Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985)
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A childlike man embarks on a cross-country journey to recover his stolen, highly accessorized bicycle.
The story
Pee-wee Herman, a childlike man in a grey suit with a red bow-tie, has a cherished, heavily accessorized bicycle. When his bike is stolen, he embarks on a quest to find it, leading him through various locations and encounters. He faces off against his neighbor, Francis, who claims he didn't steal it, and eventually finds himself traveling toward Texas. Along the way, he meets various people, including a waitress with dreams of Paris and a fugitive convict, all while trying to track down his missing property in a series of whimsical situations.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After his prized bicycle is stolen, Pee-wee Herman travels toward San Antonio, Texas, following a psychic's lead. He encounters a waitress named Simone and a fugitive named Mickey, and eventually finds himself at the Alamo. After a series of mishaps, including a chase by a man named Andy and a stint in a biker bar, Pee-wee discovers his bike is being used as a prop in a film at Warner Bros. Studios. He sneaks into the studio, rescues animals from a burning pet shop, and eventually negotiates the return of his bike from the studio president. He then watches a parody film based on his journey, where he is portrayed as a hero, and ultimately decides to leave with Dottie, his friend from the bike shop.
- First release year
- 1985
- Runtime (minutes)
- 91
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Tim Burton
- Writers
- Phil Hartman · writer; Paul Reubens · writer; Michael Varhol · writer
- Cast and characters
- Paul Reubens · Pee-wee Herman; Elizabeth Daily · Dottie; Mark Holton · Francis; Diane Salinger · Simone; Judd Omen · Mickey
- Genres
- adventure; comedy
- Themes
- pursuit of dreams; adventure
- Tone and mood
- whimsical; surreal
- Premise and plot tags
- road movie; parody
- Source material / true-story basis
- The Pee-wee Herman Show
- Franchise connections
- Pee-wee Herman
- Reception
- The film was well-received upon release, becoming a cult classic with positive feedback for its silliness and unique style.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 78% · scale: percentage · review count: 116; Metacritic · score: 47 · scale: 100 · review count: 14
- Awards and nominations
- Young Artist Award · Best Family Motion Picture (Comedy or Musical) · Nomination
- Production trivia
- Tim Burton made his feature-film directorial debut with this movie.; The film features a cameo by the band Twisted Sister.; The film was inspired by the 1948 Italian classic Bicycle Thieves.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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