About 'Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead'

'Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead' is a 1991 coming-of-age comedy film directed by Stephen Herek. The movie follows five siblings left alone all summer when their mom leaves town, and the evil babysitter bites the dust. It instills in viewers a balance between hilarious hijinks and challenging adulthood tasks combined with an engaging storyline that keeps viewers hooked till the very end.

Detailed Plot and Summary

When their mother leaves for a two-month trip to Australia, she hires the elderly Mrs. Sturak as a babysitter for the five Crandell children. However, Mrs. Sturak dies early in her tenure, leading the eldest child, Sue Ellen, to fake a resume to get a job at a fashion company and maintain the household. She has to maintain her professional life, keep her siblings in check, ensure nobody finds out they have no actual adult supervision, and hide the fact that their elderly caretaker is no more.

Making / Production

The film was produced by Cinema Plus, HBO, and Outlaw Productions and distributed by Warner Bros. Stephen Herek, renowned for his work in films like '101 Dalmatians' and 'Mr. Holland's Opus,' directed the film, with Neil Landau and Tara Ison writing the screenplay.

Actors

• Christina Applegate as Sue Ellen Crandell: Applegate delivered an exceptional performance portraying the sudden transition from a carefree teenager to a responsible adult.
• Keith Coogan as Kenny Crandell: Coogan convincingly played the role of a seemingly lazy older brother, who eventually steps up to help his sister maintain the house.
• Concetta Tomei as Mom: Tomei convincingly played the oblivious mother unaware of the chaotic adventure her children are having.
• Eda Reiss Merin as Mrs. Sturak: Merin's portrayal of the strict and sinister babysitter was memorable despite her brief role in the film.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The fashion show clothes are from the Summer 1990 collection of the designer Betsy Johnson.
• This was Robin Peterson’s last role in films.
• The drag queen in the movie is a Los Angeles performer called The Goddess.

Quotes

• "The dishes are done, man" - Kenny
• "I'm right on top of that, Rose!" - Sue Ellen

Music, Soundtrack

• "Viva La Vogue" by Army of Lovers
• "Chains" by Lorraine Lewis
• "What She Don't Know" by Flame