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Pop Culture Rewind: The Addams Family (1991)

Chantelle Mackintosh rewinds back to the freaky and Gothic, yet endlessly charming nature of The Addams Family, especially Morticia and Gomez Addams, as they made their debut on the big screen!


Director Barry Sonnenfeld’s The Addams Family (1991) has been, by far, the most popular adaptation of The Addams Family. At least it was until Wednesday (2022), starring Jenna Ortega, hit our screens. The dark comedy film follows the story of Morticia Addams (Anjelica Huston) and Gomez Addams (Raul Julia), their two kids, Wednesday (Christina Ricci) and Pugsley (Jimmy Workman), who are visited by a con-man masquerading as Gomez’s long-lost brother, Uncle Fester (Christopher Lloyd). 


From bed-rotting to peculiar reading habits to including dogs on date night, everyone is asking “Is somebody gonna match my freak?” I can’t think of a better trend to relate to Mortica and Gomez Addams, the iconic freaky couple. 


So how does this kooky couple match each other's freak? Well, when don’t they?


Isn’t it ironic how the best example of a functional, loving relationship comes from a movie about a darkly unusual family? The entire family is countercultural, even in ways we don't want to admit. The parents are devoted to each other and heavily romantically involved, even after having two kids. They went on a second honeymoon (because one isn’t enough) and enjoy each other's company. They have a genuine interest in their kids' hobbies and school activities, even if they don’t fully understand them. The creepy manor and Gothic clothing only serves as a visual stimuli for their oddness. 


They’re constantly falling in love with each other over and over again. Gomez forgets to blink while looking at Morticia. He only has eyes for her. She is his world. Sure, he loves his kids but there is not a love in the world that holds a candle to his love for Morticia. He is infatuated with her very existence. And this goes both ways! While Morticia is not as flamboyant as Gomez, she has her own ways of expressing her desire. She uses macabre expressions to express her endless love for Gomez, in this life and the next, "Our lifeless bodies rotting together for all eternity." She never hides her true feelings. His compliments aren't all attempts to get in her pants (or rather her tailored black gown).


They can hardly handle being away from each other. They are constantly pressed up against each other and practically sitting on top of each other at every opportunity. They have a giant luxurious couch and yet in every scene they choose to sit right next to each other. In constant contrast to their neighbours, the Alfords who sit a small distance away from each other. Their need to be physically close pays homage to their readiness to give the other attention, comfort or whatever else is required at the drop of a hat. 


They see each other, immediately noticing when the other is upset. When Gomez is fretting over his last conversation with his missing brother, Morticia coaches him through his worries, validating his concerns. Her attention, solely on him. “Don’t torture yourself, Gomez. That's my job.” Torturing is a bad thing, right? Not for these two. They just have strange ways of expressing themselves. That’s all! The absolute hold they have over each other is both supportive and comforting, despite the seemingly harsh nature of their exchanges. 


Another thing they do well is communicate. No miscommunication trope here! This is paired with the couple's absolute respect and care for the other's boundaries, “Last night you were… unhinged. You were like some desperate howling demon. You frightened me. Do it again.” Somehow, Morticia manages to use abusive imagery to emphasise her love for Gomez. A massive paradox! While they are in tune for most of the film, Gomez is slow to understand her jest here, as his primary concern is that he has betrayed her. His smile drops as he moves carefully towards her. You can see regret forming in his eyes, an apology on the tip of his tongue. After he is reassured he has not crossed her boundaries, he reverts back to his usual irresistible charm. 


Sure, I will admit they have some help. Coming from a large family with millions in wealth is enough to enable most happy relationships. But money doesn't buy happiness and it certainly doesn't buy love. Gomez’s only job is as a businessman, which is really code for buying random kooky companies as an investment. They spend so much time together because they both don’t have to work a nine-to-five and do the housekeeping. They’re free to do what they want without the worry of falling behind on bills and loans. 


This weird yet utterly bewitching couple is the height of matching another’s freak. It’s them against the world, and they’re prepared to go down in the freakiest, most fashionable way.







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