Armed and Dangerous (1986)

A fired cop and useless lawyer sign up as security guards and find they've joined a corrupt union.

Director:

Mark L. Lester

Writers:

Brian Grazer (story), Harold Ramis (story and screenplay)

Stars:

John Candy, Meg Ryan, Eugene Levy

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Candy	...	Frank Dooley
Eugene Levy	...	Norman Kane
Robert Loggia	...	Michael Carlino
Kenneth McMillan	...	Captain Clarence O'Connell
Meg Ryan	...	Maggie Cavanaugh
Brion James	...	Anthony Lazarus
Jonathan Banks	...	Clyde Klepper
Don Stroud	...	Sergeant Rizzo
Larry Hankin	...	Kokolovitch
Steve Railsback	...	The Cowboy
Robert Burgos	...	Mel Nedler
Tony Burton	...	Cappy
Robert Gray	...	Butcher
Larry Flash Jenkins	...	Raisin
Stacy Keach Sr.	...	Judge

Storyline

Frank Dooley (John Candy) , a cop wrongly sacked for corruption, teams up with a useless defense lawyer named Herman Kane (Eugene Levy) in their new careers... as security guards. When the two are made fall guys for a robbery at a location they are guarding, the pair begin to investigate corruption within the company and their union. They soon make enemies of everyone, but can the unlikely duo save the day ?

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Plot Keywords:

security guard | ex cop | frame up | man dresses as a woman | union | 

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Taglines:

Undercover. Overdressed. And keeping you safe from the scum of the earth

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Genres:

Action | Comedy | Crime

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Certificate:

PG-13

Details

Official Sites:

Sony Movie Channel [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 August 1986 (USA)

Also Known As:

Armados y peligrosos

Filming Locations:

4954 Ambrose Avenue, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$12,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$15,945,534

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation,Delphi V Productions,Frostbacks

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min 83 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (DeLuxe)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The location of Michael Carlito's house is the same as the house used in The Beverly Hillbillies.

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Goofs

When Norman rams the car into the stack of wooden crates, one of the shots is reversed and the writing on the armored truck is seen backwards.

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Quotes

The Cowboy: Slim, I ain't never seen a handgun that big before.
Frank Dooley: Yeah, it's a 50 caliber. They used to use it to hunt buffalo with... up close! It's only legal in two states. And this isn't one of them.
The Cowboy: You're somthin' else, Slim.

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Connections

Featured in The Rotten Tomatoes Show: The A-Team/The Karate Kid/Winter's Bone (2010)

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Soundtracks

THAT'S THE WAY IT IS
Written, Produced and Performed by Michael Henderson
Courtesy of EMI America Records, A division of Capitol Records, Inc.

User Reviews

Armed with a thousand laughs, this film will boost your spirits, absolutely

Frank (John Candy) is a good policeman but he is framed for theft when he catches other officers pilfering electronics. He is kicked off the force in short order. Meanwhile, Norman (Eugene Levy) is an inept lawyer who messes up big time when he assigned to defend a Charles Manson type offender. The judge in the case orders Norman to find alternative work. With few options, Frank and Norman both enroll in a security guard officers training school, where they become fast friends and partners. This is, in part, because so many of their classmates are complete idiots, like the man who wonders if he should put his own name on the application line that says "name"! Frank and Norman's first assignment is to stand watch inside a factory but they soon realize that their company, Guard Dog Security, may have some criminals on the staff, ones that are stealing from the companies they are supposed to be guarding. Can Frank and Norman, with the help of the firm-owner's daughter, Maggie (Meg Ryan), expose the bad elements in the company, without getting fired or killed? This is a very funny film with abundant laughs. Yes, it may be considered a more "low-brow" vehicle, but it is still very mirthful and will cause any viewer to laugh themselves silly. Just watching the less-than-intelligent guards on the staff of the security firm makes for a fun, fun evening. Candy, Levy, and Ryan are terrific but, then, so are the relative unknowns who round out the rest of the cast. Sets, costumes, and production values are great, too. If you want to see a classic Candy film, this is a great choice, for it displays his marvelous and abundant talent, no doubt. But, anyone truly wishing to transport themselves to a world of laughter will find this one a very good choice.