Have you ever considered that a car could be a central comedic element in a film? In “Drowning Mona,” a 2000 black comedy, the production design elevates the movie from just another ensemble piece to something truly memorable, largely thanks to the unexpected automotive stars: Yugo cars. Requested by Julie Holland from Modern Horrors, a fellow film enthusiast and comrade in covering online film festivals, this exploration dives into how these “stupid, ugly little cars” became essential to the film’s wacky charm.
To fully appreciate the Yugo’s role in “Drowning Mona,” it’s crucial to understand the car itself. For those unfamiliar, the Yugo is a compact hatchback originating from Yugoslavia. Introduced to the U.S. market in 1985, these vehicles were initially met with moderate success, reaching peak sales of nearly 50,000 in 1987. However, their popularity was short-lived, and by 1992, after selling only around 140,000 units in total, Yugo ceased its U.S. operations. The Yugo quickly earned a reputation for poor quality and unreliability. In fact, Car and Driver famously dubbed it “the worst car in history,” a testament to its less-than-stellar standing in automotive history. This notoriety, however, is precisely what makes the Yugo’s presence in “Drowning Mona” so ingeniously funny.
The writer of “Drowning Mona” cleverly decided to saturate the film’s setting with Yugo vehicles, a decision that proved to be comedic gold. These aren’t just random car choices; the Yugos are integral to establishing the film’s quirky and offbeat tone right from the outset. The movie opens with a title card that sets the stage perfectly:
“Years ago, the Yugo Car Company chose Verplanck, New York, to test market its new breed of vehicle. But that’s a whole other story…”
This brief introduction is all the context needed before we are introduced to Bette Midler as Mona, who, in a matter of minutes, meets her unfortunate end when her Yugo’s brakes fail, sending her plummeting into a lake. From the very beginning, the Yugo in “Drowning Mona” is not just a car; it’s an omen, a harbinger of comedic doom.
Promotional poster for “Drowning Mona” highlighting the ensemble cast and the film’s dark comedy genre.
But the yellow Yugo that Mona drives into the lake is merely the tip of the iceberg. In the fictional town of Verplanck, New York, seemingly everyone drives a Yugo. This small town, located on the Hudson River’s east bank, is humorously depicted as a Yugo-centric universe. Mona herself, despite usually driving a red Yugo, meets her demise in her son’s yellow one. Her husband, played by William Fichtner, is seen driving a silver Yugo. Jamie Lee Curtis’ character cruises in a green Yugo, while Casey Affleck and Neve Campbell share a blue one. Even the local bartender opts for a white Yugo. The comedic pinnacle is Danny DeVito’s character, the local police chief, whose police cruiser is, you guessed it, a black Yugo! Essentially, in Verplanck, if it’s not a truck or a van, it’s almost certainly a Yugo. This automotive homogeneity turns the town into a caricature, reminiscent of a Richard Scarry illustration, but with Yugos instead of animal characters.
The brilliance of this Yugo-centric setting is rooted in a surprising piece of reality. According to the New York Post, which reported on the real residents of Verplanck’s reaction to being portrayed as “dirt-poor half-wits” in “Drowning Mona,” the Yugo concept stemmed from a real-life anecdote. Screenwriter Peter Steinfeld, while working at Yugo of America’s New Jersey office, overheard an executive recounting the company’s unsuccessful attempt to test-market their vehicles in Verplanck. Steinfeld, recognizing the comedic potential, stored this detail away, later using it to populate his movie with these infamous cars, turning them into unexpected movie stars.
While Richard Toyon, the production designer, deserves considerable credit for visually realizing this Yugo-filled world, the core concept’s genius lies in its simplicity and absurdity. The Yugo, a car already synonymous with being undesirable and comical, becomes a powerful tool for establishing the setting, defining the characters, and underscoring the quirky nature of their community. Above all, it’s just inherently funny to see these actors, known for more serious roles, driving around in Yugos. The sheer visual of these boxy, unassuming cars in every scene contributes significantly to the film’s comedic success.
In conclusion, the Yugo cars in “Drowning Mona” are more than just props; they are characters in their own right. They are a testament to the power of production design in enhancing a film’s comedic impact and in creating a memorable and unique cinematic experience. The film’s ensemble cast is undoubtedly a draw, but it’s the pervasive presence of these “worst cars in history” that truly elevates “Drowning Mona” into a cult classic of automotive-themed black comedy.
Drowning Mona is readily available for streaming on platforms like Amazon Prime, Kanopy, and Hoopla, and is also available for rent on other services.
