Addams Family Values
Siblings Wednesday and Pugsley Addams will stop at nothing to get rid of Pubert, the new baby boy adored by parents Gomez and Morticia. Things go from bad to worse when the new "black widow" nanny, Debbie Jellinsky, launches her plan to add Fester to her collection of dead husbands.
Working with a respectable budget of $47.0M, the film achieved a modest success with $48.9M in global revenue (+4% profit margin).
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Addams Family Values (1993) exemplifies meticulously timed narrative design, characteristic of Barry Sonnenfeld's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 34 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.5, the film showcases strong structural fundamentals.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Wednesday Addams
Debbie Jellinsky
Morticia Addams
Gomez Addams
Uncle Fester
Pugsley Addams
Grandmama
Joel Glicker
Main Cast & Characters
Wednesday Addams
Played by Christina Ricci
The darkly intelligent eldest child who becomes a reluctant camp participant and leads a rebellion against forced conformity.
Debbie Jellinsky
Played by Joan Cusack
A serial killer posing as a nanny who marries Fester to steal the Addams fortune, using charm to manipulate her way into the family.
Morticia Addams
Played by Anjelica Huston
The elegant and devoted matriarch who becomes suspicious of Debbie's intentions while caring for her new baby.
Gomez Addams
Played by Raul Julia
The passionate patriarch and loving husband who remains oblivious to danger as he celebrates his brother's happiness.
Uncle Fester
Played by Christopher Lloyd
Gomez's brother who falls hopelessly in love with Debbie, blinded by romance to her murderous intentions.
Pugsley Addams
Played by Jimmy Workman
Wednesday's younger brother who is separated from her at camp and endures the torture of being made normal.
Grandmama
Played by Carol Kane
The family matriarch and witch who assists Morticia in trying to protect Fester from Debbie.
Joel Glicker
Played by David Krumholtz
A cynical, death-obsessed camper who becomes Wednesday's love interest and ally in rebellion.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes The Addams family celebrates the arrival of baby Pubert in their characteristically macabre way, establishing their gleefully ghoulish normal life and tight family bonds.. Significantly, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 10 minutes when Debbie Jellinsky arrives as the new nanny, appearing sweet and wholesome but secretly a serial killer targeting wealthy men. Her arrival disrupts the Addams household equilibrium.. At 11% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 23 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 24% of the runtime. This reveals the protagonist's commitment to Fester chooses Debbie over his family and marries her. Wednesday and Pugsley are sent away to Camp Chippewa as punishment for their continued attempts to kill Pubert., moving from reaction to action.
At 47 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Notably, this crucial beat Debbie's first murder attempt on Fester (electrocution) fails, but she successfully turns him completely against his family. Wednesday is forced into the Thanksgiving play, representing peak conformity pressure., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 67 minutes (71% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Debbie successfully captures Fester and straps him to an electric chair for execution. Wednesday and Pugsley are tied to stakes and about to be burned by the camp counselors. Both family units face literal death., demonstrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 72 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 77% of the runtime. Pubert's transformation back to Addams form signals the family's true power. The Addams family arrives to rescue Wednesday and Pugsley. Fester realizes Debbie's true nature and his family's authentic love., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Addams Family Values's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs proven narrative structure principles that track dramatic progression. By mapping Addams Family Values against these established plot points, we can identify how Barry Sonnenfeld utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Addams Family Values within the comedy genre.
Barry Sonnenfeld's Structural Approach
Among the 10 Barry Sonnenfeld films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.2, reflecting strong command of classical structure. Addams Family Values represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Barry Sonnenfeld filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional comedy films include The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, The Bad Guys and Lake Placid. For more Barry Sonnenfeld analyses, see Wild Wild West, Nine Lives and RV.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
The Addams family celebrates the arrival of baby Pubert in their characteristically macabre way, establishing their gleefully ghoulish normal life and tight family bonds.
Theme
Wednesday states "I'll be the victim" and later "All your life" - foreshadowing her journey from isolated cynic to someone who learns about false conformity vs. authentic connection.
Worldbuilding
Baby Pubert creates jealousy in Wednesday and Pugsley who attempt to eliminate him. Morticia and Gomez remain blissfully unaware, demonstrating the family's unconventional dynamics and the children's displacement feelings.
Disruption
Debbie Jellinsky arrives as the new nanny, appearing sweet and wholesome but secretly a serial killer targeting wealthy men. Her arrival disrupts the Addams household equilibrium.
Resistance
Debbie seduces Uncle Fester while Wednesday and Pugsley grow suspicious. Debbie manipulates Fester into thinking his family doesn't appreciate him, driving a wedge between them.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Fester chooses Debbie over his family and marries her. Wednesday and Pugsley are sent away to Camp Chippewa as punishment for their continued attempts to kill Pubert.
Mirror World
Wednesday meets Joel Glicker at Camp Chippewa, a fellow outcast. This relationship will mirror the theme of authentic connection vs. forced conformity as they bond over shared alienation.
Premise
Two parallel worlds: Wednesday and Pugsley suffer at the aggressively cheerful Camp Chippewa under the tyrannical Becky, while Debbie systematically isolates and attempts to murder Fester for his fortune.
Midpoint
Debbie's first murder attempt on Fester (electrocution) fails, but she successfully turns him completely against his family. Wednesday is forced into the Thanksgiving play, representing peak conformity pressure.
Opposition
Wednesday rebels during the Thanksgiving pageant with a powerful speech about genocide and conformity. Meanwhile, Debbie's control over Fester tightens as she continues murder attempts, and the family grows desperate to save him.
Collapse
Debbie successfully captures Fester and straps him to an electric chair for execution. Wednesday and Pugsley are tied to stakes and about to be burned by the camp counselors. Both family units face literal death.
Crisis
Wednesday accepts possible death stoically while Joel professes his loyalty. Debbie reveals her full murderous history to Fester. Both heroes face their darkest moment before finding resolve.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Pubert's transformation back to Addams form signals the family's true power. The Addams family arrives to rescue Wednesday and Pugsley. Fester realizes Debbie's true nature and his family's authentic love.
Synthesis
The final confrontation where Debbie attempts to electrocute the entire family. Fester and the Addams children work together. Debbie is defeated when she's electrocuted and blown up, destroyed by her own greed.
Transformation
Wednesday smiles genuinely at Joel and participates willingly in the family celebration. The family is reunited and strengthened, with Wednesday having learned the value of authentic connection over isolation.