Ruthless People (1986)

20 Pictures

6.7	Rating (142 ratings)
6.9	IMDB rating

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Directed by (View all)

Jerry Zucker

David Zucker

Starring (View all)

Danny DeVito
Sam Stone

Bette Midler
Barbara Stone

Judge Reinhold
Ken Kessler

Helen Slater
Sandy Kessler

Anita Morris
Carol

Bill Pullman
Earl

William G. Schilling
Police Commissioner

Art Evans
Lt. Bender

Written by

Dale Launer
(written by)

O. Henry
story The Ransom of Red Chief

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Ruthless People Videos

Ruthless People 1986 TV trailer

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Reviews

So many laughs, equals a silly funny hit.

11 years, 4 months ago at Jan 11 18:14

Lexi

2 votes

''So, if I look like his mother and you look like his father, this is what our son would look like. Pretty strong argument for birth control.''

A couple, cheated by a vile businessman, kidnap his wife in retaliation, without knowing that their enemy is delighted they did.

Danny DeVito: Sam Stone

Back in the 80s there were many examples of comedies and ... read more

An average movie

9 years ago at May 25 13:23

johanlefourbe

2 votes

Honestly, I wasn’t sure what to expect from this flick but since I always had a weak spot for Danny DeVito, I thought I might as well give it a try. The interesting thing about this flick is that it was the first ‘straight’ comedy (meaning = not a parody) directed by the trio Jim Abrahams, David Zucker and Jerry Zucker and, if I’m not mistaken, it was quite a success when it was released.... read more

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Slime ball businessman Sam Stone plots to murder his horrible wife for her money, so he can marry his mistress. He can't believe his luck when she is kidnapped by Ken and Sandy Kessler who wanted revenge from Sam for stealing their savings, and Sandy's money making fashion design, then marketing it as his own. When Barbara learns of what Sam has done to this couple and then realises that he isn't doing anything to secure her release, she becomes friends with her kidnapper and they plan to teach Sam a lesson.

Release date: 27 June 1986
UPC: 717951005106

Tags: Comedy (11), Crime (10), Kidnapping (7), Ransom (5), 1980s (5), Murder (4), Blackmail (4), Police (4), Black Comedy (4), Chloroform (3), Champagne (3), Satirical (3), Serial Killer (3), 1986 (3), Scam (2), Faked Death (2), Wife (2), Hooker (2), Irreverent (2), Yuppie (2)

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" Designed and animated by Sally Cruikshank"

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" First Viewing Viewing Date: March 30th Via: DVD Plot: Before wealthy businessman Sam Stone can murder his wife, she is kidnapped and held for random. Happy for the kidnappers to just kill his wife, Sam consistently disobeys the kidnappers, while the police work to solve the case. Rating: 7.1/10"

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" Bette Midler as Barbara Stone"

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" Directed by: Jerry Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and David Zucker Produced by: Joanna Lancaster, Michael Peyser, Richard Wagner, and Walter Yetnikoff Written by: Dale Launer Based on the show, "The Ransom of Red Chef" by: O. Henry Cinematography: Jan de Bong Edited by: Gib Jaffe and Arthur Schmidt Music by: Michel Colombier Music by: Touchstone Pictures"

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" as Same Stone "

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" Bette Midler and Art Evans Bette Midler and Danny DeVito "

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"Bette Midler Devotees of Miss M have plenty of reasons to think her Divine, but to my mind it’s the fact that she so humbly threw herself into a gaggle of comedies with ludicrous concepts throughout the 1980s following a breakout Academy-Award nominated role in 1979’s The Rose. Ruthless People is one of those very films, but what sets it apart from Down and Out in Beverly Hills or Outrageous Fortune is Midler’s gleeful willingness to exaggerate and mock her own physical imperfections, to c"

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