I say that because, at Christmas 1990, Macaulay Culkin was at the zenith of his popularity, just coming off being the star in one the biggest movies of all time (Home Alone). This movie came out the following year, and when you have him dying an emotional death, that should have propelled this movie into legendary status in a way. I know this movie was pretty big, but it seems like it should have been even bigger.
shareHis death in the movie is what's remembered most about it(plus his kiss with the leading actress). I suppose it didn't get bigger because people didn't wanna think of Macaulay Culkin as the kid who died in "My Girl", but rather the kid who one upped a couple of robbers in "Home Alone".
shareProbably because it is sad drama / chick flick, and the main actors are not known for drama. Also a child dies, a taboo in American cinema.
I think it is a good, memorable movie. Good all-around acting jobs, even though it's hard to look past Dan Akroyd, Jamie Lee Curtis, Makuley Culken's more well known, less serious, roles.
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to follow up on my original post, I remember back when Home Alone came out, my local movie theater had to carry it over TWICE, and they never carried movies over. I'm actually about the same age as Macaulay Culkin, and I remember the girls in my class fawning over him. He was the "it" thing back in 1991. I just think that when you have a movie with his death at the zenith of his popularity, girls would have been all over that.
shareLove this film. And when I was in grammar school, several girls in my class wrote reports about how the film effected them.
The movie made $60 million domestically back in 1991. In today's dollars, that's close to $100 million. And on top of this, it was number 2 at the box-office when it opened. The Addams Family beat it- and duh, it's The Addams Family, a popcorn comedy. I think My Girl was actually a success.
No. It has good performances and it's sweet, but the subject matter combined with the script means it would feel equally appropriate as a TV-movie, rather than a big screen feature. Plus, it's a chick flick, and 'a chick flick co-starring the kid from Home Alone' isn't what he became famous for.
Born when she kissed me, died when she left me, lived whilst she loved me