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Home Alone 4: Taking Back the House (also known as Home Alone: Taking Back the House or simply known as Home Alone 4) is a 2002 American made-for-television Christmas family comedy film directed by Rod Daniel, which first aired on ABC on November 3, 2002 and is the fourth film in the Home Alone series. The film brings back some of the characters from the first two films, but with all the roles played by different actors.
Plot[]
Peter McCallister, who is finalizing a divorce from his wife Kate, announces to their children, Buzz, Megan, and Kevin that he and his wealthy girlfriend, Natalie Kalban, are hosting the visit of a royal family at her mansion, and invites them to spend Christmas there. After the three initially refuse, Kevin accepts the offer after being bullied by Buzz, and revels in the mansion's luxuries.
The next morning, Peter and Natalie go out while Kevin stays with Natalie's servants, Mr. Prescott and Molly. Kevin notices his old nemesis, Marv Murchins, and his wife, Vera, scouting the house. After failing to get Mr. Prescott's attention via the intercom, he drives them away by flooding the mansion. When Peter and Natalie return, they refuse to believe Kevin's explanation, especially since Mr. Prescott claims to have seen nothing. Kevin discovers that the security cameras were turned off during the break-in, leading him to believe that Mr. Prescott is in league with Marv and Vera. To cheer themselves up, Kevin, Peter, and Natalie decorate their Christmas tree, although it is later re-trimmed by professional decorators at Natalie's request.
As the mansion is prepared for a party for the royal family's arrival, Peter and Natalie go to pick them up, while Kevin notices Marv and Vera disguised as caterers. He traps Mr. Prescott in the freezer, overhears Marv and Vera's plan to kidnap the prince for ransom, and forces them out of a window. The royal family is unable to attend the party because their flight was canceled, so Peter and Natalie decide to announce their engagement instead. Marv and Vera run back into the house and pursue Kevin, who accidentally ruins the party by running into the guests and knocking over an ice sculpture that turns out to be a frozen Mr. Prescott. Angered, Peter sends Kevin to his room, refusing to believe his story and accusing him of trying to sabotage his relationship with Natalie, who threatens to evict him if he misbehaves again.
Taking matters into his own hands, Kevin sets up booby traps for Marv and Vera. The next morning, the duo head to the house after Peter and Natalie go to pick up the royals. Kevin locks Mr. Prescott in the basement, but eventually discovers Marv and Vera's real ally is Molly, who is also Marv's mother. Kevin gets locked in the basement with Mr. Prescott, who admits that he turned off the cameras during the initial break-in as he was taking an unscheduled break from his duties because he despises working for Natalie; he and Kevin then apologize for misjudging each other. After several failed attempts to call Kate, Kevin escapes via the house's dumbwaiter and temporarily traps Marv underneath it. Marv and Vera pursue Kevin through the house, where they spring the traps and suffer various injuries, while Molly gets trapped in the house's elevator.
At the airport, Peter suspects that something is wrong back at the house and takes a cab back to Natalie's to check on Kevin. Kate, Buzz, and Megan also drive to the mansion due to the suspicious nature of the calls made by Kevin and Molly. Kevin uses an altered recording of Marv's voice to provoke an argument between him and Vera, and knocks them down a flight of stairs with a remote-controlled plane. The duo is then tricked by Kevin with a secret wall switch, ends up being launched onto a chandelier, and are knocked unconscious by their fall. Molly, having escaped, grabs Kevin, but is quickly knocked out by Mr. Prescott who also escaped via the dumbwaiter shaft and calls the police.
As Peter, Kate, Buzz, and Megan arrive, Kevin, with Buzz and Megan's help, prevents a final escape attempt from Marv and Vera. The royal family and Natalie arrive, and the offenders' plot to kidnap the prince is revealed to Natalie's shock. Mr. Prescott, per Kevin's advice, resigns from his position as her butler. Realizing that their relationship was built on infatuation rather than love and was affecting his responsibilities as a husband and father, Peter breaks up with Natalie, and reconciles with Kate and their children. Grateful to Kevin for his foiling of the kidnapping plot, the royals spend Christmas with the newly-reunited McCallisters, devastating Natalie.
Cast[]
- Mike Weinberg as Kevin McCallister, a nine-year-old boy who defends the house from Marv and Vera. He was portrayed by Macaulay Culkin in the first two films.
- French Stewart as Marv Murchins, Vera's husband and an old nemesis of Kevin. He was portrayed by Daniel Stern in the first two films. His appearance and attire in Home Alone 4 more closely resemble that of his former partner Harry Lyme (Joe Pesci) in the first two films.
- Missi Pyle as Vera Murchins, Marv's wife and Molly's daughter-in-law whom he first met in prison. Her role replaces that of Marv's original partner Harry.
- Erick Avari as Mr. Prescott, the butler.
- Barbara Babcock as Molly Murchins, the maid and Marv's mother and Vera's mother-in-law where she serves as their inside person.
- Jason Beghe as Peter McCallister, Kevin, Buzz, and Megan's father. He was portrayed by John Heard in the first two films.
- Clare Carey as Kate McCallister, Kevin, Buzz, and Megan's mother. She was portrayed by Catherine O'Hara in the first two films.
- Joanna Going as Natalie Kalban, Peter's girlfriend.
- Gideon Jacobs as Buzz McCallister, Kevin's older brother. He was portrayed by Devin Ratray in the first two films.
- Chelsea Russo as Megan McCallister, Kevin's older sister. She was portrayed by Hillary Wolf in the first two films.
- Lisa King as Queen
- Craig Geldenhuys as The Crown Prince
Andre Roothman as King