Greedy
Uncle Joe is ageing. He's also a millionaire. That's why his family is trying so very hard to get into his good books. They all want a piece of his empire. Unfortunately Uncle Joe isn't as stupid as his family thinks he is. He can see that his family is only nice to him because they want his money. Along comes Daniel McTeague, a struggling bowler, imported from another city by his family, to put an end to this ridiculous situation. The fight won't be easy, though, because the poor family has a little bit of competition - A beautiful nurse who takes care of Uncle Joe (and no doubt would love to take care of his bank account). Who gets all the money?
The film earned $13.1M at the global box office.
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%)
Greedy (1994) exemplifies deliberately positioned story structure, characteristic of Jonathan Lynn's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 53 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 6.7, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Daniel McTeague
Uncle Joe McTeague
Molly Richardson
Frank McTeague
Carl McTeague
Patti McTeague
Nora McTeague
Glen McTeague
Tina McTeague
Main Cast & Characters
Daniel McTeague
Played by Michael J. Fox
A professional bowler hired by wealthy Uncle Joe to be his live-in physical therapist, who finds himself caught in the middle of a greedy family's schemes.
Uncle Joe McTeague
Played by Kirk Douglas
A vulgar, wealthy, and sharp-witted elderly millionaire who enjoys manipulating his greedy relatives while they compete for his inheritance.
Molly Richardson
Played by Nancy Travis
Danny's girlfriend and a nurse who disapproves of his involvement with the scheming McTeague family and their manipulation.
Frank McTeague
Played by Phil Hartman
Uncle Joe's nephew and Danny's uncle, a scheming family member desperate to secure his share of the inheritance.
Carl McTeague
Played by Ed Begley Jr.
Another nephew of Uncle Joe, equally greedy and willing to manipulate situations to ensure he inherits the fortune.
Patti McTeague
Played by Colleen Camp
Carl's wife, an aggressive and scheming woman who pushes her husband to secure their piece of the inheritance.
Nora McTeague
Played by Mary Ellen Trainor
Frank's wife, a materialistic and manipulative woman who is determined to get her hands on Uncle Joe's money.
Glen McTeague
Played by Jere Burns
The youngest nephew, a sleazy and incompetent television producer who brings his much younger wife to charm Uncle Joe.
Tina McTeague
Played by Olivia d'Abo
Glen's young, attractive wife who attempts to seduce Uncle Joe to secure their inheritance.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Uncle Joe's greedy relatives gather at his mansion, scheming and competing for his fortune while he watches their transparent attempts with amusement and contempt.. Structural examination shows that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 14 minutes when The family learns that Uncle Joe has hired a young, attractive caretaker named Molly, threatening their inheritance plans and sending them into a panic.. At 12% 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 28 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This indicates the protagonist's commitment to Danny agrees to return to Uncle Joe's life, ostensibly to help the family but also genuinely curious about reconnecting with the uncle who once cared for him., moving from reaction to action.
At 57 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Notably, this crucial beat Danny successfully wins Uncle Joe's trust and affection—a false victory as his relationship is built partly on deception. Joe begins hinting that Danny might inherit everything., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 85 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Uncle Joe discovers the family's scheme and Danny's involvement, feeling utterly betrayed by the one relative he thought was genuine. Joe's heartbreak is the death of trust., shows the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 90 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Danny decides to confess everything to Uncle Joe and reject the inheritance, choosing genuine family connection over money regardless of the consequences., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Greedy'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 Greedy against these established plot points, we can identify how Jonathan Lynn utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Greedy within the comedy genre.
Jonathan Lynn's Structural Approach
Among the 7 Jonathan Lynn films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.0, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. Greedy takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Jonathan Lynn filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional comedy films include The Bad Guys, Ella Enchanted and The Evening Star. For more Jonathan Lynn analyses, see Clue, Sgt. Bilko and The Fighting Temptations.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Uncle Joe's greedy relatives gather at his mansion, scheming and competing for his fortune while he watches their transparent attempts with amusement and contempt.
Theme
Uncle Joe observes that his family only visits when they want something, establishing the theme that greed corrupts family bonds and genuine connection is what truly matters.
Worldbuilding
The dysfunctional McTeague family dynamics are established as various relatives scheme for Uncle Joe's inheritance. We meet Danny, the estranged nephew who distanced himself from the family's greed, now struggling as a professional bowler.
Disruption
The family learns that Uncle Joe has hired a young, attractive caretaker named Molly, threatening their inheritance plans and sending them into a panic.
Resistance
The scheming relatives debate how to handle the Molly situation. They identify Danny as their secret weapon—the one relative who left on good terms with Uncle Joe—and convince him to return and win back Joe's favor.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Danny agrees to return to Uncle Joe's life, ostensibly to help the family but also genuinely curious about reconnecting with the uncle who once cared for him.
Mirror World
Danny meets Robin, a relative with similar values who sees through the family's greed. Their connection represents genuine relationship versus the transactional nature of the other relatives.
Premise
Danny reconnects with Uncle Joe, genuinely enjoying their time together. He navigates the comic chaos of the greedy relatives while his authentic bond with Joe grows, even as he reports back to the scheming family.
Midpoint
Danny successfully wins Uncle Joe's trust and affection—a false victory as his relationship is built partly on deception. Joe begins hinting that Danny might inherit everything.
Opposition
The other relatives grow suspicious of Danny's success and begin sabotaging him. Molly proves more cunning than expected. Danny's guilt about deceiving Uncle Joe intensifies as their genuine bond deepens.
Collapse
Uncle Joe discovers the family's scheme and Danny's involvement, feeling utterly betrayed by the one relative he thought was genuine. Joe's heartbreak is the death of trust.
Crisis
Danny grapples with his guilt and the realization that he became exactly what he fled from—another greedy relative using Uncle Joe. Robin challenges him to make things right.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Danny decides to confess everything to Uncle Joe and reject the inheritance, choosing genuine family connection over money regardless of the consequences.
Synthesis
Danny confronts the greedy relatives, exposes their schemes to Uncle Joe, and proves his transformation by refusing to participate in the inheritance grab. Uncle Joe orchestrates a final lesson for the family.
Transformation
Danny is shown having genuine relationships with both Uncle Joe and Robin, free from the burden of greed. He's found what matters—love and authentic connection—having transformed from someone running from family to someone who understands its true value.