Classic Movie Pick: ‘What About Bob?’ Is A Funny Look at Mental Health

With this week’s serious topic of mental health, what better way to deal than to have a few laughs about the subject? This week’s classic movie pic takes us back to 1991, where two actors at the top of their game square off in the film “What About Bob?” 

Bob Wiley, played hilariously by Bill Murray, is a New Yorker who suffers from multiple phobias. Incessantly distressed, Bob is a handful for any therapist, and as a result, drives one of them out of the business completely. On the way out the door, the exhausted counselor refers Bob to another therapist – Dr. Leo Marvin, played by Richard Dreyfuss.

Marvin is egotistical and has a new book coming out called “Baby Steps” that he feels will immortalize him in his field. Just after getting to know each other, Marvin tells Bob he is going on vacation for a month with his family, giving Bob a serious case of separation anxiety. After badgering Dr. Marvin’s answering service but getting nowhere, Bob poses as a detective investigating the suicide of none other than Bob Wiley.

His plan works, and much to the dismay of Dr. Marvin, Bob shows up in the same New Hampshire town. Leo tries to negotiate with Bob, but Bob gets an assist in tracking down Leo thanks to local coffee shop owners who were outbid for the lake house by the arrogant Dr. Marvin. For retribution, the coffee shop owners escort Bob right to Leo’s lake house doorstep. Bob meets Marvin’s family and endears himself to them with his quirky eccentricities. Leo’s family is charmed by Bob as their patriarch slowly sinks into madness to the point where he steals explosives and straps Bob to a chair in the woods, calling it death therapy.

There was lots of on-set drama during the filming of this comedy. There were some bad feelings between the two lead actors all throughout filming. Dreyfus called his experience on “What About Bob?” terribly unpleasant, saying he and Murray did not get along at all.   

Legend has it things got so bad between Murray and Dreyfus that Murray had a meltdown on the set that was so explosive the entire cast and crew left the set and flew back to Los Angeles. Dreyfus even said Murray threatened to get violent with him right before the crew walked off. Filming finally resumed after Disney hired bodyguards to keep both Murray and Dreyfuss apart. Richard Dreyfuss says to this day he doesn’t like Murray, but that Bill Murray does make him laugh even now. 

Director Frank Oz said he took the gig because his pal Jim Hanson had recently passed away and thought working on a comedy would be therapeutic. Oz has put together one of the most unique and interesting resumes in all of show business over the course of his long career. He was the puppeteer and voice of Yoda in the “Star Wars” films. He worked on the show “Sesame Street” for over a decade where he voiced the beloved characters of Burt, Grover, and Cookie Monster.

He has also voiced numerous characters in more recent movies, like “Inside Out” and, in addition to “What About Bob?”, has directed films like “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,” “In and Out,” “Bowfinger,” and of course, the classic “The Muppets Take Manhattan.” Oz has said in later years that working with Dreyfus and Murray was very difficult, and also said Murray had issues with producer Laura Ziskin. At one point, Murray actually threw Ziskin in a lake after a disagreement. Ziskin, while acknowledging she was thrown in a lake said it was in a playful manner… but still. Ziskin also says the drama on the set went above and beyond that of other film sets, and it was not normal. 

So check out this film in which Bill Murray says he drove Richard Dreyfuss nuts, and Dreyfus encouraged Murray to drive him nuts because it worked, resulting in some really big laughs. “What About Bob?” is this week’s classic pic. 

Editor’s note: For more movie and entertainment talk, join host Pete Schwaba weeknights from 6 to 8 p.m. for “Nite Lite” on the Civic Media radio network.