The Beverly Hillbillies
Mild-mannered dirt-poor hill-dweller Jed Clampett strikes it rich when oil is discovered on his property. At cousin Pearl's insistence, he moves his family to Beverly Hills to better enjoy his newfound wealth.
Despite a respectable budget of $25.0M, The Beverly Hillbillies became a box office success, earning $57.4M worldwide—a 130% return.
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%)
The Beverly Hillbillies (1993) showcases carefully calibrated story structure, characteristic of Penelope Spheeris's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 32 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.3, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes The Clampetts living their simple, happy life in the Ozark mountains - hunting, fishing, and enjoying nature in poverty but contentment.. Notably, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 9 minutes when Oil company representatives arrive and inform Jed he's struck it rich - worth millions. His simple mountain life is disrupted by sudden wealth.. At 10% 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 22 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 24% of the runtime. This demonstrates the protagonist's commitment to The Clampetts arrive at their Beverly Hills mansion and Jed decides they'll make this new world their home, accepting their new life among the wealthy., moving from reaction to action.
At 45 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 49% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Of particular interest, this crucial beat False victory: Jed and Laura's relationship progresses as she charms him and the family accepts her. The Clampetts seem to be adapting to Beverly Hills life successfully, but the audience knows Laura is deceiving them., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 68 minutes (74% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Laura successfully manipulates Jed into proposing marriage, putting her scheme on the verge of success. The family's fortune and happiness are in jeopardy as the wedding is planned., demonstrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 73 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Evidence of Laura's criminal past and true intentions is discovered and revealed to Jed, giving him the truth he needs to stop the wedding and expose her scheme., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
The Beverly Hillbillies's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs a 15-point narrative structure framework that maps key story moments. By mapping The Beverly Hillbillies against these established plot points, we can identify how Penelope Spheeris utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish The Beverly Hillbillies within the comedy genre.
Penelope Spheeris's Structural Approach
Among the 4 Penelope Spheeris films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.2, reflecting strong command of classical structure. The Beverly Hillbillies represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Penelope Spheeris filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional comedy films include The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, The Bad Guys and Lake Placid. For more Penelope Spheeris analyses, see The Little Rascals, Senseless and Black Sheep.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
The Clampetts living their simple, happy life in the Ozark mountains - hunting, fishing, and enjoying nature in poverty but contentment.
Theme
Granny discusses how "fancy folks with all their money ain't got what we got" - establishing the theme that genuine values trump material wealth.
Worldbuilding
Establishing the Clampett family dynamics, their poverty, Jed's hunting skills, Elly May's connection to animals, Jethro's dimwittedness, and Granny's mountain medicine. Jed accidentally strikes oil while hunting.
Disruption
Oil company representatives arrive and inform Jed he's struck it rich - worth millions. His simple mountain life is disrupted by sudden wealth.
Resistance
Milburn Drysdale convinces Jed to move to Beverly Hills to be near his money. The family debates leaving their mountain home. Preparation and travel montage to California, culture clash begins.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
The Clampetts arrive at their Beverly Hills mansion and Jed decides they'll make this new world their home, accepting their new life among the wealthy.
Mirror World
Introduction of Woodrow Tyler (banker's son) as potential romantic interest for Elly May, representing the authentic love subplot that contrasts with Laura Jackson's scheming.
Premise
Fish-out-of-water comedy as the Clampetts misunderstand Beverly Hills culture - mistaking the pool for a cement pond, Granny cooking roadkill, culture clashes with neighbors. Laura Jackson begins her scheme to seduce Jed and steal his fortune.
Midpoint
False victory: Jed and Laura's relationship progresses as she charms him and the family accepts her. The Clampetts seem to be adapting to Beverly Hills life successfully, but the audience knows Laura is deceiving them.
Opposition
Laura intensifies her manipulation, moving toward marriage with Jed. She gets closer to the fortune while driving wedges between family members. Drysdale and Jane Hathaway grow suspicious but struggle to prove Laura's deception.
Collapse
Laura successfully manipulates Jed into proposing marriage, putting her scheme on the verge of success. The family's fortune and happiness are in jeopardy as the wedding is planned.
Crisis
The family processes the impending marriage with mixed feelings. Drysdale and allies scramble to find evidence of Laura's con before it's too late. Tension builds toward the wedding.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Evidence of Laura's criminal past and true intentions is discovered and revealed to Jed, giving him the truth he needs to stop the wedding and expose her scheme.
Synthesis
Jed and the family confront Laura, exposing her con. Laura is defeated and driven away. The Clampetts reaffirm their values and realize their mountain authenticity is their true wealth. Romantic subplots resolve positively.
Transformation
The Clampetts remain in Beverly Hills but on their own terms, maintaining their authentic mountain values. They've transformed their new world rather than being corrupted by it - cooking possum by the cement pond, surrounded by genuine friends.