Taglines: A father discovers that the most important ‘long lost tribe’ in his life may be very close to home.
Krippendorf’s Tribe movie storyline. Respected anthropologist James Krippendorf (Richard Dreyfuss) and his wife, Jennifer (Barbara Williams), bring their three children along during their much-enjoyed search in New Guinea for a lost tribe. The search fails, despite the family’s best efforts. After Jennifer’s death back in the U.S., James falls into academic stagnation, having spent all his foundation grant money raising the children as a single parent.
Scheduled to lecture at a college and fearful of being charged with misuse of grant funds, James concocts an imaginary tribe, the Shelmikedmu, using the names of his children as a basis. He later fakes a 16 mm “documentary” film, casting his children as tribe members and superimposing footage of a legitimate New Guinean tribe so as to enhance the illusion.
Anthropologist Veronica Micelli (Jenna Elfman) contacts cable-TV producer Henry Spivey (David Ogden Stiers), forcing James to continue creating fraudulent footage as James’ rival Ruth Allen (Lily Tomlin) becomes suspicious. Because he has described a culture unlike any other, Krippendorf’s fraud becomes increasingly famous. James himself masquerades as a tribal elder, while his two sons, Mickey (Gregory Smith) and Edmund (Carl Michael Lindner), create and enact increasingly imaginative rituals. Only the eldest child, James’ daughter Shelly, refuses to participate due to her disgust at the dishonesty perpetrated by her father.
Taking advantage of her curiosity, James tricks Veronica into participating in his false documentary. When she discovers the truth, she is initially angry, but later helps James continue his fraud. Ruth Allen travels to New Guinea, discovering no tribe in the location specified by James. She transmits the news via fax to a colleague, who exposes James at a gala. James’ imaginative son, Mickey, improvises a lie, that the Shelmikedmu hide by means of a magical ritual known only to them.
Krippendorf’s Tribe is a 1998 American film adaptation of Frank Parkin’s novel of the same name, directed by Todd Holland. The film stars Richard Dreyfuss as the eponymous professor, along with Jenna Elfman, Natasha Lyonne, Gregory Smith, Stephen Root, Elaine Stritch, Lily Tomlin, Stephen Root, Doris Belack, Susan Ruttan and Barbara Williams.
Krippendorf’s Tribe (1998)
Directed by: Todd Holland
Starring: Richard Dreyfuss, Jenna Elfman, Natasha Lyonne, Gregory Smith, Stephen Root, Elaine Stritch, Lily Tomlin, Stephen Root, Doris Belack, Susan Ruttan, Barbara Williams
Screenplay by: Charlie Peters
Production Design by: Scott Chambliss
Cinematography by: Dean Cundey
Film Editing by: Jon Poll
Costume Design by: Isis Mussenden
Set Decoration by: Karen Manthey
Art Direction by: Bill Rea
Music by: Bruce Broughton
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for sexual humor.
Distributed by: Buena Vista Pictures
Release Date: February 27, 1998
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