Burglar (1987)

Bernice "Bernie" Rhodenbarr is a burglar by trade, and she runs a bookstore as well. Her friend Carl Hefler is a dog groomer. After a successful burglary, it's discovered that a dead body ... See full summary »

Director:

Hugh Wilson

Writers:

Lawrence Block (novels), Jeph Loeb (screenplay),

Stars:

Whoopi Goldberg, Bobcat Goldthwait, G.W. Bailey

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Whoopi Goldberg	...	Bernice Rhodenbarr
Bobcat Goldthwait	...	Carl Hefler
G.W. Bailey	...	Ray Kirschman
Lesley Ann Warren	...	Dr. Cynthia Sheldrake
James Handy	...	Carson Verrill
Anne De Salvo	...	Detective Todras (as Anne DeSalvo)
John Goodman	...	Detective Nyswander
Elizabeth Ruscio	...	Frankie
Vyto Ruginis	...	K.E. Graybow
Larry Mintz	...	Vincent 'Knobby' DiCarno
Raye Birk	...	The Jogger
Eric Poppick	...	Deliveryman
Scott Lincoln	...	Man in Cadillac
Thom Bray	...	Shoplifter in Bookstore
Nathan Davis	...	Mr. Paggif

Storyline

Bernice "Bernie" Rhodenbarr is a burglar by trade, and she runs a bookstore as well. Her friend Carl Hefler is a dog groomer. After a successful burglary, it's discovered that a dead body was in the house she burgled. As she's the only one who can be placed at the scene of the crime, she has to use her criminal skills to clear her name of the murder AND avoid getting charged with the burglary.

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Plot Keywords:

burglar | bookstore | murder | cat burglar | female protagonist | 

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Taglines:

A first rate comedy about a second story woman.

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 March 1987 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Ladrona

Filming Locations:

San Francisco, California, USA

Box Office

Gross:

$16,337,355 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Nelvana, Warner Bros

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Based on the book "The Burglar in The Closet".

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Goofs

At the scene at the used book store when Bernice is on the phone trying to reach Abe Froman, the shoplifter approaches the counter to pay for the books. Bernice then locks the door and flips the closed sign leaving the two of them locked in the store. The shoplifter is caught and gets angry, and after Bernice pulls her gun on him and tells him to never steal from her again, he flies out of a now unlocked front door.

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Quotes

Frankie: What line of work are you in?
Bernice 'Bernie' Rhodenbarr: I'm a cat burglar.
Frankie: Oh, shit! What do you do with them?
Bernice 'Bernie' Rhodenbarr: What?
Frankie: The cats!
[Both laughing]
Bernice 'Bernie' Rhodenbarr: I hold them for ransom!
Frankie: Is there any money in that?
[laughing]
Frankie: Oh, Jeezus! Look who's asking if there's any money in pussy!

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Connections

Referenced in Game On: Episode #3.2 (1998)

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Soundtracks

"I'm the Burglar"
Performed by Sly Stone
Written by The Distance, Tom Kelly and Billy Steinberg
Produced by Bernard Edwards
Courtesy of A&M Records

User Reviews

A comedy where the actors, situations and lines outshine the limp plot.

Burglar is one of the movies on my top 50 funniest movie list. Unlike other reviews here, I rate it higher than Jumping Jack Flash. Perhaps its because this is a great movie for Bobcat's normally irritating character. Strange that there are no quotes for this movie! She and Bobcat have some truly great (although obscene) lines. Whoopie's scene in the closet while the soon-to-be-murdered character was screwing his ex-wife is hilarious. Bobcat has great scenes in the bar delivering a package, and later being interrogated John Goodman in the police station. The actors are all 2-dimensional but that only feeds the comedic aspects of the interaction of the stereotypes. The police-proofed apartment that Whoopie owns is a scream.