The Adventures of Ford Fairlane (1990)

A vulgar private detective is hired to find a missing groupie and is drawn into a mystery involving a series of murders tied to the music industry.

Director:

Renny Harlin

Writers:

Daniel Waters (screenplay), James Cappe (screenplay)

Stars:

Andrew Dice Clay, Lauren Holly, Wayne Newton

5 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Andrew Dice Clay	...	Ford Fairlane
Wayne Newton	...	Julian Grendel
Priscilla Presley	...	Colleen Sutton
Morris Day	...	Don Cleveland
Lauren Holly	...	Jazz
Maddie Corman	...	Zuzu Petals
Gilbert Gottfried	...	Johnny Crunch
David Patrick Kelly	...	Sam
Brandon Call	...	The Kid
Robert Englund	...	Smiley
Ed O'Neill	...	Lt. Amos
Vince Neil	...	Bobby Black
Sheila E.	...	Club Singer
David Arnott	...	Club Guy
Mark Goldstein	...	Club Guy

Storyline

Ford "Mr. Rock n' Roll Detective" Fairlane is experiencing problems, and it's not with the opposite sex. One of them is that all the rock stars pay him with drum sticks, koala bears, food processors and bicycle shorts. Another one of them is that all his employers that want him to find a girl named Zuzu Petals get killed. Why didn't he become a fisherman's detective instead? A must-see for Andrew Dice Clay fans.

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Plot Keywords:

music industry | private detective | record executive | record company | cover up | 

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Taglines:

Kojak. Columbo. Dirty Harry. Wimps.

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | Crime | Music | Mystery

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 July 1990 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ford Fairlane

Filming Locations:

Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Colorado, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$6,374,391, 15 July 1990, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$21,413,502

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox, Silver Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Maddie Corman's character is named "Zuzu Petals", a reference to It's a Wonderful Life (1946). In that movie, George Bailey's daughter, Zuzu, had brought home a flower she had got at school. She shows it to her father and complains that some of the petals are falling off. He puts them in his pocket. Later, when he "has never been born", he reaches into his pocket and Clarence the Angel, says, "They're not there." "What?" asks George. "Zuzu's petals."

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Goofs

The level of juice in the blender.

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Quotes

Ford Fairlane: Conversation with Zuzu Petals was like masturbating with a cheese grater: slightly amusing, but mostly painful.

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Connections

Referenced in Romy and Michele: In the Beginning (2005)

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Soundtracks

Rock 'N Roll Junkie
Written by Nikki Sixx, Mick Mars and Tommy Lee
Produced by Bob Rock
Performed by Mötley Crüe
Courtesy of Elektra Records

User Reviews

I'm so terrific I have my own toll-free number: 1-800-UNBELIEVABLE!

This movie is one of the funniest ever, period. What can you say? The role of Ford Fairlane really suits the Dice. Great dialogues, great story, great movie. Un-believable! I have seen this movie numerous times and it's still rocks. This is funnier than every other comedy out there, be it American Pie #1324 or clone-how-many of Monty Python. Great.