Overboard

This hilarious and touching romantic comedy recalls the integrated plotting and sophisticated dialogue of '30s Hollywood. Spoiled heiress Joanna (Hawn) and her husband (Herrmann) sail their luxury yacht into a tiny Oregon fishing village to effect some repairs. Joanna hires hunky local carpenter Dean Proffitt (Russell) to fit some cupboards, but when his handiwork fails to satisfy, tosses him overboard and sails away. Shortly after, Joanna herself falls overboard and lands in hospital with amnesia. Seizing his chance, Dean claims the rich bitch as his lost wife, mother to four uncontrollable kids. Russell is excellent as overgrown kid Dean; Hawn gives her best performance to date as the hapless heiress turned gutsy wife and mother (the kids aren't just cutely naughty, they're truly obnoxious); and Marshall's faultless timing makes the most of Leslie Dixon's neatly contrived situations and snappy dialogue.