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IMDbPro

Ruthless People

  • 19861986
  • RR
  • 1h 33m
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
28K
YOUR RATING
Danny DeVito, Bette Midler, and Helen Slater in Ruthless People (1986)
A couple, cheated by a vile businessman, kidnap his wife in retaliation, without knowing that their enemy is delighted they did.
Play trailer0:31
1 Video
83 Photos
  • Comedy
  • Crime
A couple cheated by a vile businessman kidnaps his wife in retaliation, not knowing that their enemy is delighted that they did.A couple cheated by a vile businessman kidnaps his wife in retaliation, not knowing that their enemy is delighted that they did.A couple cheated by a vile businessman kidnaps his wife in retaliation, not knowing that their enemy is delighted that they did.
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
28K
YOUR RATING
  • Directors
    • Jim Abrahams
    • David Zucker
    • Jerry Zucker
  • Writers
    • Dale Launer
    • O. Henry(story "The Ransom of Red Chief")
  • Stars
    • Bette Midler
    • Danny DeVito
    • Judge Reinhold
Top credits
  • Directors
    • Jim Abrahams
    • David Zucker
    • Jerry Zucker
  • Writers
    • Dale Launer
    • O. Henry(story "The Ransom of Red Chief")
  • Stars
    • Bette Midler
    • Danny DeVito
    • Judge Reinhold
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 94User reviews
    • 32Critic reviews
    • 78Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 3 nominations

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 0:31
    Official Trailer

    Photos83

    Danny DeVito, Bette Midler, Kurt Russell, Martin Short, Mary Kay Place, Benjamin Salisbury, and Meadow Sisto in Ruthless People (1986)
    Richard Dreyfuss, Bette Midler, and Nick Nolte in Down and Out in Beverly Hills (1986)
    Danny DeVito, Richard Dreyfuss, Bette Midler, and Judge Reinhold in Ruthless People (1986)
    Ruthless People (1986)
    Helen Slater in Ruthless People (1986)
    Frank Sivero in Ruthless People (1986)
    Judge Reinhold in Ruthless People (1986)
    Judge Reinhold in Ruthless People (1986)
    Ruthless People (1986)
    Judge Reinhold in Ruthless People (1986)
    Bill Pullman in Ruthless People (1986)
    Helen Slater in Ruthless People (1986)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Bette Midler
    Bette Midler
    • Barbara Stone
    Danny DeVito
    Danny DeVito
    • Sam Stone
    Judge Reinhold
    Judge Reinhold
    • Ken Kessler
    Helen Slater
    Helen Slater
    • Sandy Kessler
    Anita Morris
    Anita Morris
    • Carol
    Bill Pullman
    Bill Pullman
    • Earl
    William G. Schilling
    William G. Schilling
    • Police Commissioner
    Art Evans
    Art Evans
    • Lt. Bender
    Clarence Felder
    • Lt. Walters
    J.E. Freeman
    J.E. Freeman
    • Bedroom Killer
    Gary Riley
    Gary Riley
    • Heavy Metal Kid
    Phyllis Applegate
    Phyllis Applegate
    • Loan Officer
    Jeannine Bisignano
    Jeannine Bisignano
    • Hooker in Car
    J.P. Bumstead
    • Technician
    Jon Cutler
    • Stereo Store Customer
    Susan Marie Snyder
    Susan Marie Snyder
    • Stereo Store Customer
    Jim Doughan
    • Cop at Sam's House
    Christopher J. Keene
    • Cop at Jail
    • Directors
      • Jim Abrahams
      • David Zucker
      • Jerry Zucker
    • Writers
      • Dale Launer
      • O. Henry(story "The Ransom of Red Chief") (uncredited)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Bette Midler claims that Danny DeVito called her twice after the premiere of this film: once to congratulate her, and a second time, 20 minutes later, during which he and Midler both broke down in a nervous frenzy over how terrible the movie was, and how their careers were over. The film went on to become a box-office smash.
    • Goofs
      It appears that there may have been a scene deleted, as the ransom jumps from $2 million to $2.2 million without an explanation. After Barbara gives Ken and Sandy the details of Sam's net worth, Ken calls Sam and says, "We're up to $2 million." He proceeds to list the value of each item so far: $1.2M in equity in his store, $350K in his pension, $45K for the Excalibur, and stock options amounting to $175K. This totals $1,770,000. One flawless, 1-carat diamond would be worth approx. $12,500 in 1986, with 4 of them fetching a sum of $50K. The new total is $1,820,000, $400K short of the $2.2 million figure Sam hands to Ken.
    • Quotes

      Lt. Bender: [over a bullhorn] GIVE THE BAG TO BOZO, DROP THE GUN, AND PUT YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR.

      Earl Mott: Who said that?

      Lt. Walters: [to Lt. Bender] This could very well be the stupidest person on the face of the earth. Perhaps we should shoot him.

      Lt. Bender: [over the bullhorn] IT'S THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

      Earl Mott: Really?

      Lt. Bender: NO! WE'RE THE NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION!

    • Crazy credits
      Dwight Gooden, the well-known major league baseball pitcher, is listed in the end credits as "Best Pitcher." Gooden won the 1985 National League Cy Young Award, which is given annually to the best pitcher in each league.
    • Connections
      Edited into Funny or Die Presents...: Fifty Shades of DeVito (2018)
    • Soundtracks
      Ruthless People Theme
      Performed by Mick Jagger

      Written by Daryl Hall, David A. Stewart (as Dave Stewart) and Mick Jagger

    User reviews94

    Review
    Top review
    Way back when there were studios...
    ...they made movies with comic premises, story structure, and denoument. This movie has them all, and most comedies by comparison are puffed-up TV fare.

    The tone is almost European: There are no good guys, and the protagonist is willing, even eager, for his wife to be killed by her kidnappers.

    Forget nudity or explicit violence. You know you're watching a film for grown-ups when it's willing to plumb the depths of this situation for the comic gold within, not just string a few gags on it.

    Highest accolades all around.
    helpful•8
    1
    • Chaff
    • Aug 18, 1999

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 27, 1986 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Die unglaubliche Entführung der verrückten Mrs. Stone
    • Filming locations
      • 10690 Somma Way - Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Touchstone Films
      • Silver Screen Partners II
      • Zucker Brothers Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $13,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $71,624,879
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $5,274,306
      • Jun 29, 1986
    • Gross worldwide
      • $71,624,879
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 33 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Related news

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