Deal of the Century (1983)

A small time arms dealer in South America to sell weapons to the revolutionaries, winds up negotiating the sale of an experimental plane to the nation's dictator.

Director:

William Friedkin

Writers:

Paul Brickman, Bernard Edelman (book)

Stars:

Chevy Chase, Sigourney Weaver, Gregory Hines

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Chevy Chase	...	Eddie Muntz
Sigourney Weaver	...	Catherine DeVoto
Gregory Hines	...	Ray Kasternak
Vince Edwards	...	Frank Stryker
William Marquez	...	Gen. Cordosa
Eduardo Ricard	...	Col. Salgado
Richard Herd	...	Lyle
Graham Jarvis	...	Babers
Wallace Shawn	...	Harold DeVoto
Randi Brooks	...	Ms. Della Rosa
Ebbe Roe Smith	...	Bob
Richard Libertini	...	Masaggi
J.W. Smith	...	Will
Carmencristina Moreno	...	Woman Singer (as Carmen Moreno)
Charles Levin	...	Dr. Rechtin

Storyline

Arms dealers from several companies vie to sell the most expensive and highest tech weapons to a South American dictator. There are complications; understanding the exact nature of how 'gifts' are used to grease the wheels of a sale, a religious conversion from one of the salesman and a romance that begins to grow between two competitors, not to mention the imminient financial collapse of one of the companies if they don't make this sale.

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Plot Keywords:

dictator | arms dealer | helicopter | used car salesman | explosion | 

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Taglines:

Chevy Chase and his partners are arms dealers. They sell second-rate weapons to third world nations. But they're not out to stick it to anyone.

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 November 1983 (USA)

Also Known As:

Das Bombengeschäft

Filming Locations:

Santa Barbara, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$10,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,520,605, 6 November 1983, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$10,369,581

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros.,Dream Quest Images

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The second of four movies in which Chevy Chase starred for Warner Bros. within a three year period for Warner Bros. They were National Lampoon's Vacation (1983), Deal Of The Century (1983), National Lampoon's European Vacation (1985) and Spies Like Us (1985). Chase would return to Warner Bros. after a brief stint outside the studio having starred in both Fletch (1985) and Three Amigos! (1986) in the late 1980's on another four picture deal which included Funny Farm (1988), National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989), Nothing But Trouble (1991) and Memoirs Of An Invisible Man (1992).

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Goofs

San Miguel is stated (by Masaggi) as a neighboring country of Costa Rica. While Eddie Muntz is being robbed on Christmas Eve, both he and the Robber Man show breath (indicating cold weather). The average low temp for Costa Rica is 68 degrees, far to warm to show breath condensation.

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Quotes

Dr. Rechtin: Well, because of the demo today, we washed it down last night. The water must've fogged the electronics.
Frank Stryker: Well, first it's the air conditioning; now it's the water. I mean: are you guys pulling my tit or what?
Bob: Washing it was sheer stupidity!
Luckup Computer Tech: Should do great tomorrow.
Frank Stryker: TOMORROW?
Luckup Computer Tech: After it dries.
Frank Stryker: There is no tomorrow, you assholes! Haven't ya ever heard of RAIN?

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Connections

Referenced in Exterminator 2 (1984)

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Soundtracks

Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White
(Cerisier Rose et Pommier Blanc)
Music by Louiguy
French lyrics by Jacques Larue
English lyrics by Mack David
Performed by Dámaso Pérez Prado

User Reviews

Office Space for the defense industry!

This is a must see for any Chevy Chase fan or anyone who has ever worked at a large defense subcontractor! Office Space for the defense industry. I've worked at big companies (both defense and commercial) and this movie portrays them quite accurately. Even though the inherent humor in the plot line is based on the defense industry, it is very accessible to those who know little about it. Chevy is at his finest as the movie plays his character's extreme comical greed (i.e. will sell any weapon to anyone for any reason) against Gregory Hines' burgeoning conscience about their chosen profession. I was initially shocked by the low average rating of this movie. After reading some of the other reviews about this movie I begin to understand. Because Chevy plays an humorously amoral individual rather than his usually lovably goofy, one I think many viewers were shocked. I didn't think that the humor in this film was subtle; but apparently for many, it was. This movie also makes a very strong moral point about the military industrial complex that should be taught (whether with this movie or not) to all people before they are allowed to vote.