Addams Family Values

Synopsis
“He has my father’s eyes.”
“Gomez, take those out of his mouth.”

The Addams Family gained two new members in this 1993 sequel, neither of whom was an entirely welcome addition. Back for another Gothic go-round were Gomez, Morticia, Fester, Wednesday, Pugsley, Grandma, Lurch and Thing, as well as various Addams cousins and in-laws.

Addams Family Values kicks off with the announcement by Morticia that she’s going to have a baby… “Right now!” The wee mustachioed lad is dubbed Pubert, and is immediately fitted for a pinstriped suit. Morticia and Gomez are beaming parents, but Wednesday and Pugsley are convinced that having a new baby means that one of the older Addams children has to go. Faced with this "kill or be killed" scenario, the murderous tykes naturally opt for the latter.

Little Pubert survives his older siblings’ plots, but Morticia decides the baby should probably have a nanny. The new hired help is buxom blonde Debbie Jellinsky, who immediately sets her sights on the rich, eligible Fester. Wednesday smells a gold-digging rat, but Debbie takes care of her by convincing Gomez and Morticia to send their older children to Camp Chippewa for the summer. With Wednesday and Pugsley out of the way, Debbie is free to woo Fester, and she does so with a vengeance.

Meanwhile, Wedesday and Pugsley aren’t really fitting in at upbeat Camp Chippewa, despite the perky pep talks from counselors Gary and Becky. Wednesday makes an instant enemy in the snobbish Amanda Buckman (the same Girl Scout who tried to sell Wednesday cookies in the first film), but she also strikes up an oddball romance with the nerdy Joel Glicker. Back at the Addams household, Debbie finally wrangles a marriage out of Fester, but Morticia is worried about the nanny’s black widow plans. Things come to a head at Chippewa during an anarchic “First Thanksgiving” pageant, while Gomez and Morticia race to save Fester from Debbie’s murderous clutches.

Director Barry Sonnenfeld returned for the sequel, as did most of the principal cast (with Carol Kane stepping in for Judith Malina as Grandma). Raul Julia, Anjelica Huston, Christina Ricci and the rest continued their deadpan mastery of their parts, while the addition of Joan Cusack as Debbie cranked the wacky factor up a notch.

While not as successful as the first film, Addams Family Values did well enough that a second, direct-to-video sequel was produced in 1998, Addams Family Reunion. Sadly, by this time, Raul Julia had passed away, and most of the original cast declined to participate in his absence.

Release History 1991 - Addams Family Values
1993 - Addams Family Values

Sub Categories live-action
comedy
horror

Studio Orion, Paramount

Cast

Morticia Addams		Anjelica Huston
Gomez Addams		Raul Julia
Uncle Fester Addams		Christopher Lloyd
Debbie Jellinsky		Joan Cusack
Wednesday Addams		Christina Ricci
Grandma		Carol Kane
Pugsley Addams		Jimmy Workman
Pubert Addams		Kaitlyn Hooper
Pubert Addams		Kristen Hooper
Lurch		Carel Struycken
Joel Glicker		David Krumholtz
Thing		Christopher Hart
Margaret Addams		Dana Ivey
Gary Granger		Peter MacNicol
Becky Martin-Granger		Christine Baranski
Amanda Buckman		Mercedes McNab
Don Buckman		Sam McMurray
Ellen Buckman		Harriet Sansom Harris
Mrs. Glicker		Julie Halston
Mr. Glicker		Barry Sonnenfeld
Desk Sergeant		Nathan Lane
Cousin Itt		John Franklin
Cousin Aphasia		Charles Busch
Cousin Ophelia		Laura Esterman
Flora Amor		Maureen Sue Levin
Fauna Amor		Darlene Levin
Dementia		Carol Hankins
Donald		Steven M. Martin
Dexter		Douglas Brian Martin
Lumpy Addams		Ryan Holihan
Delivery Nurse		Lois De Banzie
Forceps Nurse		Vickilyn Reynolds
Heather		Cynthia Nixon
Mrs. Montgomery		Eyde Byrde
Delivery Room Doctor		David Hyde Pierce
Obnoxious Girl		Andreana Weiner
Host		Peter Graves
Lawyer		Rick Scarry
Flirting Woman		Monet Mazur
Flirting Man		Francis Coady
Driver		Ian Abercrombie
Moving Man		Chris Ellis
Concetta		Camille Saviola
Passport Clerk		Zack Phifer
Jorge		Tony Shalhoub
Irwin		Jeffrey Van Hoose
Mordecai		Micah Winkelspecht
Wheelchair Camper		Matthew Beebe
Consuela		Kristy Shirvani
Escher		Jamie Gordon
Yang		Micah Hata
Jamal		Joey Wilcots
Camper #1		Jason Fife
Camper #2		Karl David-Djerf
Young Debbie		Haley Peel
Pubert (voice)		Cheryl Chase