The Ratings Game (1984) (TV)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Director:

Danny DeVito

Writers:

Michael Barrie (writer)
Jim Mulholland (writer)

Release Date:

15 December 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

A New Jersey trucker creates a hit TV show with help from his girlfriend in the ratings business.

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Danny DeVito	...	Vic De Salvo
Rhea Perlman	...	Francine Kester
Gerrit Graham	...	Parker Braithwaite
Bernadette Birkett	...	Mrs. Sweeney
Barry Corbin	...	Carl Wheeny
Louis Giambalvo	...	Goody DeSalvo
Ronny Graham	...	Cap'n Andy
Huntz Hall	...	Benny Bentson
Basil Hoffman	...	Frank Friedlander
Kevin McCarthy	...	Wes Vandergelder
John Megna	...	Al
Michael Richards	...	Sal
Ron Rifkin	...	T.V. Director
Joe Santos	...	Tony
Vincent Schiavelli	...	Skip

Also Known As:

The Mogul (bootleg title)

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Spain:T

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Imagination Productions

Trivia:

In a deleted scene Lainie Kazan played 'Edna,' the struggling network's psychic adviser. Jonathan Winters wanted to play kiddie show host 'Captain Andy,' but was unavailable. Geena Davis auditioned for several parts, including 'Hamilton's Girl.'

Quotes:

Parker Braithwaite: How can "The Senator and Stinky" get a zero share?
Francine Kester: Not one of the fifteen hundred Computron sets were tuned into it. In short, nobody watched.
Parker Braithwaite: Nobody watched, huh? It just so happens that we received four hundred letters complaining about the show... so somebody's watching.
Francine Kester: None of the Computron households.
Parker Braithwaite: Households. That's the flaw in your system! You don't take into account college dormitories... prisons... Our shows get a lot of fan mail from mental institutions. That never shows up in your ratings!

Soundtrack:

Theme from 'The Goombas'

The best, priceless

THE RATINGS GAME is one of the funniest and well written movies of all time. Its the TV industry making fun of itself. The plot is unique and clever, the love story with DeVito and Perlman is very well done and touching, and there are cameos by many great stars and stars to be. Basically its a spoof of really bad sit-coms where the lead character fraudulently manipulates the ratings to make his patently bad show beat the World Series in ratings. Brilliant movie, probably not easy to find. There are very few comedies that get me. This one is side-splitting and a real bulls-eye insightful satire of the Hollywood TV industry and scene. Bravo.