Home Alone is a Christmas staple in many homes around the world, with the much-loved classic being recited by superfans over and over again. While many fans might know the words and scenes off by heart by now there are still a number of things that they might not know about the movie – Including bad guy Marv’s real age.
The film came out in 1990 – meaning that Daniel Stern, who was born in 1957, would have been 33 years old at the time of filming.
This means that those who tuned in back in the 90s are now also in their 30s themselves – with fans showing their shock at the star’s age on social media.
Posting on Instagram, one fan wrote: “He’s only 33!? I’m 30 and he looks like he 50!” Another asked: “So he wasn’t in his 50’s??!” while a third echoed: “Marv looked like 50 though!”
A fourth chimed in: “Marv looked older cause he was hanging round with Joe Pesci.” “I always had thought he was 40-something in that movie,” admitted a fifth.
Stern played the role of bad guy Merv in the festive flick, starring alongside Joe Pesci, John Heard and Catherine O’Hara. Together, he and Harry (Joe Pesci) try to break into the McCallister’s home, thinking that the family are away for Christmas.
However, unbeknown to the crooks, eight-year-old Kevin McCallister (Culkin) had been accidentally left behind when his family left for a festive getaway in France – and he put up a fight like no other.
Elsewhere in the film, fans will be familiar with Old Man Marley, the neighbour of Macaulay Culkin’s Kevin McCallister, played by the late Roberts Blossom.
Early in the film, Kevin’s older brother Buzz terrifies him with stories of Marley murdering his family and half the people on their block back in 1958.
Of course, we later find out this is all the invention of Buzz as Marley (named after the ghost in A Christmas Carol) turns out to be a really nice old guy who even saves Kevin by knocking out burglars Harry and Marv with a snow shovel.
However, fans have since realised that the character’s hand was inititally covered in blood and healed over the duration of the film.
A viewer theorised that it had a hidden meaning as they shared: “As he interacts with Kevin and heeds his advice, he slowly heals a longstanding wound formed by the argument with his son. Thus, at the end, no more wound. My theory is that the wound is a physical manifestation of a healing relationship with his son.”
