The Ratings Game (1984) (TV)

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:

Vic De Salvo: Boys, I'm offering all of you a piece of the biggest money-making racket in America today.
Tony: Drugs?
Sid: Hookers?
Tony: Car insurance?
Vic De Salvo: No, television! Where a minute of advertising costs a hundred thousand dollars... and a ratings point is worth forty million to a network.

Soundtrack:

Sittin' Pretty

Classic Devito

Hilarious movie reminiscent of Mad TV and SNL mock TV shows. First saw this on cable in the 80s and fell off my chair laughing. This is the kind of stuff Danny Devito does best. Dark, sarcastic humor.

Struggling producer Vic de Salvo (Devito) hatches a scheme to become a big TV star by creating and staring in his own shows and selling them to a struggling network. When he meets and falls in love with Francine, (Rhea Perlman) a woman who works for the Neilson Ratings Beaureau, he uses her knowledge to kidnap the Neilson families and send his mobster crew to "house-sit" for them and tune into his shows.

The mock shows are hilarious and I swear some of them are actually templates for shows that were minor hits later on. This reminds me a little of "Stay Tuned". Well worth a look, though slightly dated. Future "Cheers" stars, Perlman and George Wendt and an early look at Michael Richards ("Seinfeld"'s Kramer).