John Candy would’ve been 75 this Halloween if he hadn’t passed away in 1994 at 43. In death, Candy achieved that type of stardom and legacy that most actors and celebrities want but rarely achieve when they’re alive.
During the last few years he was alive, Candy appeared in a lot of movies, either in the lead or in supporting roles. His late wife, Rosemary Margaret Hobor, says in the documentary John Candy: I Like Me it was because John couldn’t say no to people he felt he owed favors or promises to. It’s become well knowledge his role as Gus Polinski in Home Alone was filmed over the course of 24 hours with both him and Catherine O’Hara mostly ad-libbing their scenes. (Not reported here but it’s become documented he did the role as a favor to John Hughes only taking one day’s pay per SAG rules instead of points he was offer which would’ve made him more money.)
If you’re looking for any juice, you won’t find it. Director Colin Hanks and producer Ryan Reynolds don’t dig up any dirt, most likely because there’s none to dig. Also, why dig at old wounds 30 years later. This is more of a love and remembrance documentary featuring talking heads by his wife, his kids (Jennifer and Christopher), O’Hara, Bill Murray, Eugene Levy, Macaulay Culkin, Mel Brooks, Dan Aykroyd, Tom Hanks and Andrea Martin, as well as others.
They all have their stories to tell of John from their days meeting him in Canada working on Godspell or Second City. There are discussions of his health as John was known to drink booze, smoke cigarettes like a chimney and even snorted cocaine. However, despite his vices, his family recall he was a very caring and loving father. You don’t have to be Sigmund Freud to realize it came from growing up himself without a father who passed when he was 5.
Also, having been raised in a working class Catholic family in the Toronto suburbs, John grew up living in the basement living of his grandparents so he grew up never putting on airs. This may explain why he made many movies (Delirious, Only the Lonely, JFK, Once Upon a Crime, Nothing But Trouble, Rookie of the Year and Cool Runnings) all within 3-4 years before his death is he wanted his family to have some financial security. Then, there was the fraud scandal with Bruce McNall while they were co-owner of the Toronto Argonauts with Wayne Gretsky.
The pressure and stress of that led to him to make the atrociously bad Wagons East of which he would die while making and the political satire Canadian Bacon. You can’t blame John for taking a paycheck to provide for his family. And who would pass up the chance to work in an Oliver Stone movie or with the legendary Maureen O’Hara. His role as real-life New Orleans lawyer Dean Andrews Jr. in JFK is wonderful if you see real footage and see how Candy got the lingo and dialect correct very well.
If anything else, it’s a reminder of the man who made so much of us laugh and even made us cry.
What do you think? Please comment.
Zane Says 