Used Cars (1980)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Robert Zemeckis

Writers:

Robert Zemeckis (written by) &
Bob Gale (written by)

Release Date:

11 July 1980 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Estimated Laugh Count: 287 City, 410 Highway. Use these numbers only for comparison. Your actual laughs may vary depending on how you feel about used car salesmen, nude women, spectacular car stunts, and the President of the United States.

Plot:

When the owner of a struggling used car lot is killed, it's up to the lot's hot-shot salesman to save the property from falling into the hands of the owner's ruthless brother and used-car rival.

Plot Keywords:

Car | Salesman | Used Car Lot | Used Car Salesman | Bar

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Kurt Russell	...	Rudolph 'Rudy' Russo
Jack Warden	...	Roy L. Fuchs / Luke Fuchs
Gerrit Graham	...	Jeff
Frank McRae	...	Jim, the Mechanic
Deborah Harmon	...	Barbara Jane Fuchs
Joe Flaherty	...	Sam Slaton (as Joseph P. Flaherty)
David L. Lander	...	Freddie Paris
Michael McKean	...	Eddie Winslow
Michael Talbott	...	Mickey
Harry Northup	...	Carmine
Alfonso Arau	...	Manuel
Al Lewis	...	Judge H. H. Harrison
Woodrow Parfrey	...	Mr. Chartner
Andrew Duncan	...	Charlie
Dub Taylor	...	Tucker

Runtime:

113 min | Canada:103 min (Ontario)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:14A (Ontario) | Iceland:L | Sweden:15 | Australia:M | Norway:15 | Spain:13 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:12 | Finland:S

Filming Locations:

Berge Ford - 310 E Main Street, Mesa, Arizona, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Roy L.'s line about "politicians staying bought" was first attributed to steel baron Henry Frick about President Theodore Roosevelt after massive donations to the Republican party by big business helped Roosevelt's reelection and Roosevelt subsequently began proposing legislation to increase regulation of steel mills and railroads.

Goofs:

Continuity: The Edsel mounted on the pole at Luke Fuchs' used car lot is a 1959 model. In a later scene where it is brought down from the pole (to orchestrate the "death" of Luke Fuchs) it is seen crashing into a power station. But the car so careening into the power station is actually a 1958 Edsel. You can also tell it's a 58 when they are loading Luke's body into the front passenger seat.

Quotes:

[First lines]
Rudy: Oww, fuck!

Movie Connections:

References Ben-Hur (1959)

Soundtrack:

THE STARS AND STRIPES FOREVER

Gross, Crude, Sick, tasteless, and VERY funny

This is a romantic comedy, but not one I would watch with my wife!

The tasteless jokes and one-liners roll out almost non-stop.

The movie verifies most everything we believe about used car salesmen, the "My boss will have a heart Attack" sales scene nearly brings me to tears I laugh so hard. Russell is at his best with some of the best character actors around joining in, I especially like the goofy Lenny and Squiggy, they just play two very disturbed individuals. Don't look for any deep meaning here, just crude humor a a very funny movie.



I give it 8/10