An Unlikely Director for a Risky Film
By the time Penny Marshall signed on to direct 'Big,' the project was already facing an uphill battle. The concept of a kid suddenly inhabiting an adult body was a hot trend in Hollywood, with several similar scripts circulating. Many A-list directors,
including Steven Spielberg, had already passed on the project. Marshall, then best known for her iconic role as Laverne DeFazio in the sitcom 'Laverne & Shirley,' had just completed her directorial debut with 'Jumpin' Jack Flash,' a film she took over after the original director was fired. Her reputation was that of a reliable professional who could get the job done, but she wasn't yet seen as a visionary filmmaker. She herself was famously self-deprecating about her skills, often expressing insecurity about her decisions to producers. Yet, she saw something special in the script for 'Big'—a heartfelt story that stood apart from the more gimmicky body-swap comedies in development.
The Fight for a Bittersweet Finale
The central conflict between Marshall and 20th Century Fox came down to the film’s final moments. The script, co-written by Anne Spielberg and Gary Ross, always ended with Josh Baskin (Tom Hanks) choosing to return to his childhood, leaving his adult girlfriend, Susan (Elizabeth Perkins), behind. It was a poignant, bittersweet conclusion that honored the film's theme of preserving the innocence of youth. The studio, however, got cold feet. Executives pushed for a more conventionally 'happy' ending where Susan would use the Zoltar machine to become a child and join Josh in middle school. Marshall, backed by producer and Hollywood heavyweight James L. Brooks, firmly resisted. They argued that such an ending would betray the film's emotional logic. As Marshall later explained, the questions were endless: What would Susan tell her parents? Would their romance continue in junior high? It simply didn't make sense for the characters or the story they had so carefully built.
Winning the Argument by Proving It
Despite the studio's insistence, Marshall held her ground. Her vision was that 'Big' was not just a comedy but a story with genuine heart, and the ending was crucial to that emotional payoff. While an alternate ending where Susan becomes a kid was discussed, it was never filmed. The debate has since become a source of cinematic folklore, with many viewers insisting they remember seeing Susan as a young girl in Josh's classroom at the end—a classic example of the Mandela Effect, where a large group of people misremembers an event. The reality is that Marshall and Brooks won the argument by sticking to their creative instincts. The power of the film's conclusion, where Susan watches the 13-year-old Josh walk away, proved to be one of its most enduring and impactful moments. It was a victory for storytelling integrity over commercial anxiety.
The $100 Million Breakthrough
The studio’s fears proved to be entirely unfounded. Released in the summer of 1988, 'Big' was a massive critical and commercial success. It grossed over $151 million worldwide on an $18 million budget, cementing Tom Hanks as a bona fide movie star and earning him his first Academy Award nomination. More significantly, the film’s success marked a historic milestone: Penny Marshall became the first female director in history whose film grossed more than $100 million at the U.S. box office. This achievement shattered industry barriers and challenged the long-held, male-dominated assumptions about what kind of films women could direct and what audiences wanted to see. While Marshall herself often downplayed her trailblazing status, the success of 'Big' undeniably changed the landscape, proving that a female director could helm a universally beloved blockbuster.
