As a seasoned movie buff who has been around long enough to remember when VHS tapes were still a thing, I can’t help but feel a sense of nostalgia when reminiscing about some of my all-time favorite Christmas movies. Among them is none other than the delightful and heartwarming Elf, a gem that truly shines during the holiday season.
During the bustling holiday season, folks are enjoying timeless Christmas movies such as “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” “Miracle on 34th Street,” “Die Hard,” and more. Among the newer classics is “Elf,” the surprising 2003 film that gained popularity with Will Ferrell in the lead role, directed by Jon Favreau. It’s a movie filled with memorable lines and scenes that people still quote today. One particular scene, initially intended as a brief one-liner, became a favorite among fans. However, Favreau had to advocate for keeping it in the film after the producers wanted to remove it.
In the situation at hand, we’re referring to a humorous sequence where Buddy Elf (portrayed by Ferrell) is instructed by his father Walter (memorably played by James Caan) to hide in the mailroom. There, Buddy encounters “Mailroom Guy,” portrayed by the seasoned actor Mark Acheson, who appears older than expected. The interaction between Buddy and Mailroom Guy was initially intended to be brief, but it escalated into a riotously funny, chaotic situation. According to Acheson’s interview with People, he had only one line, “work release,” and that was all.
I phoned my representative who informed me, “Overhear this, they’re asking you to join Will Ferrell for a single line. Are you interested?” To which I responded affirmatively. Initially, I thought I’d just say “work release” and that would be it. However, the day turned out to be the most peculiar one I could ever envision.
Favreau often encourages improvisation among his actors, and this was particularly true during the filming of Elf. The director allowed Ferrell and Acheson to improvise a scene where Buddy and the Mailroom Guy consume syrup in coffee, but what they were actually drinking was whiskey. In the scene, they appear drunk, dancing on the mail sorting table, and are having a fantastic time. This resulted in one of the most memorable jokes in the movie.
The ‘Elf’ Quote That’s Gone Viral 20 Years Later
Following their mischief under the influence, Buddy and Mailroom Guy ended up sprawled out in two delivery carts. Mailroom Guy then remarked, “At 26, I’ve achieved nothing.” To this, Buddy responded, “You’re still quite young.” However, this line and scene were close to being cut by the producers, as per Acheson, who was 46 at the time and played a part in the joke. “I may have been older at 46, because I’ve never appeared young throughout my life.
Jon Favreau fought for it. He said, “That’s the joke, that’s the funny part, right?” He kept me in, but [the producers] didn’t want me, but he did, and thank God for me, because it changed my career quite a bit.
It’s a hilarious and classic moment in Elf that almost ended up on the cutting room floor until Favreau stepped in. And this was before he became one of the biggest directors in Hollywood thanks to Iron Man, which opened five years later. The quote went viral during Christmas 2023, when fans noticed just how old Mailroom Guy looked compared to being only “26 years old.” One fan quipped, “I can believe in an Elf from the North Pole. But no way in hell do I believe the guy on the left is 26. One of the biggest lies in movie history.”
Elf is streaming now on Hulu, Max, and other platforms.
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2024-12-21 03:32