Delirious

Delirious

Year: 1991

Runtime: 96 mins

Language: English

Budget: $18M

FantasyComedyRomanceCrude humor and satireGags jokes and slapstick humor

A comedy about a soap opera writer who’s typing without a ribbon. A soap opera writer gets hit on the head and wakes up as a character in his own show.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – Delirious (1991)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Delirious (1991). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Early 1980s

The plot unfolds within a contemporary television industry of the early 1980s, a period known for loud contracts and high-stakes production. Writers and producers jockey for control, while on-screen drama and off-screen machinations drive the narrative. The era’s showbiz atmosphere amplifies the satire of the premise.

Location

Ashford Falls Community Hospital, Ashford Falls, New York, Vermont, Central Park, New York

The Ashford Falls Community Hospital serves as the first major staging ground for the reality shift. The story also moves through the New York area and to the Vermont countryside, contrasting a busy TV world with a small town backdrop. These locations become a single stage where fiction bleeds into reality.

🏥 Hospital setting 🗽 New York backdrop 🌄 Vermont countryside

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:40

Main Characters – Delirious (1991)

Meet the key characters of Delirious (1991), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Jack Gable (John Candy)

A driven writer and producer of the soap Beyond Our Dreams who discovers he can shape events by typing them into a magical typewriter. He uses this power to pursue Rachel and outmaneuver the Hedison family, but soon faces moral consequences. His journey from self serving manipulation to cautious responsibility drives the story.

🎬 Showbiz insider 🧠 Strategic thinker ✍️ Writer with power

Rachel Hedison / Laura Claybourne (Emma Samms)

A selfish and contract demanding leading actress who wields influence over scripts and storylines. She entangles herself with Jack and becomes a romantic pivot while scheming with her family to obtain the secret formula. Her ruthlessness unfolds as the plot tightens around the consequences of power.

🎭 Actress 💸 Ambition ❤️ Romance

Janet DuBois / Louise (Mariel Hemingway)

An ambitious actress who forms a bond with Jack and navigates the webs of Hedison family schemes. She seeks to protect her own interests while becoming central to the evolving romance and the show’s power dynamics. A revelation later ties her to the Hedison lineage.

💞 Romance 🕵️‍♀️ Investigation 👩‍💼 Family secrets

Dr. Paul Kirkwood / Dennis (David Rasche)

The on screen physician whose professional status is leveraged by the players off screen. He becomes entangled in the power struggle and contributes to the medication driven plot. His behavior is shaped by the industry dynamics, highlighting ethical tensions in a high stakes environment.

🩺 Doctor ⚖️ Ethics 💊 Medication

Carter Hedison (Raymond Burr)

A patriarch of a powerful pharmaceutical empire who uses wealth and influence to pressure writers and producers. He is the principal antagonist, relentlessly pursuing control of the formula and expanding his corporate domain.

💼 Tycoon 🧬 Pharma 🏛️ Corporate power

Arlene Sherwood / Arlene Sherwood

A co producer who voices dissatisfaction with Jack's outline and participates in power plays that shape the storyline. Her role underscores the cutthroat nature of the industry, punctuated by a memorable choking incident.

🎬 Producer 🤝 Power plays 🍽️ Sandwich incident

Lou Sherwood (Jerry Orbach)

A co producer who navigates the show run with cunning and loyalty, engaging in behind the scenes maneuvering to protect interests and push the plot toward its dramatic turns.

🎬 Producer 🧠 Schemer 🤝 Power plays

Blake Hedison (Dylan Baker)

Carter Hedison's son, whose life is disrupted by medication and family pressures. He is volatile and becomes involved in dangerous consequences of the power struggles within the family and the industry.

🌀 Instability 💊 Medication 👨‍👦 Family pressure

Jack Gates (Robert Wagner)

The rival version of a writer who appears as a separate figure within the plot. His presence highlights the clash of creative visions and serves as a catalyst for the plot shifts when the Fetterman scheme unfolds.

🎭 Rivalry 🧠 Manipulation ✍️ Writing

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:40

Major Themes – Delirious (1991)

Explore the central themes of Delirious (1991), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

✍️ Creation

The central thread follows how writing can shape events. Jack discovers he can conjure scenes by typing and uses this power to pursue romantic and professional goals. With great power comes great responsibility, and the narrative probes the ethical costs of manipulating reality.

🎭 Showbiz

The filmSatirizes the TV industry with producer politics, contract battles, and power plays. The Sherwoods and the Hedison family maneuver for control while actors and writers navigate ambition and profit. The meta element reveals how a soap opera is a living, breathing machine driven by desires.

🌀 Reality

The line between fiction and life blurs as the writer can alter real events. Characters drift between the set and the real town, turning a TV plot into tangible consequences. Birth secrets and identity twists deepen the illusion, making the audience question what is truly real.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:40

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Delirious Summary

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Delirious Summary

Delirious Timeline

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Delirious Timeline

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