Synopsis

The Cartwheel Kids 

Quintessential middle child Frannie Cartwright, 16, arrives home, dreaming of finally getting her “day in the sun” after receiving a school award. But her dreams are cut short when she finds her five siblings – Jack the “REBEL,” Pete the “CLASS CLOWN,” Susan the “DRAMA QUEEN,” Dickie the “MYSTERY MAN,” and Chrissie the “MASCOT” — trying to solve the memory game “Simon.” Frannie, an amateur filmmaker, participates but only as a videographer. Later, Frannie considers entering a film contest. Through voiceover, Frannie describes the Cartwrights’ lives in the years since their “world famous” mother’s passing – the genesis of their nickname “The Cartwheel Kids,” Chrissie’s penchant for running away, and Jack’s post-high-school struggles. The family visits their mother’s grave where they share laughter and tears. Frannie and Dickie work with Commander Bob, a Vietnam veteran, where Frannie sees Sam Richter and his
brothers, Norman and Lyle, who is dating Susan.

Frannie and Sam, who are French classmates, share an attraction but Sam is widely regarded as a “weirdo” – even by his brothers. Frannie is torn between pursuing Sam, an abstract artist, and shunning him due to peer and family pressure.

Their romance gets more complicated after Lyle dumps Susan and Jack decides to seek revenge. The Cartwrights pull pranks on the Richters, who respond with pranks of their own. The Cartwrights place red ants in the Richters’ Porshe and the Richters embarrass Pete in front of the school. After Jack pressures her, Frannie shuns Sam until they are forced to do a school project and they grow closer during an art museum visit. The warring families’ conflict climaxes when the Richter boys meet Jack and Pete at the quarries to “settle the score.” Concurrently, Dickie discovers that Chrissie is missing and also heads to the quarries with Bob where she was reportedly headed. Dickie feels woozy.

Norman pulls a knife on Jack but Bob unexpectedly distracts Norman and he is subdued. Nearby, Sam and Dickie meet, and Dickie collapses. All rush to Dickie’s aid. To everybody’s amazement, Bob saves Dickie. Chrissie arrives on her bicycle. Dickie is in the hospital, but his ailment remains a mystery. Susan meets an orderly and the family reads a newspaper story about Bob’s heroics. Dickie wakes with Bob at his bedside.

At her father’s advice, Frannie professes her love for Sam as his family watches. Frannie previews her movie for the contest, finally getting her “day in the sun” which she shares with family – Jack joins the Army, Susan gets a new boyfriend, and Chrissie decides not to run away. She decides that, “with a big family, you may have to share your time in the sun, but when the rain comes, you have plenty of company.” Read Excerpt...