Spies Like Us (1985)

Two bumbling government employees think they are U.S. spies, only to discover that they are actually decoys for Nuclear War.

Director:

John Landis

Writers:

Dan Aykroyd (story), Dave Thomas (story)

Stars:

Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd, Mark Stewart

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Mark Stewart	...	Ace Tomato Courier
Sean Daniel	...	Ace Tomato Driver
Bruce Davison	...	Mr. Ruby
William Prince	...	Mr. Keyes
Steve Forrest	...	General Sline
Tom Hatten	...	General Miegs
Chevy Chase	...	Emmett Fitz-Hume
Ronald Reagan	...	The President of the United States (archive footage)
Jeff Harding	...	Fitz-Hume's Associate
Heidi Sorenson	...	Fitz-Hume's Supervisor
Stephen Hoye	...	Captain Hefling
Dan Aykroyd	...	Austin Millbarge
Margo Random	...	Reporter
Douglas Lambert	...	Reporter
Frank Oz	...	Test Monitor

Storyline

Two low-level government employees, Emmitt Fitz-Hume (played by Chevy Chase) and Austin Milbarge (Dan Aykroyd), are chosen for a top-secret CIA mission. They are unsuitable as CIA agents but are deliberately chosen for this reason, as their mission is a decoy one and they are expendable. After being fast-tracked through training they are parachuted into Pakistan where all manner of adventures await them.

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Plot Keywords:

slapstick comedy | missile | laser | decoy | spy | 

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Taglines:

With spies like these who needs enemies?

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Russian

Release Date:

6 December 1985 (USA)

Also Known As:

Drôles d'espions

Filming Locations:

1308 5th St NE Washington, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$22,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$8,614,039, 8 December 1985

Gross USA:

$60,088,980

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros., AAR Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) Mono (35 mm prints)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Intelligence Agencies featured in the film included the C.I.A., the K.G.B.,The Pentagon, and the Defense Intelligence Agency (D.I.A.).

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Goofs

At the end of the movie the recalled ICBM explodes at 3000 Zulu time. Zulu time is the same as Universal Coordinated Time (UTC) and operates on a 24-hour clock. In a 24-hour clock the day runs from midnight to midnight and is divided into 24 hours, indicated by the hours passed since midnight, from 0 to 23 (e.g. 1600 hours is 4:00 P.M). 3000 hours is an impossible time in a 24-hour day.

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Quotes

Emmett Fitz-Hume: Feet!
Austin Millbarge: Hat!

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Crazy Credits

The President of the United States - Ronald Reagan

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Connections

Referenced in Leisure Suit Larry: Box Office Bust (2009)

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Soundtracks

I'LL BE LOVING YOU
Written by Sammy Cahn and Vernon Duke

User Reviews

Hilarious

I'm surprised this movie isn't higher rated. No, it's not "Lawrence of Arabia" but not every movie has to be "artistically respectable". Just look at the names of the two main characters, Emmett Fitz-Hume and Austin Milbarge, and you know what you're in for.

Aykroyd and Chase are hilarious and this movie is a laugh a minute. Yes, there are dumb jokes, slapstick humor, ridiculous scenarios and odd cameos (doctor? doctor?)...But that's what's great about it, you just turn your brain off and take it in.

I've seen this movie a hundred times and could watch it a hundred more, I guess it's one of those "love it or hate it" things. But "we mock what we don't understand".