Is Summer Rental a Remake of Mr Hobbs Takes a Vacation?

By Robert Palmer

Summer Rental is a classic 1985 American comedy film directed by Carl Reiner and starring John Candy. The film follows the story of Jack Chester, a stressed-out air traffic controller who decides to take his family on a summer vacation to a beach resort. While there, they encounter numerous mishaps and comedic situations that make for an entertaining movie experience.

But, is Summer Rental a remake of Mr Hobbs Takes a Vacation? Many people have drawn similarities between the two films, as they both revolve around families going on vacation and facing various challenges. In this article, we will delve deeper into the similarities and differences between these two films.

Storyline

Mr Hobbs Takes a Vacation is a 1962 American comedy film directed by Henry Koster and starring James Stewart. The film revolves around Roger Hobbs, a banker who takes his family on vacation to a beachside house. While there, they encounter numerous mishaps such as leaky roofs, rude neighbors, and uncooperative rental agents.

Summer Rental follows the same basic storyline of Mr Hobbs Takes a Vacation with minor changes. Instead of being a banker like Roger Hobbs in the former movie, Jack Chester is an air traffic controller who takes his family on vacation to Florida for some relaxation. There are also various other changes in subplots and characters found in Summer Rental that differ from Mr Hobbs Takes a Vacation.

Characters

Mr Hobbs Takes A Vacation features James Stewart as Roger Hobbs along with Maureen O’Hara as Peggy Hobbs. They have three children – Katey (Lauri Peters), Danny (Michael Burns), and Andy (performed by twins Gregory Moffett and Maxwell Moffett). The supporting cast includes famous actors like John Saxon (Joe Hamilton) and Marie Wilson (Mrs. Turner).

In Summer Rental, John Candy plays the lead role of Jack Chester, while Karen Austin portrays his wife Sandy. The couple has two children – Jennifer (Kerri Green) and Bobby (Joey Lawrence). Other notable actors in the film include Richard Crenna (Scapicchio) and Rip Torn (Rip).

Setting

Mr Hobbs Takes a Vacation is set in a beachside house in California, while Summer Rental is set in Florida. The location change brings about various differences like the beach atmosphere, weather conditions, and local customs.

Tone and Humor

Both films have a light-hearted tone with plenty of humor. However, Mr Hobbs Takes a Vacation has a more subtle humor compared to Summer Rental’s broader comedy style. Summer Rental is known for its slapstick humor and over-the-top situations that make for an entertaining watch.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while there are certainly similarities between Summer Rental and Mr Hobbs Takes a Vacation, they are not remakes of each other. Both movies revolve around families going on vacation and facing various challenges but differ in terms of their setting, characters, storyline, tone, and humor styles. Regardless of these differences or similarities between the two films, both remain classics that audiences can enjoy to this day.