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Richie Rich's Christmas Wish is a 1998 direct-to-video Christmas film based on the Richie Rich comic books, and a sequel to the 1994 film based on said comics. It was released by Warner Home Video, who originally distributed it for the Family Entertainment label, and starred David Gallagher as the title character. It was aired annually during the annual 25 Days of Christmas event on Fox Family and later Freeform from 1999 onwards. Its plot is very similar to that of It's a Wonderful Life. Although the characters were created for Harvey Comics (which is owned by Comcast), the rights for this film and Casper Meets Wendy are currently reserved by BVS Entertainment, on behalf of Disney.

Synopsis[]

It's Christmas Eve and Richie Rich, the world's richest kid, is all excited to spend the day with his friends. While racing wildly with them in the snow, his butler, Cadbury, controls the cars using a remote and guides everyone back to Richie's house. He then reminds him about his responsibilities that are due to be executed on Christmas Eve, and instructs him to change his clothes and get ready for tea. Before going to do so, he visits his home scientist, Professor Keanbean, who shows him his recent invention, a wishing machine which works only on Christmas Eve. The day being that, he wishes for a "Big Pie", and is gifted with a "Pig Sty" instead. Cadbury is disgusted seeing this, and sends him off to change his clothes. Richie meets his parents, Richard and Regina, to ask what they would like to have for a Christmas present. While with them, he also tries out Richard's new fishing rod that Keanbean invented, which hooks on to a tuna sandwich in the vicinity. He then goes on to change his clothes.

During tea, Richie meets his spoiled cousin, Reggie Van Dough, who wishes that he was as rich as Richie. Later, he dresses up like an elf and Cadbury dresses up like Santa Claus, to distribute a sleigh full of Christmas presents to the orphanage run by the Rich family. While getting ready, Cadbury tells Richie about how he was a rock star in his youth days, in a band called Root Canal. When they take off in the sleigh with Richie driving it, Reggie takes control of it using a remote control invented by Keanbean. He guides it through streets by shops, houses, and people, thus nearly destroying everything in the whole process. Richie and Cadbury end up in an accident in which the sleigh falls and literally explodes along with the presents, while Cadbury hurts his knee badly. Richie runs off to fetch help, but once he enters the city, he sees that the situation has changed dramatically. Reggie is cooking up rumors about him, and all the people have turned against him.

Devastated, Richie goes into Keanbean's laboratory and squats in front of the wishing machine. While fretting over his ill luck, he accidentally wishes that he was never born. The machine at once grants his wish, following which he is transported to another world in which he was never born and nobody recognizes him. Reggie has taken over as Richard and Regina's son, and is now the richest kid in the world. He bosses around everyone, and roads and buildings are named after him. Nobody is happy, and hunger and misery are seen all over. This makes Richie realize that things would not be better if he was never born, and decides to go back to the world in which he exists.

Though Richard and Regina do not recognize him anymore, he is happy that his dog, Dollar, does. He takes Dollar with him, only to enrage Reggie, who is his current owner. Reggie orders the police to search for Richie, who is falsely called the "dognapper", and also announces a reward for catching him. After outsmarting various policemen who try but fail to do so, he finds Cadbury, who is still part of Root Canal, and Keanbean, who runs his own laboratory called "Keanbean's World of Wonders". Richie questions him about the wishing machine, which he says, requires a Pegliasaurus wishing bone in order to be complete. Along with his friends who decide to help him, he goes to the city museum to retrieve the bone from the dinosaur skeleton. After passing through laser detection systems successfully, they get it, using Keanbean's fishing rod. Before they get out of the museum, Richie and his friends spot Mr. and Mrs. Van Dough, who are now working as night guards there.

Once they reach the lab, they get the machine to work properly. However, before Richie could wish himself back, Reggie arrives there with a bunch of policemen. Richie, Cadbury, Keanbean, and Richie's friends are put in jail, while Reggie takes the machine home. There, he wishes he can fly, and then when his robotic servant maid accidentally turns off the machine, tries to make a wish again. When it does not work the second time, Reggie leaves the room in a huff, and goes to sleep. In the jail cell, everyone is set free by Dollar. They all rush to Reggie's house, and while he is still sleeping, Richie tries to wish himself back. However, they find that the machine is no longer working, as Reggie had kicked it in anger earlier. While Keanbean is fixing it, Reggie wakes up and comes flying, only to be attacked by Richie and his friends. They defeat him and everyone quits working for him, with the police chief refusing to do so for someone who would cancel Christmas. After that, the machine starts working again, and Richie wishes himself back.

Richie sets right all the things that had gone wrong since his vanishing act, and is now much more grateful to be alive. As everyone is glad to have him back, they gather around the Christmas tree and sing.

Music[]

The background music in some scenes (like the bone being taken out of the wishing machine by Dollar and the characters standing in front of Keanbean's shop) was later used in Fox Kids' English version of Digimon: Digital Monsters.

Songs[]

  • "My Way" - Cash Cow
  • "Coffin of Nails" - Paul Gordon

Home media releases[]

Location shots[]

  • The Langham Huntington Hotel and Spa in Pasadena, California, was used for exterior scenes of the sprawling Rich Family mansion.
  • The interior lobby and vault of the disused (currency exchange) Valuta Bank building in downtown Los Angeles was used for the scene in which Richie traps the pursuing Rich security guards (this bank was later used for the bank robbery scene in Spider-Man 2).
  • Colonial Street at Universal City, previously used in The Munsters, Leave it to Beaver, and The 'Burbs, is also featured.

Deleted scenes and edits[]

The television version includes two additional scenes:

  • Someone knocks at the door which Sgt. Mooney would put a hole in later. A maid answers and it's a delivery man. She says "Oh, another one!" After she closes the door and puts the package down, Richie gets out of it. Now we know how he got in, and we know what present it was that Reggie says he found torn open.
  • After Richie finds Richard and Regina at the orphanage, instead of going to outside the mansion, we go inside where they, Cadbury, Keenbeen and Mrs. Peabody are sitting by the fire. Richie come up and gives them each a present. Mr and Mrs. Van Dough appear with Reggie, who is forced to apologize to Richie for making the sleigh wreck. Mrs. Van Dough says, "Kids, you know. You never know what they'll do." Richie gives them presents as well and Keenbean tells everybody to listen. He can hear people singing outside. They all retreat outdoors, and the scene continues from there.
  • Additionally, the 1998 UK video release removes the sight of a boy smashing a vehicle door into a pursuing guard to secure the BBFC's "U" rating.

Cast[]

Actor/actress Character(s)
David Gallagher Richie Rich
Eugene Levy Prof. Keenbean
Keene Curtis Cadbury
Jake Richardson Reggie Van Dough
Martin Mull Mr. Rich
Lesley Ann Warren Mrs. Rich
Richard Fancy Mr. Van Dough
Marla Maples Mrs. Van Dough
Michelle Trachtenberg Gloria Glad
Blake Jeremy Collins Freckles
Austin Stout Pee Wee
Kathleen Freeman Miss Peabody
Richard Riehle Sgt. Mooney
Don McLeod Irona/Evil Irona
Billy Burnette Nigel
Robert Hart Mick
Rex Smith Rudy
Candi & Randi Brough Verva Twins
Jim Jackman Shorty
John Crane Slim
Lacey Taylor Robbins Caitlin
Lex Robbins Alex
Alfred Atienza Cappy
Cody Weselis Billy
Christopher Boyer Hudson
Steven Cole Cragg Jeeves
Michael James McDonald Montgomery
Amy Kidd Cynthia
Julianna Lavin Sitcom Mom
Michael Bonnabel Sitcom Dad
Sue Ellen Enright TV Reporter
Ken Hanes Anchorman
Tawny Fere Ellis Neighbor
Jennifer Judith Joyce Servant
Rick Dean Smart Bystander
Ken Odom Angry Bystander
Preston Ahearn Dismayed Bystander
Sharon Meyers Pretty Bystandet
Manny Fernandez Salvation Army Guy
Peter Clark Fast Shopper
Jennifer Shami Slow Shopper
Larry Robbins Jolly Santa
Patricia Elliott Hazel
Janet Woods Bank Teller
Tommy Woods Smart Kid
Jotona Season Happy Kid
Nezben Reason Good Looking Kid
Robert Peters Hungry Officer
Dan Fisher Chief Officer
Joe Torrenueva Prison Guard
Chrystina Worth Driver
Shorty (Dog) Dollar
Uncredited
Rachel Duhame Kid (near miss car hit)
Mary Ann Schmidt Lab Scientist

See also[]

External links[]

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Television episodes Power Rangers Alpha's Magical Christmas • "I'm Dreaming of a White Ranger" • "A Season to Remember" • "Christmas Together, Friends Forever" • "Stuck On Christmas" • "The Robo Knight Before Christmas" • "Race to Rescue Christmas" • "Here Comes Heximas!" • "Past, Presents and Future" • "The Poisy Show" • "Scrozzle's Revenge"
Digimon "A Very Digi Christmas" • "Christmas Fantasy"
Other shows "Have Yourself a Morlock Little X-Mas" • "Santa's Secret Trooper" • "Ferbus' First Christmas" • "Christmas Bells and Phasm's Spells" • "Christmas with the Addams Family"
Movies The Christmas ListRichie Rich's Christmas Wish
Christmas Specials Based on Comic Books
DC Comics "Cool, Cruel Christmas Caper" • Batman Returns • "Christmas With the Joker" • "Season's Greedings" • "Home is Where the Hurt is" • "Twas the Night Before Mxymas" • "Holiday Knights" • "Frozen Out" • "Comfort and Joy" • "Lexmas" • "Gemini" • "Storybook Holiday" • "Invasion of the Secret Santas!" • "Second Christmas" • "The True Meaning of Christmas" • "Halloween v Christmas" • "Teen Titans Save Christmas" • "It's a Superful Life" • "Fortress of Solidarity" • "Super Gift Swap" • Shazam! • "Beast Boy on a Shelf" • "Christmas Crusaders • "A Holiday Story"
Marvel "Have Yourself a Morlock Little X-Mas" • "Reinforcement" • Iron Man 3 • "Nightmare on Christmas" • "It's a Wonderful Smash" • Marvel Super Hero Adventures: Frost Fight! • "Jingle Bell Rock" • "The Moon Knight Before Christmas" • "The Present" • "A Very Spidey Christmas" • Spider-Man: No Way Home • "Halted Holiday" / "Merry Spidey Christmas" • The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
Archie "A Girl and Her Cat" • "Sabrina Claus" • "Christmas Amnesia" • "Sabrina, Nipping at Your Nose" • "The Christmas Phantom" • "Witchmas Carole" • "Sabrina's Perfect Christmas" • "It's a Hot, Hot, Hot, Hot Christmas" • "Chapter Twenty-Two: Silent Night, Deadly Night"
Other companies The Smurfs' Christmas Special • "Baby's First Christmas" • 'Tis the Season to Be SmurfyWe Wish You a Turtle Christmas • "Santa Mask" • "The Tick Loves Santa!" • "The Black Christmas Syndrome" • Richie Rich's Christmas Wish • "The Christmas Aliens" • Gotta Catch Santa ClausThe Smurfs: A Christmas Carol • "The Christmas Star" • O Holy Knight!
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