Back to the Future 2: Meet the Film’s Funniest Faceless Character!

We find ourselves in the thick of Back to the Future Part II. After a brief excursion to 2015, followed by a detour into an alternate and dystopian 1985, Doc and Marty have returned to 1955. Their goal: stop old Biff from giving the sports almanac to his younger self to prevent him from amassing a fortune and taking over Hill Valley.

• In Back to the Future Part II: we never see this character’s face, and there’s a good reason for that

Biff’s Grandmother

To achieve their mission, the duo starts tailing their arch-nemesis. Equipped with binoculars and a walkie-talkie, Marty positions himself outside Biff’s house, somewhat puzzled:

“I’ve arrived at the address. It’s the only Tannen in the directory, but it would be surprising if Biff lived here. It looks like an old lady’s house,” he tells Doc.

In the small garden of the house, one can see various statues and notably some rather aggressive signs strictly prohibiting trespassing: “Violators will be prosecuted! We’re talking to you!!”

The “we” becomes clear to the audience a few seconds later, when Biff exits the house and a grandmotherly voice echoes from inside:

“Biff!! Biff!! Where are you going? When will you be back? My feet are aching, you need to massage my toes!”

Gertrude Tannen!

True to the humor that spices up the Back to the Future trilogy, this hilarious scene reveals two important pieces of information: Biff lives with his grandmother, and her name is… Gertrude Tannen (as we learn from another small sign hanging above the front door).

It’s hard to hold back laughter imagining (since we never see her) an “old lady” version of Biff sitting in a rocking chair and smoking a pipe. To heighten this comedic effect, and complete this abstract image left to each viewer’s imagination, actor Thomas F. Wilson (who plays Biff) also provides the voice for the grandmother. In the French version, however, it’s unclear who voices her, but one thing is certain: it is not Richard Darbois.

We hear the old lady again later in the movie when Biff heads out to the dance and is scolded once more.

What do you think Biff’s grandmother looks like?

(Re)discover the movie trailer…