russell and his hair) to remodel her closet. The two do not hit it off and their conflicting attitudes and economic status causes great friction and ultimately costs Proffitt the job. Later on, Joanna has an accident on the ship and falls overboard (that’s how they got the title!) and gets amnesia. Seeing opportunity, Grant decides to let her forget him and goes off to enjoy the fortune while Dean decides he’s going to get the money that was lost to him for the closet job and convinces Joanna that her real name is Annie and she is his wife. How long can Dean keep this up before she remembers who she really is?
For the most part, Overboard has some charm to it and, while I didn’t find it to be a comedy that had me rolling on the floor and possibly losing my ass in the process, I did find it to be very amusing. Additionally, the cast is great thanks to the undeniable charm of Russell, Russell’s hair, and Hawn. There are also some very amusing moments with Roddy McDowall as the Stayton’s butler. Finally, the movie does offer up a nice sweet and tender side that works despite the underlining discomfort the concept brings about. There’s no point in denying it because this movie does have a creepy, darker side to it that isn’t really explored and is way more noticeable watching it in 2017 and that is the reality is Kurt Russell’s character is committing a real crime and taking advantage of a sick woman.
I know there’s a slim chance anyone is reading this and an even slimmer chance that someone is saying, “Dude, it’s just a silly little movie. Why do you have to make everything all political and social?” You are correct, fake person I just made up so I can make a point. It is a movie and it is the product of its time. I’m not condemning Overboard because in 1987 our society was so blatantly misogynistic that it was considered the norm. If Overboard was made today (which it actually is—it’s being remade and having the roles reversed), it would be impossible not to point out that underneath all the goofiness of it you have a man who is pretty much keeping a woman prisoner so he can have her work the money off that is owed to him and is essentially making her his slave. So, yes, it is just a silly movie but it’s one that has a touchy premise when viewed in a modern day, progressive lens. However, despite its sketchy concept, the film is able to achieve a balance where the discomfort sorta just melts away.
Thankfully, the film never goes too far over the line as Dean basically takes Joanna prisoner and starts gaslighting her into thinking she’s his wife. There’s one questionable scene where he tries to have sex with her but, like a lot of Dean’s actions, if feels more like he’s trying to get under her skin the way she did with him for the closet job than it is to assault her. Yes, he’s still trying to humiliate and degrade her, which is also terrible, but the film is able to present these moments with the right amount of care. Ultimately, though, what saved this potentially extra creepy concept is the very palpable charm and chemistry of Hawn and Russell. These two are so good at playing off each other that they make their change from Dean lying to Joanna to Joanna and Dean falling for one another believable. You can feel their real-life love for one another spilling into their acting and it made their moments together incredibly sweet and ultimately made the cheesy and sappy ending where they declare their love for one another very adorable.
The potentially weird angle of the film’s story aside, the only other thing I really didn’t care for with Overboard is the length does feel a little too long. It never got to the point where I’m like “WHEN IS THIS GOING TO END?!?” but a part of me did think it was too long for what the premise was offering. There were points when the story started to drag and I wanted to see the revelation of Dean lying to Joanna come quicker than it was arriving but, ultimately, it’s not so bad it hurts the overall entertainment factor of the film or hurt the comedic momentum it carries.
Overboard isn’t a perfect comedy as a lot has changed over the years that make this film a little problematic. Ultimately, there’s nothing wrong with acknowledging the cringe-worthy aspects of the film while enjoying the better moments. It was from a different time and while that doesn’t exonerate it, it does offer at least some explanation. However, thanks to some fun, lighthearted moments and a great cast with two fantastic leads (one with hair I obsess over), the film is enjoyable despite its problems and is pretty entertaining.
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