The Flintstones
Modern Stone Age family the Flintstones hit the big screen in this live-action version of the classic cartoon. Fred helps Barney adopt a child. Barney sees an opportunity to repay him when Slate Mining tests its employees to find a new executive. But no good deed goes unpunished.
Despite a moderate budget of $46.0M, The Flintstones became a box office phenomenon, earning $341.6M worldwide—a remarkable 643% return.
6 wins & 10 nominations
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 Flintstones (1994) demonstrates meticulously timed dramatic framework, characteristic of Brian Levant's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 31 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 8.0, the film showcases strong structural fundamentals.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Fred Flintstone
Barney Rubble
Wilma Flintstone
Betty Rubble
Cliff Vandercave
Sharon Stone
Pearl Slaghoople
Main Cast & Characters
Fred Flintstone
Played by John Goodman
A well-meaning but impulsive quarry worker who becomes embroiled in corporate fraud after being promoted to executive.
Barney Rubble
Played by Rick Moranis
Fred's loyal best friend and neighbor, a kind-hearted quarry worker who is manipulated by villains.
Wilma Flintstone
Played by Elizabeth Perkins
Fred's intelligent and patient wife who provides moral guidance and emotional support to her family.
Betty Rubble
Played by Rosie O'Donnell
Wilma's best friend and Barney's supportive wife, who helps uncover the corporate conspiracy.
Cliff Vandercave
Played by Kyle MacLachlan
The corrupt executive vice president of Slate & Co. who uses Fred as a patsy for embezzlement.
Sharon Stone
Played by Halle Berry
Vandercave's seductive secretary and accomplice who manipulates Fred into unwitting complicity.
Pearl Slaghoople
Played by Elizabeth Taylor
Wilma's critical and disapproving mother who doubts Fred's abilities as a provider.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Fred and Barney working at Slate & Co. Quarry, operating dinosaur machinery in their prehistoric working-class routine. Fred is a loyal, hardworking family man content with his simple life.. Significantly, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 10 minutes when Cliff Vandercave and Miss Stone scheme to find a fall guy for their embezzlement plan. They announce an aptitude test to find a new vice president at Slate & Co., disrupting the stable quarry hierarchy.. 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 22 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 24% of the runtime. This shows the protagonist's commitment to Fred accepts the vice president position and moves his family to an executive mansion in the hills. He actively chooses corporate success over his humble origins, entering the new world of executive privilege., moving from reaction to action.
At 44 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 49% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Of particular interest, this crucial beat Fred fires Barney from the quarry on Vandercave's orders, completely destroying their lifelong friendship. This false victory (Fred thinks he's being a good executive) is actually his moral low point and raises the stakes permanently., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 66 minutes (73% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Fred is publicly arrested for embezzlement at the company, humiliated before all the workers he fired. His reputation dies, his career dies, his dream of success dies. He loses everything and faces prison, completely disgraced., illustrates 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 80% of the runtime. Barney, despite everything Fred did to him, bails Fred out of jail and forgives him. This act of loyalty gives Fred the clarity to synthesize his executive knowledge with his true working-class values to stop Vandercave., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
The Flintstones'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 The Flintstones against these established plot points, we can identify how Brian Levant utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish The Flintstones within the fantasy genre.
Brian Levant's Structural Approach
Among the 9 Brian Levant films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.2, reflecting strong command of classical structure. The Flintstones represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Brian Levant filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional fantasy films include Thinner, Ella Enchanted and Conan the Barbarian. For more Brian Levant analyses, see Problem Child 2, The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas and The Spy Next Door.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Fred and Barney working at Slate & Co. quarry, operating dinosaur machinery in their prehistoric working-class routine. Fred is a loyal, hardworking family man content with his simple life.
Theme
Wilma tells Fred: "You don't need to be vice president to be important. You're important to me and Pebbles." The theme of true success being about family and integrity, not corporate ambition.
Worldbuilding
Establishing Bedrock society: the quarry workplace, Fred and Wilma's home life with baby Pebbles, their friendship with Barney and Betty Rubble, the prehistoric modern conveniences, and Fred's dreams of a better life while being deeply in debt.
Disruption
Cliff Vandercave and Miss Stone scheme to find a fall guy for their embezzlement plan. They announce an aptitude test to find a new vice president at Slate & Co., disrupting the stable quarry hierarchy.
Resistance
Barney, unable to have children with Betty, is devastated and performs poorly on the test. Fred switches tests with Barney to help his friend, unknowingly making himself the "patsy" Vandercave needs. Fred debates whether to accept the promotion.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Fred accepts the vice president position and moves his family to an executive mansion in the hills. He actively chooses corporate success over his humble origins, entering the new world of executive privilege.
Mirror World
Fred's relationship with Barney deteriorates as Fred becomes consumed by his new status. Barney and Betty represent the authentic friendship and values Fred is abandoning, mirroring the theme of what truly matters.
Premise
The "promise of the premise": Fred enjoys executive perks, fancy dinners, a new lifestyle, while Wilma becomes suspicious of Vandercave. Fred unwittingly signs documents that embezzle from the company, firing workers including Barney. The friendship between the couples fractures.
Midpoint
Fred fires Barney from the quarry on Vandercave's orders, completely destroying their lifelong friendship. This false victory (Fred thinks he's being a good executive) is actually his moral low point and raises the stakes permanently.
Opposition
Vandercave and Miss Stone tighten their trap around Fred. The embezzlement scheme becomes evident. Barney struggles in poverty while Fred remains oblivious in luxury. Wilma investigates and discovers the fraud. The bad guys close in as evidence mounts against Fred.
Collapse
Fred is publicly arrested for embezzlement at the company, humiliated before all the workers he fired. His reputation dies, his career dies, his dream of success dies. He loses everything and faces prison, completely disgraced.
Crisis
Fred sits in jail, processing his downfall. Wilma stands by him despite everything. Fred realizes how he betrayed Barney and abandoned his true values for corporate ambition. He confronts his own moral failure in his darkest hour.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Barney, despite everything Fred did to him, bails Fred out of jail and forgives him. This act of loyalty gives Fred the clarity to synthesize his executive knowledge with his true working-class values to stop Vandercave.
Synthesis
Fred and Barney team up to expose Vandercave and Miss Stone. Chase through the quarry using their working-class skills and knowledge of the machinery. They rescue Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm, defeat the villains, and clear Fred's name. Justice is restored.
Transformation
Fred returns to his operator job at the quarry, working alongside Barney again. He's back where he started physically, but transformed internally—now understanding that his family, friendship, and integrity are the true measures of success. Content and at peace.