Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysLGBTQ+ Pride MonthSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Ishtar

  • 19871987
  • PG-13PG-13
  • 1h 47m
IMDb RATING
4.6/10
11K
YOUR RATING
Dustin Hoffman and Warren Beatty in Ishtar (1987)
Trailer for Ishtar
Play trailer2:07
1 Video
47 Photos
  • Action
  • Adventure
  • Comedy
Two terrible lounge singers get booked to play a gig in a Moroccan hotel but somehow become pawns in an international power play between the C.I.A., the Emir of Ishtar, and the rebels trying... Read allTwo terrible lounge singers get booked to play a gig in a Moroccan hotel but somehow become pawns in an international power play between the C.I.A., the Emir of Ishtar, and the rebels trying to overthrow his regime.Two terrible lounge singers get booked to play a gig in a Moroccan hotel but somehow become pawns in an international power play between the C.I.A., the Emir of Ishtar, and the rebels trying to overthrow his regime.
IMDb RATING
4.6/10
11K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Elaine May
  • Writer
    • Elaine May
  • Stars
    • Warren Beatty
    • Dustin Hoffman
    • Isabelle Adjani
Top credits
  • Director
    • Elaine May
  • Writer
    • Elaine May
  • Stars
    • Warren Beatty
    • Dustin Hoffman
    • Isabelle Adjani
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 167User reviews
    • 55Critic reviews
    • 52Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 3 nominations

    Videos1

    Ishtar
    Trailer 2:07
    Ishtar

    Photos47

    Dustin Hoffman in Ishtar (1987)
    Isabelle Adjani in Ishtar (1987)
    Dustin Hoffman and Warren Beatty in Ishtar (1987)
    Dustin Hoffman in Ishtar (1987)
    Warren Beatty in Ishtar (1987)
    Dustin Hoffman, Isabelle Adjani, and Warren Beatty in Ishtar (1987)
    Warren Beatty in Ishtar (1987)
    Dustin Hoffman and Warren Beatty in Ishtar (1987)
    Dustin Hoffman and Warren Beatty in Ishtar (1987)
    1 sheet movie poster
    Banner for video release, Banner, 18 x 51
    Ishtar (1987)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Warren Beatty
    Warren Beatty
    • Lyle Rogersas Lyle Rogers
    Dustin Hoffman
    Dustin Hoffman
    • Chuck Clarkeas Chuck Clarke
    Isabelle Adjani
    Isabelle Adjani
    • Shirra Asselas Shirra Assel
    Charles Grodin
    Charles Grodin
    • Jim Harrisonas Jim Harrison
    Jack Weston
    Jack Weston
    • Marty Freedas Marty Freed
    Tess Harper
    Tess Harper
    • Willaas Willa
    Carol Kane
    Carol Kane
    • Carolas Carol
    Aharon Ipalé
    Aharon Ipalé
    • Emir Yousefas Emir Yousef
    Fijad Hageb
    • Abdulas Abdul
    • (as Fuad Hageb)
    David Margulies
    David Margulies
    • Mr. Clarkeas Mr. Clarke
    Rose Arrick
    • Mrs. Clarkeas Mrs. Clarke
    Julie Garfield
    • Dorothyas Dorothy
    Cristine Rose
    Cristine Rose
    • Siri Darmaas Siri Darma
    • (as Christine Rose)
    Robert V. Girolami
    • Bartenderas Bartender
    • (as Bob Girolami)
    Abe Kroll
    • Mr. Thomopoulosas Mr. Thomopoulos
    Hannah Kroll
    • Mrs. Thomopoulosas Mrs. Thomopoulos
    Herb Gardner
    Herb Gardner
    • Rabbi Pierceas Rabbi Pierce
    Bill Moor
    • U.S. Consulas U.S. Consul
    • Director
      • Elaine May
    • Writer
      • Elaine May
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

    More like this

    The Heartbreak Kid
    7.0
    The Heartbreak Kid
    A New Leaf
    7.3
    A New Leaf
    Mikey and Nicky
    7.4
    Mikey and Nicky
    Heaven Can Wait
    6.9
    Heaven Can Wait
    Rosewood
    7.2
    Rosewood
    2 Friends
    6.3
    2 Friends
    Reds
    7.3
    Reds
    Alfredo, Alfredo
    6.5
    Alfredo, Alfredo
    Toxic Affair
    4.6
    Toxic Affair
    Real Life
    7.0
    Real Life
    California Split
    7.2
    California Split
    Shampoo
    6.4
    Shampoo

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      In one of Gary Larson's "The Far Side" comic strips, captioned "Hell's Video Store", the entire store is stocked with nothing but copies of this film. Larson later apologized, saying "When I drew the above cartoon, I had not actually seen 'Ishtar'. Years later, I saw it on an airplane, and was stunned at what was happening to me: I was actually being entertained. Sure, maybe it's not the greatest film ever made, but my cartoon was way off the mark. There are so many cartoons for which I should probably write an apology, but this is the only one which compels me to do so."
    • Goofs
      When Marty Freed is sitting with Chuck and Lyle, after he first hears their act, he puts his hand up to his mouth ("Let me tell you what I told Tony Bennett..."). In the next shot, the hand is on the table.
    • Quotes

      Chuck Clarke: Stupid-ass camel! He'd rather sit there and die!

      Lyle Rogers: You know, I kind of admire that.

      Chuck Clarke: Me too.

    • Alternate versions
      UK cinema and video versions were cut by 8 secs by the BBFC to remove uses of the word 'fuck' in order for the film to receive a PG rating. The cuts were restored in 2004 to the 15-rated DVD release.
    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Guilty Pleasures - 1987 (1987)
    • Soundtracks
      Dangerous Business
      Lyrics and Music by Paul Williams

      Produced by Michael James Jackson and Paul Williams

      Executive Producer Paul Williams

      Performed by Warren Beatty and Dustin Hoffman

    User reviews167

    Review
    Top review
    Call me crazy, but...
    "Ishtar was great," I think defiantly every time by some off chance someone I come in contact with who has actually seen it cites it was the worst movie ever. I suppose it's part of cinematic pop culture to hold that opinion as a safeguard against being called a fool.

    The most charming quality of Ishtar is its consistently dry, tongue-and-cheek disposition. It offers brilliant insight to the types of people in the world that, despite the fact that to everyone else their talent is cheesy at best, continue to try and try. Rogers and Clarke are the "Every Men" for that entire segment of the population with their songwriting musical act.

    Their third-rate, leisure-suit-wearing manager does his job by getting them a few gigs; the biggest gig of all is in Ishtar, a politically unstable Middle Eastern country. Which, of course, is unbeknownst to Rogers and Clarke, who are just reveling in their love of playing music. Their naivete (and sometimes outright stupidity) is a character unto itself, and plays brilliantly throughout the ridiculous adventure that they experience.

    I've seen Hoffman and Beatty in interviews joking about how they knew the movie was so bad that, instead of quitting, they simply got into the spirit by over-acting at parts. But, whether they know it or not, they were very REAL people, and THAT was the best part of all.
    helpful•66
    19
    • ChakaMan
    • Oct 13, 1998

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 15, 1987 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Іштар
    • Filming locations
      • Morocco
    • Production companies
      • Columbia Pictures
      • Delphi V Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $55,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $14,375,181
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $4,331,817
      • May 17, 1987
    • Gross worldwide
      • $14,375,181
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 47 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Dustin Hoffman and Warren Beatty in Ishtar (1987)
    Top Gap
    By what name was Ishtar (1987) officially released in India in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    The Best Movies Coming This Summer
    See the full list
    Image caption not available
    2:02
    LGBTQIA+ Movies and Shows to Watch This Summer
    Watch the video

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.