The film's first scene shows Mona Dearly (Bette Midler) leaving her home and trying in vain to unlock her car. Her keys fit her son's car, however, so she takes that and drives off. In a bend, the brakes fail completely and she drives off a cliff into the Hudson River. This is observed by Clarence (Tracey Walter), who is fishing there. Chief Wyatt Rash (Danny DeVito) later observes that there are no skid marks on the road.