| "The Curse of Mr. Bean" | |
|---|---|
| Mr. Bean episode | |
| Episode no. | Episode 3 |
| Directed by | John Howard Davies |
| Written by | |
| Original air date | 30 December 1990 |
| Running time | 24:31 |
| Guest appearances | |
"The Curse of Mr. Bean" is the third episode of the British television series Mr. Bean , produced by Tiger Television for Thames Television. It was first broadcast on ITV on 30 December 1990 [1] and was watched by 13.8 million viewers during its original transmission. It won the 1991 International Emmy Award for Outstanding Popular Arts Programme.
Mr. Bean visits a swimming pool and parks in the adjacent car park. After being admonished by a lifeguard for using a children's slide, he decides to jump off the high diving board, but is overcome with fear upon realising its height. As two boys watch, Bean tries to climb off the edge of the board. When he is dangling by one hand, one of the boys stomps on his fingers, sending him plunging into the pool. The force of the fall rips off his swimming trunks, and a girl at the poolside steals them just as the lifeguard orders everyone to leave. While trying to reach the changing room in his state of undress, Bean accidentally exposes himself to a girl’s swimming team. [2]
Back in the car park, Bean finds that he must pay £16 to leave. To evade the fee, he pushes a rubbish bin into the entrance, tricking the ticket machine into dispensing a ticket that will lift the gate. As Bean moves the bin out of the way and begins to drive out, another vehicle drives in, forcing him to reverse. He then notices the blue Reliant approaching the entrance. As the driver takes a ticket and the gate opens, Bean accelerates towards the Reliant, forcing it out of his path and causing it to overturn.
While having lunch in a park, Bean prepares his own sandwich and tea using an array of unconventional methods and tools (e.g. scissors for bread, a credit card for butter, his sock to dry lettuce and a hot water bottle for tea). However, when he attempts to eat, the pepper-laden handkerchief he uses as a napkin causes him to sneeze, resulting in him dropping his sandwich and spraying tea everywhere. Witnessing the disaster, a man nearby offers Bean half of his own sandwich, which Bean accepts.
Later, Bean takes his girlfriend, Irma Gobb, to the cinema to see A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child . Before the film starts, Bean playfully scares Irma, but as the film progresses, he becomes increasingly frightened himself. He pulls his sweater over his head, causing Irma to think he has been beheaded. Finally, Bean resorts to using popcorn as makeshift earplugs and blocking his view with the popcorn container. When the film is over, Bean, unaware that Irma has her coat draped over her shoulders, finds her coat sleeve empty and the two scream.
The swimming pool sequence was filmed at the Hayes Pool and Fitness Centre, which was demolished in 2012[ citation needed ] with the car park sequences at the Heathrow Bowling car park and the short traffic lights scene in Twickenham at the junction of Staines Road, Hospital Bridge Road and Sixth Cross Road.[ citation needed ]
This was the last episode to be produced with OB videotape for exterior scenes utilising OB7, a two-camera unit designated for drama and light entertainment shows by Thames. Studio sequences were recorded before a live audience at Thames Television's Teddington Studios. This also marked the first appearance of Bean's 1977 Leyland Mini 1000.
The Curse of Mr. Bean went onto win the 1991 International Emmy Award for Outstanding Popular Arts Programme. [3] [4]
The remastered version of the episode replaces the original black and white opening title with the standard "street" version.
In The Curse of Mr. Bean he chickens out on a high dive, tries to eat a sandwich at a park bench and takes a date to a horror movie. In Mr. Bean Goes to Town he has his camera stolen in a park, he loses a shoe and tries to chase after it on one ...