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

When Chevy Chase's co-worker asks if he is taking the Foreign Service Board Exam, he states "well it's supposed to be all new this year. Five hundred questions in two hours." That means that an exam taker would have to answer a question at least every 14.4 seconds.

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Goofs

The scene after the checkpoint cabin blows up from grenades. Dan grabs a horse and they ride off together with the horse that had a white spot on its forehead and is a light brown color. The next scene they are walking with a different horse that has a long white strip on its face and is darker.

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Quotes

Emmett Fitz-Hume: Oh. Uh, will you hold my wallet for me while I take the test, please? There's a thousand dollars in there... or maybe there isn't. Know what I mean?
Test Monitor: Are you saying I can take this money if I help you pass the test?
Emmett Fitz-Hume: What do you think?

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Crazy Credits

In the end credits, Bob Hope's name appears on screen and then after a few seconds an exclamation mark is added.

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Connections

Referenced in 3rd Rock from the Sun: Same Old Song and Dick (1997)

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Soundtracks

SOUL FINGER
Written by Jimmy King, Ben Cauley, Carl Cunningham, James Alexander and Ronnie Caldwell
Performed by The Bar-Kays
Courtesy of Atlantic Recording Corp.
By Arrangement with Warner Special Products

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".