The movie BIG came out in 1988.
I have always LOVED this movie. The charm and whimsical fun is timeless.
Thanks to Kerri.... I have the DVD. :)
In
1987, Penny Marshall stood in the crowded aisles of FAO Schwarz in
Manhattan, staring at a giant floor piano. She had wandered into the
iconic toy store while scouting locations for "Big," unsure if the
whimsical idea from the script could even exist in reality. When she
spotted the oversized keys stretched across the floor, she immediately
knew she had found something magical. Excitedly, she called producer
James L. Brooks, insisting that this discovery had to become a pivotal
moment in the movie. That spontaneous encounter inside a real toy store
ultimately gave birth to one of the most memorable scenes in cinematic
history.
Before "Big" became a
defining film of 1988, its journey was anything but smooth. The script
by Gary Ross and Anne Spielberg circulated for years without much
traction. Studios hesitated to back a fantasy about a boy waking up in a
man’s body. When Penny Marshall agreed to direct, it gave the project
the boost it needed. At first, Robert De Niro was cast as Josh Baskin,
and his darker, grittier interpretation almost shaped the entire film
into something far less heartwarming. A dispute over salary led De Niro
to exit, opening the door for Tom Hanks, whose boyish charm and
instinctive humor perfectly aligned with what Marshall envisioned.
Even
after Hanks joined, challenges kept coming. The casting of young Josh
required someone who could naturally match Hanks’ expressions and body
language. David Moscow, a young actor with a keen sense of mimicry, was
chosen. To achieve authenticity, Hanks and Moscow spent days studying
each other's gestures. Scenes were rehearsed with Moscow first, allowing
Hanks to imitate the boy's mannerisms rather than the other way around.
This reverse-engineering approach gave their shared character a
remarkable continuity across the film.
Tom
Hanks approached the role with uncommon seriousness. To stay connected
to Josh’s innocence, he spent time interviewing real twelve- and
thirteen-year-old boys, asking them about their dreams, fears, and
thoughts on adulthood. He learned quickly that most boys imagined
grown-up life not as a world of responsibility but as an endless
playground of freedom, filled with arcades, junk food, and video games.
Hanks infused this spirit into every scene, ensuring that Josh's
reactions, from excitement over a vending machine toy to confusion
during a corporate meeting, always rang true.
The
trampoline scene in Josh’s cavernous apartment was not originally part
of the detailed script. Penny Marshall wanted to visualize the idea that
a child's spirit could transform even the emptiest space into something
joyful. On the day of filming, the crew hurried to rent a large
trampoline and installed it without much planning. Hanks, fueled by pure
adrenaline and spontaneous glee, began jumping without a single
rehearsal. His laughter during that sequence was entirely real,
untouched by acting.
Another
significant improvisation happened during the famous FAO Schwarz piano
sequence. Tom Hanks and Robert Loggia were expected to perform simple
movements, but once they realized they could actually play songs like
"Heart and Soul" and "Chopsticks" with their feet, they pushed for a
full-blown performance. Penny Marshall gave them free rein. They
rehearsed for hours, sometimes until their feet ached, refusing to let
stunt doubles take over. What unfolded was pure movie magic, two adults
unselfconsciously reveling in the wonder of childhood.
Elizabeth
Perkins, who played Susan, recalled how Penny Marshall made her
repeatedly interact with David Moscow off-camera to foster a
subconscious bond. Marshall emphasized that Susan’s growing affection
for adult Josh must feel subtly influenced by his youthful innocence,
not physical attraction. Perkins said later that it helped her
performance immensely during the bittersweet farewell scene, which she
found emotionally challenging to shoot.
The
Zoltar machine, an invention for the movie, became its own character.
Though it appeared fully functional on screen, the actual prop required
extensive mechanical rigging behind the scenes to make it dispense wish
cards and light up ominously. After filming wrapped, the production team
preserved the original Zoltar machine, and today, replicas stand in
various museums and amusement parks across America, a silent witness to
the film’s enduring charm.
Weather
nearly derailed the vital carnival sequence where Josh makes his
fateful wish. Torrential rains threatened to cancel the elaborate setup,
but Marshall’s team rearranged the schedule to film night scenes first
and capture the carnival atmosphere before the storm rolled in. That
decision preserved the sparkling lights and lively buzz that made the
moment feel alive and magical.
Every
frame of "Big" was a careful blend of improvisation, meticulous
planning, and pure heart. Penny Marshall trusted her cast’s instincts,
and Tom Hanks in particular brought a sincerity that turned what could
have been a simple comedy into something deeply touching. The film’s
success came not from special effects or grandiose storytelling, but
from its authentic portrayal of one boy’s wish to grow up and the
bittersweet truth that growing up comes with more than anyone bargained
for.
In every childlike laugh and
every awkward stumble, "Big" reminds us that the real magic of life is
never in growing up but in staying young at heart.
