NEED TO KNOW
The film’s director reveals the inspiration for Candy’s Gus Polinski character (which came from a different Candy character!)
John Candy: I Like Me premieres on Amazon Prime on October 10
What a difference a day makes.
It took less than 24 hours for John Candy to film his entire role in Home Alone.
In the new documentary John Candy: I Like Me, the film’s director recalls wanting The Great Outdoors star for the role of Gus Polinski in the Christmas film, but he knew Candy’s time was limited.
“I said it would be a dream come true to get John to do this role, and for some reason, he was only available for one day,” Home Alone Director Chris Columbus said in the documentary. “John came in, first hour, and said, ‘Take as much time as you need. It’s fine.’ And we took 23 hours.”
Candy’s character in Home Alone was inspired by one of his previous characters, Yosh Shmenge, a fictional polka player on Canadian television sketch comedy show SCTV. Columbus described Polinski as a “simple character.”
“Yet, [Candy] came to the set with an intense backstory in his head. I never heard about it. I got to learn about it in those 23 hours of shooting,” the director said.
As Polinski, Candy was the lead musician of the Kenosha Kickers and referred to himself as the “Polka King of the Midwest.” He was mainly paired with Catherine O’Hara for his scenes, some of which took place in the back of a van.
“We had this small stage in the van, and John just kept coming up with ideas,” O’Hara said in the documentary. “If you watch the movie, there’s very little of my improving, but John was so fun.”
Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty
Candy, who died at 43 after suffering a heart attack in 1994, didn’t film scenes with Macaulay Culkin in the film, but the two starred together in 1989’s Uncle Buck.
“I think he always had that really great instinct,” Culkin remembers in the new documentary.
The famous child actor went on to note about Candy, “I think he saw. Listen, even before the wave crested and the Home Alone stuff was happening, it was not hard to see how difficult my father was. It was no secret. He was already a monster.”
“All of a sudden, the fame and the money came, and he became an infamous monster,” Culkin continued. “He was already not a good guy. I think John was looking a little side-eyed, like, ‘Is everything alright over there? You doing good? Good day? Everything’s alright? Everything good at home? Alright.’ ”
Candy was a “paternal” presence, Culkin noted.
“It doesn’t happen that often. It actually happened less as time went on,” he says. “I wish I got more of that in my life. It’s important that I remember that. I remember John caring when not a lot of people did.”
John Candy: I Like Me premieres on Amazon Prime on October 10.
