Taking Care of Business (1990)

An uptight advertising exec has his entire life in a filofax organizer which mistakenly ends up in the hands of a friendly convict who poses as him.

Director:

Arthur Hiller

Writers:

Jill Mazursky, J.J. Abrams

Stars:

James Belushi, Charles Grodin, Anne De Salvo

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
James Belushi	...	Jimmy Dworski
Charles Grodin	...	Spencer Barnes
Anne De Salvo	...	Debbie Lipton
Loryn Locklin	...	Jewel Bentley
Stephen Elliott	...	Walter Bentley
Hector Elizondo	...	Warden Toolman
Veronica Hamel	...	Elizabeth Barnes
Mako	...	Mr. Sakamoto
Gates McFadden	...	Diane Connors
John de Lancie	...	Ted Bradford Jr.
Thom Sharp	...	Mike Steward
Ken Foree	...	J.B., Prisoner making demands
John Marshall Jones	...	LeBradford Brown (as J.J.)
Andre Rosey Brown	...	Heavy G
Terrence E. McNally	...	Hamilton

Storyline

Jimmy Dworski is a criminal serving the last 48 hours of a jail sentence. He wins a couple of baseball tickets by calling a radio quiz show. With help of other inmates, he escapes to go watch the game. When by chance he finds the Filofax of executive Spencer Barns who loses it while traveling on a business weekend. Jimmy finds cash, credit cards and the key to a big mansion. He jumps on the opportunity and starts posing as Barns. While the real Barnes is trying to find his Filofax he gets in all sorts of trouble. How will things turn out when the two finally meet?

---

Plot Keywords:

baseball | radio | jail | wig | rain | 

---

Taglines:

You are who you pretend to be.

---

Genres:

Comedy | Sport

---

Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 August 1990 (USA)

Also Known As:

Filofax

Filming Locations:

Angel Stadium of Anaheim - 2000 Gene Autry Way, Anaheim, California, USA

Box Office

Gross:

$20,005,435 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hollywood Pictures, Silver Screen Partners IV

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Chicago Cubs, the team playing in the World Series in the film had been in the National League playoffs after filming began on this film. They had lost to the San Francisco Giants in 6 games and they have not been to the World Series to this day since 1945 and have not won one since 1908.

---

Goofs

After diving into the pool, when she's in the jacuzzi with Spencer, Jewel's hair is dry and styled.

---

Quotes

Spencer Barnes: [inside the prison] Look me up when you get out.
Jimmy Dworski: OK. I get out in about 20 minutes.
Spencer Barnes: In that case, forget it.

---

Connections

Referenced in Bad Movie Beatdown: Gone Fishin' (2013)

---

Soundtracks

"Takin' Care Of Business"
Written by Randy Bachman
Performed by Bachman-Turner Overdrive
Courtesy of Polygram Special Products
A Division of Polygram Records, Inc.

User Reviews

`Taking Care The Absolutely Funny !!!'

Funny, funny, funny and funny! This is the only word to define this lively comedy starring to James Belushi and Charles Grodin and directed by a master as Arthur Hiller. The pasted 80's were the best years for the American comedy, started to the later John Belushi till to the Chevy Chase's `Flecht' came to the Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd `Ghostbusters' the entertainment industry had generated a great lot to funny comedy, that it's true many funny movie are do still now, but the elegance and intelligence in the old movies are insuperable and unequalled. `Taking Care A Business is a comedy that it's do in the early 90's but it include all the 80's funny spirit thanks to a fast script and a professional directed to Arthur Hiller, but also thanks to the two leading players Belushi and Grodin two great comedians and also two great actors(You can see them in many drama movie). Belushi is surprising in his naturalness and expressiveness, he succeeded to give at his character a reality dimension where it's very believed his carefreeness and his `live a day at the time'. Grodin is very funny and professional in the measured and unlucky business man. The story is easy and simple in fact it's based to the classical Hollywood theme `the guy changed'. A rich business man Spencer Burns, lost his precious note-book where there all his life during a business travel, and this note-book is found to a likely jail man Jimmy Dworsky (Belushi) that he's escaped for see the baseball macht of his favourite league. Naturally the lucky fugitive take the place to the Spencer. You can not consider this movie as a great movie or a social flick with many reflection, but you must see the movie only for that's it's, a long and crackling unity to funny and laugher. And if I see under this aspect I give to the movie a good 8 to rate.