Armed and Dangerous (1986)

Director:

Mark L. Lester

Writers:

Brian Grazer (story) and
Harold Ramis (story) ...

Release Date:

15 August 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Crime

Tagline:

Undercover. Overdressed. And keeping you safe from the scum of the earth

Plot:

A fired cop and useless lawyer sign up as security guards and find they've joined a corrupt union.

Plot Keywords:

Union | Security Guard | Framed | Robbery | Organized Crime

Cast

John Candy	...	Frank Dooley
Eugene Levy	...	Norman Kane
Robert Loggia	...	Michael Carlino
Kenneth McMillan	...	Captain Clarence O'Connell
Meg Ryan	...	Maggie Cavanaugh
Brion James	...	Anthony Lazarus
Jonathan Banks	...	Clyde Klepper
Don Stroud	...	Sergeant Rizzo
Larry Hankin	...	Kokolovitch
Steve Railsback	...	The Cowboy
Robert Burgos	...	Mel Nedler
Tony Burton	...	Cappy
Robert Gray	...	Butcher
Larry Flash Jenkins	...	Raisin
Stacy Keach Sr.	...	Judge

Runtime:

88 min | Spain:83 min (DVD edition)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:M | Spain:T | Netherlands:6 | USA:PG-13 (Certificate #28208) | Finland:K-14 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | West Germany:12 (nf) | Argentina:13 | Iceland:12

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The role of Norman Kane was originally intended for Tom Hanks. When Hanks couldn't do it, John Candy suggested fellow veteran SCTV star Eugene Levy.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When the car rolls over at the end of the movie, the roll cage added to the car for the safety of the stunt men can be seen.

Quotes:

Vicki: Gosh, I didn't realize it was going to be this formal. If I had known it was going to be this kind of party I would have worn underwear.

Movie Connections:

Featured in 100 Years of Comedy (1997) (V)

Soundtrack:

OUR THING

Armed with a thousand laughs, this film will boost your spirits, absolutely

Frank (Tom Candy) is a good policeman but he is framed for theft when he catches other officers pilfering electronics. He is kicked off the force in short order. Meanwhile, Norman (Eugene Levy) is an inept lawyer who messes up big time when he assigned to defend a Charles Manson type offender. The judge in the case orders Norman to find alternative work. With few options, Frank and Norman both enroll in a security guard officers training school, where they become fast friends and partners. This is, in part, because so many of their classmates are complete idiots, like the man who wonders if he should put his own name on the application line that says "name"! Frank and Norman's first assignment is to stand watch inside a factory but they soon realize that their company, Guard Dog Security, may have some criminals on the staff, ones that are stealing from the companies they are supposed to be guarding. Can Frank and Norman, with the help of the firm-owner's daughter, Maggie (Meg Ryan), expose the bad elements in the company, without getting fired or killed? This is a very funny film with abundant laughs. Yes, it may be considered a more "low-brow" vehicle, but it is still very mirthful and will cause any viewer to laugh themselves silly. Just watching the less-than-intelligent guards on the staff of the security firm makes for a fun, fun evening. Candy, Levy, and Ryan are terrific but, then, so are the relative unknowns who round out the rest of the cast. Sets, costumes, and production values are great, too. If you want to see a classic Candy film, this is a great choice, for it displays his marvelous and abundant talent, no doubt. But, anyone truly wishing to transport themselves to a world of laughter will find this one a very good choice.