Danny DeVito didn’t just direct this movie; he basically willed a dark comedy masterpiece into existence by picking the most chaotic group of actors he could find. Seriously. If you look at the cast of Throw Momma from the Train, it shouldn’t work on paper. You have a neurotic leading man from Braveheart, a sitcom legend, and an elderly woman who was literally discovered because she looked mean enough to make a grown man cry. It’s a miracle of casting.
Released in 1987, this riff on Hitchcock’s Strangers on a Train relies entirely on the friction between its stars. It’s about Larry (Billy Crystal), a writer with a massive case of writer's block and a burning hatred for his ex-wife, and Owen (Danny DeVito), a middle-aged man-child who lives with a mother who treats him like a footstool. When Owen thinks they’ve made a pact to "swap murders," the movie shifts from a comedy about failure into a bizarre, high-stakes thriller.
The chemistry isn't "nice." It’s abrasive. It’s sweaty. Honestly, it’s exactly what the 80s needed before everything got too polished.
The Power Trio: Crystal, DeVito, and Ramsey
Billy Crystal plays Larry Donner. At this point in his career, Crystal was transitioning from Saturday Night Live and Soap into a legitimate film star. He’s the "straight man," but he’s barely holding it together. Larry is miserable. His ex-wife stole his book and became a millionaire, and Crystal plays that bitterness with a frantic, caffeinated energy that makes his eventual breakdown feel earned. He spent a lot of the shoot actually looking exhausted because DeVito, as a director, kept the pace grueling.
Then there’s Danny DeVito as Owen Lift. This is arguably one of DeVito’s best roles because he manages to make a potential murderer seem… kind of sweet? Owen is trapped in a state of arrested development. He’s obsessed with coin collecting and "The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia." DeVito plays him with this wide-eyed innocence that contrasts perfectly with the dark things he’s suggesting.
But we have to talk about Anne Ramsey.
Ramsey, who played "Momma," is the soul of the film. She didn't even start acting in major roles until she was much older, and she landed this part because she had a face that told a thousand stories—most of them involving someone getting yelled at. She was actually battling esophageal cancer during the filming, which makes her physically demanding performance even more staggering. She received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for this role. Think about that. A dark comedy about matricide actually got Oscar recognition because Ramsey was that terrifyingly good.
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Anne Ramsey’s Impact Beyond the Screams
Most people recognize her as Mama Fratelli from The Goonies, but in the cast of Throw Momma from the Train, she’s a different kind of beast. Momma Lift isn't a criminal mastermind; she’s just a nightmare of a parent. She hits Owen with pans. She insults his friends. She eats fried chicken with a ferocity that feels personal. Ramsey’s gravelly voice—a result of her real-life health struggles—became an iconic part of the character’s DNA.
The Supporting Players Who Rounded Out the Chaos
While the central three get the glory, the peripheral cast of Throw Momma from the Train adds layers of 80s flavor that you just can't replicate.
- Kim Greist as Beth: Greist plays Larry’s girlfriend, and she’s the only voice of reason in the whole movie. She came off of Terry Gilliam’s Brazil, so she was used to weird sets. Here, she provides the emotional stakes. If Larry loses her, he loses everything.
- Kate Mulgrew as Margaret: Before she was Captain Janeway on Star Trek: Voyager, Mulgrew played Larry’s villainous ex-wife. She is perfectly detestable. She’s glamorous, arrogant, and stole Larry's life’s work. You want her to get pushed off a train, which is a testament to Mulgrew’s ability to play "haughty" better than almost anyone in Hollywood.
- Rob Reiner as Joel: In a meta twist, the director of The Princess Bride and When Harry Met Sally shows up as Larry's agent. It’s a tiny role, but Reiner’s presence adds a layer of industry authenticity. He knows exactly how to play a guy who is tired of hearing about a "great American novel" that hasn't been written yet.
Behind the Scenes: DeVito’s Directorial Eye
DeVito was heavily influenced by German Expressionism and film noir. If you watch the movie closely, the camera angles are weird. They’re distorted. He uses wide-angle lenses to make Momma look even larger and more imposing. He wanted the audience to feel as cramped and uncomfortable as Owen feels in that house.
The production wasn't just a bunch of actors hitting marks. They were building a world that felt slightly "off." The house itself is a character. It’s cluttered, dark, and smells of old grease and resentment. DeVito worked closely with cinematographer Barry Sonnenfeld—who would go on to direct The Addams Family and Men in Black—to create a visual style that was "cartoonish noir."
Sonnenfeld once joked that DeVito wanted the camera so close to the actors' faces that they could practically lick the lens. That intimacy is why the comedy lands. You aren't watching from a distance; you're trapped in the room with them.
The Mystery of the Uncredited Cameos
If you look closely at the creative cast of Throw Momma from the Train, you'll see a lot of cross-pollination. Branford Marsalis, the legendary saxophonist, appears as Lester. It’s these weird, specific choices that give the movie its texture. It wasn't just a studio assignment; it was a project where everyone involved seemed to be having a dark, twisted blast.
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Why the Chemistry Worked (And Still Does)
It comes down to respect. Crystal and DeVito were already friends, and that comfort allowed them to be incredibly mean to each other on screen without it feeling fake. They could improvise. The scene where Owen tries to give Larry "writing advice" while Larry is losing his mind is a clinic in comedic timing.
The movie deals with pretty heavy themes:
- Creative Failure: Larry’s struggle is real for anyone who has ever tried to make art.
- Parental Guilt: Owen’s inability to leave his mother is a dark exaggeration of real-world codependency.
- The Ethics of Revenge: How far would you go if someone actually ruined your life?
Most comedies of the late 80s were bright and neon. This one was brown, grey, and sticky. It stood out because it wasn't afraid to be ugly.
What Most People Forget About the Cast
People often forget that Oprah Winfrey has a cameo in this movie. Well, sort of. She appears on the television screens within the movie. It was a nod to her skyrocketing fame at the time. It’s those little "time capsule" moments that make rewatching the film so rewarding.
Also, consider the legacy of the actors. Anne Ramsey passed away shortly after the film's success, making this her definitive swan song. She left at the top of her game, proving that character actors are often the most vital part of any production. Without her, the movie is just two guys complaining. With her, it’s a legend.
Moving Forward: How to Appreciate the Film Today
If you’re revisiting the cast of Throw Momma from the Train, don't just look at it as a nostalgia trip. Look at the craft.
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Watch for the "One-Two" punch of the Editing
The way the film cuts between Larry’s fantasy of killing his wife and Owen’s reality of being bullied by his mother is seamless. It uses "match cuts" that were way ahead of their time for a standard studio comedy.
Analyze the Dialogue
The script by Stu Silver is lean. There isn't a lot of "fluff." Every line either pushes the plot forward or reveals how broken these people are. "The night was sultry"—the opening line Larry struggles with—has become a shorthand in writing circles for trying too hard.
Check Out the Soundtrack
David Newman’s score is intentionally over-the-top. It sounds like a big-budget Hitchcock thriller, which makes the sight of Danny DeVito running around with a pillow even funnier.
To truly understand why this cast worked, you should watch it back-to-back with Strangers on a Train. You'll see how Crystal and DeVito took the source material and turned it into a satire of the very genre they were participating in.
Next time you see a dark comedy on Netflix that feels a little too "safe," remember Momma Lift. She wouldn't have stood for it. She would have told the director to "get me a Pepsi" and then delivered an award-winning performance just to spite them. That’s the energy that made this movie a classic.
If you're looking for more, check out the 2024 retrospective interviews with Billy Crystal where he discusses the physical comedy on set—apparently, the scene with the frying pan involved more real-life bruises than you'd think. It's a testament to the "all-in" attitude of the 1980s film industry. Explore the filmographies of these actors during that specific window (1987-1990) to see how this movie acted as a pivot point for all their careers. Crystal went on to When Harry Met Sally, and DeVito became a powerhouse director. It all started with a train, a typewriter, and a very mean mother.