[MG25] Family Portrait

Family Portrait                                        Written by Matt Groening
===============================================================================
[$Id: mg25 1.2 92/07/12 13:21:39 raymond Exp Locker: raymond $]
===============================================================================
> Didja notice...
===============================================================================
    Voice credits:
        YEARDLEY SMITH as Lisa
        NANCY CARTWRIGHT as Bart

    Animation producer was Margot Pipkin.
    Animators were Wesley Archer and David Silverman.

    ... Julie Kavner doesn't appear in the entire episode?  She's
        not even listed in the title credits.
    ... the mouse hole in the wall?  There's also a picture of Grampa.

===============================================================================
> Assorted comments and observations
===============================================================================
Brian Howard {bh} gives the timing for this short as 1:10 which means
that nothing was cut for syndication.

===============================================================================
> Quotes and scene summary
===============================================================================
% H = Homer, M = Marge, B = Bart, L = Lisa
%
% The living room.  Marge sits on a chair and knits.  Bart plays with a
% punching bag, Lisa spanks a rabbit doll (which goes ``squeak'' at each
% spank), Maggie toys with a rattle.  And Homer stands behind a genuinely
% ancient camera, the kind with an accordion lens and a <huge> flash.

H: Come on everybody, it's time for the family portrait!

% Nobody pays any attention.

H: Let's bunch together now.  Here we go!

% Nobody pays any attention.

H: Move it!

% The rest of the family zip into position.  From left to right, Bart,
% Lisa, Marge and Maggie.  Marge has one arm on each of the girl's shoulders.

H: Perfecto.  Everybody smile.

% They do, to an extreme.  (Including Maggie, who smiles through her
% pacifier.)

H: I'm going to set the automatic timer.

% Homer sets the timer and rushes to get into the picture just as the flash
% goes off.  Bart has been pushed out of the frame (only his arm is showing),
% Lisa and Maggie have been separated from their mother, and Homer stands
% directly in front of Marge, creating a four-armed creature with Homer's
% face and Marge's hair.
%
% [End of Act One.  Time: 0:19]
%
% The family wait impatiently.  This time, they've left a space for
% Homer to stand in.

H: [o.s.] Almost ready.  Here we go.
B: Let's get the show on the road, man.
   We've got things to do.
L: Yeah, Dad.

% Homer sets the camera timer.

H: Okay, here we go.
L: Make room for Jumbo...

% ... and joins the family between Lisa and Marge.
% They all smile.  Marge and Maggie smile without showing their teeth.

H: [through his teeth] What'd you say?
L: [through her teeth] Nuthin'.
H: [through his teeth] All right, everybody.  Squeeze in real tight.

% They squeeze together.  Marge shows some cleavage.

H: [through his teeth] I want us all to get us all in the picture this time.
   Closer.

% They squeeze in even more tightly, and everybody shows their teeth.
% Bart folds his arms and leans in from the left.  Maggie and Lisa move
% in front.  Marge puts her arm around Homer.

H: [through his teeth] Closer!

% Just has he pulls everyone in tighter, the flash goes off.
% The family are mushed together into a jumble that would make Picasso
% proud, with eyes, noses, mouths, and arms all over the place.
%
% [End of Act Two.  Time: 0:39]
%
% Third time's a charm.  Or so they say.  Marge is visibly tired.

H: Okay, hold still.  This is the last picture on the roll.
B: [tired, rolls his eyes] Praise the Lord.
H: Watch your mouth, you little smart-ass.

% Homer peers into the viewfinder and focuses on Bart sticking out his
% tongue.

L: Yeah, Bart.

% Homer looks up at Bart, who has since put on an innocent face.  Homer
% scowls, then brightens.

H: Nothing's going to ruin this one.

% Homer sets the timer.

H: The timer's a-tickin'!

% Homer joins the family.  Bart makes a weird face.

L: [tattling] Bart's making faces, Dad.
H: Bart!

% Bart's face quickly returns to normal.  Everybody smiles a toothy smile,
% including Maggie.  Marge's half-closed eyes slowly droop.

H: [through his teeth] This one's going to be the Simpsons at our finest.
   Smile.  Look cheerful.  Here we go...

% Bart resumes making faces.

H: [through his teeth] Here we go...

% The faces get weirder.

H: [through his teeth] Here we go...

% And weirder.

H: [through his teeth] Why you little...!

% As the picture is taken, Homer lunges for Bart.  The Simpsons Family
% Portrait consists of Homer strangling Bart, Lisa and Maggie making
% faces at the camera, and Marge asleep.
%
% [End of Act Three.  Time: 1:10]
===============================================================================
Shorts summaries Copyright 1992 by Raymond Chen.  Not to be redistributed
in a public forum without permission.  (The quotes themselves, of course,
remain the property of The Tracey Ullman Show, and the reproduced articles
remain the property of the original authors.  I'm just taking credit for the
compilation.)