July 27, 2023 – Big

Happy Throwback Thursday! Today’s throwback year is 1988, and one of the biggest movies that year was Big, directed by Penny Marshall and starring Tom Hanks. Hanks stars as Josh Baskin, a pre-teen whose wish to be “big” transforms him into an adult. The movie also starred Elizabeth Perkins, John Heard, and Robert Loggia.
The movie was written by Anne Spielberg, sister of Steven Spielberg. The idea was that Steven would direct and Harrison Ford would star in it. When both dropped out, the producers gave the script to Penny Marshall. There were a lot of major stars at the time that were considered for the lead role. Among them, Kevin Costner, Steven Guttenberg, and Warren Beatty. Robert De Niro was ultimately cast, but would up dropping out due to scheduling conflicts, and the part went to Tom Hanks.
One of the most iconic scenes in the movie is the piano dancing scene in FAO Schwartz. The toy store had a one octave version on display, but Penny Marshall asked for a larger 16-foot 3-octave version to be created for the movie. Hanks and Loggia spent months at home practicing the dance routine on cardboard piano keys. When they showed up for shooting, though, there were dancers on standby. Motivated by the perceived slight, they nailed it in just about one take.
Big was a huge hit, grossing $151 million worldwide. It was pivotal for Hanks’ career as well, establishing him as a major box-office draw. Penny Marshall made history with the film, becoming the first female director to direct a movie that made more $100 million at the box office. Learn more here.