''Bare Essentials'' is a 1991 American

made-for-television A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...

starring

Gregory Harrison Gregory Neale Harrison (born May 31, 1950) is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Chandler in the 1987 film ''North Shore (1987 film), North Shore'', as Dr. George Alonzo "Gonzo" Gates, the young surgeon assistant of Dr. Trapper John ...

Mark Linn-Baker Mark Linn-Baker (born June 17, 1954) is an American actor and director who played Benjy Stone in the film ''My Favorite Year'' and Larry Appleton in the television sitcom '' Perfect Strangers''. Early life and education Mark Linn-Baker was bor ...

and

Lisa Hartman Lisa Hartman Black is an American actress and singer. Career After some minor television appearances, Hartman starred on the short-lived ''Bewitched'' spin-off, ''Tabitha'' during 1977–78. She subsequently appeared frequently on television in ...

. It was directed by

Martha Coolidge Martha Coolidge (born August 17, 1946) is an American film director and former President of the Directors Guild of America. She has directed such films as ''Valley Girl'', ''Real Genius'' and '' Rambling Rose''. Early life Coolidge was born in N ...

and written by Allen Estrin and Mark Estrin.

Plot

Gordon (Linn-Baker) and Sydney (Hartman) are both hard-working, over-stressed, and engaged and decide to take a short cruise. However, they end up getting lost and stranded on an island named Luhana. While there, they meet an American named Bill (Harrison) who has lived on the island for 3 years and also owns it. Eventually Sydney starts to fall for Bill. They take walks together and swim in the ocean. They wind up having sex under water. Meanwhile, Gordon's laid up since hurting his back after chopping down a palm tree to make a boat out of. Gordon meets Tarita who turns out to be Bill's girlfriend. When Sydney finds out, she's furious. The two couples end up playing Monopoly like they're at war. Gordon is falling for Tarita, who gave him a massage earlier which cured his back. Eventually, the couples switch partners for the better. But then, Sydney finds out that Bill has been hiding on the island because he's wanted for insider trading. She decides to turn him in to the police who eventually show up to rescue her and Gordon. She then decides not to, as she's grown very fond of him. She and Gordon start to head back home. But Gordon then jumps ship and swims back to Tarita. Sydney returns to New York, but realizes she misses Bill. She gets on a ferry to take her back to the island. Bill surprises her by showing up on the ferry, clean shaven and wearing a suit, to return to his old life in the city. He tells her he was framed and that his case has been settled. Gordon now owns Luhana. Sydney and Bill kiss as the movie ends.

Cast

as Bill Buzell *

as Gordon Perkins *

as Sydney Wayne *

Charlotte Lewis Charlotte Lewis (born 7 August 1967) is an English actress. Early life Lewis attended Bishop Douglass School in Finchley. Her mother is Irish-English, while her father—a doctor whom she never met—is half-Chilean and half-Iraqi. Career Le ...

as Tarita

Reception

In a contemporary review, ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' described the film as "mildly diverting" and that director

"does a crisp job with what's she's got, though writers

Allen Estrin Allen Estrin (born June 20, 1954) is an American screenwriter, producer, director, and author. He is known for screenwriting with his late brother Mark Estrin, co-writing a novel with Joseph Telushkin, and his current work with Dennis Prager. W ...

and Mark Estrin don't offer much help with the repartee." The

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...

panned it as having a "Clothing-Thin Plot".

References

Footnotes

Sources

External links

*{{IMDb title, 0101409 1991 television films 1991 films 1991 romantic comedy films American romantic comedy films Films set on islands CBS films Films directed by Martha Coolidge Republic Pictures films 1990s American films 1990s English-language films