Film Dope


Ruthless People

Jim Abrahams
Director
David Zucker
Director
Jerry Zucker
Director
Buena Vista
Distributor
Touchstone Pictures
Production Company

Very funny - if shrill - tale of kidnap gone awry. DeVito, Midler and Bill Pullman are alll on form in this nicely tasteless comedy from the "Airplane" folks.

-The Sloth

Clothing mogul plots to get rid of his shrewish wife, only to find she really has been kidnapped.

Crude but awfully funny updating of O. Henry's "The Ransom of Red Chief" that finds the whole cast in fine form. DeVito and Midler threaten to be upstaged by would-be blackmailer Morris and her doofus accomplice Pullman. Very Eighties, but in a good way. This is one of the R-rated films Disney released under Touchstone to break out of the kiddie market--how many classic Disney references can you spot?

-Dave W.

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27th June 1986
Cinema



93 mins
1.85:1

Ruthless People
2nd April 2002
DVD




1.78:1


23rd August 2004
DVD






Danny DeVito
Sam Stone
Judge Reinhold
Ken Kessler
Helen Slater
Sandy Kessler
Anita Morris
Carol Farnsworth
Bette Midler
Barbara Stone
Bette Midler
Barbara Stone
Bill Pullman
Earl Mott
William G. Schilling
Chief of Police Henry Benton
Art Evans
Lieutenant Frank Bender
Clarence Felder
Lieutenant Walters
J.E. Freeman
Bedroom Killer
Gary Riley
Heavy Metal Kid
Phyllis Applegate
Loan Officer
Jeannine Bisignano
Hooker in Car
J.P. Bumstead
Sergeant Blake, Police Technician
Jon Cutler
Stereo Store Customer
Susan Marie Snyder
Katie, Stereo Store Customer
Jim Doughan
Patterson, Cop at Sam's House
Christopher J. Keene
Cop at Jail
Henry Noguchi
Coroner
Frank Sivero
The Mugger
Arnold Turner
Cop with Bedroom Killer Picture
Bob Tzudiker
Sam's Attorney
Charles A. Vanegas
Arresting Cop
(face not seen, voice only)
Louise Yaffe
Social Worker
(scenes deleted?)
Janet Rotblatt
Secretary to Chief of Police
(voice only)
Charlotte Zucker
Judge
Arturo Bonilla
Waiter
Rick DeReyes
Newscaster
Mie Hunt
Newscaster
Ron Tank
Newscaster
Hanala Sagal
Aerobic Instructor
(as Susan Stadner)
Beth R. Johnson
Aerobic Instructor
Richard Wilson
Aerobic Instructor
Twyla Littleton
Model
(as Twyla S. Littleton)
Mary Elizabeth Thompson
Elderly Woman
Phil Hartman
Voiceover: Newsreader
(uncredited)
Vince McMahon
Voice: Wrestling Anouncer on TV
(uncredited)
George 'The Animal' Steele
Wrestler on TV
(uncredited)
Bob Barker
Himself
(uncredited)
Susan Breslau
Woman Passing Phone Booth
(uncredited)
Gil Janklowicz
Fitness Instructor
(uncredited)
Binnie
Muffy - Little Shitbag Dog
(uncredited)
William Winckler
Paper Boy
(uncredited)
Walter Scott
Stunt Coordinator / Stunts
Phil Adams
Stunts
Gregory J. Barnett
Stunts
Ray Bickel
Stunts
Brad Bovee
Stunts
(as Bradley James Bovee)
Danny Costa
Stunts
Charles Croughwell
Stunts
Vince Deadrick Sr.
Stunts
Richard Drown
Stunts
Diamond Farnsworth
Stunts
Ralph Garrett
Stunts
Gene Hartline
Stunts
Loren Janes
Stunts
Sasha Jenson
Stunts
Tracy Keehn Dashnaw
Stunts
(as Tracy Lyn Keehn)
Wayne King
Stunts
(as Wayne A. King)
Max Kleven
Stunts
Faith Minton
Stunts
Carol L. Neilson
Stunts
(as Carol Neilson)
Kathleen O'Haco
Stunts
Carol Rees
Stunts
Pat Romano
Stunts
(as Patrick Romano)
Ben Scott
Stunts
(as Ben R. Scott)
John-Clay Scott
Stunts
Brian Smrz
Stunts
Mike Watson
Stunts
Ted White
Stunts
Vince Deadrick Jr.
Stunts
(uncredited)
Ransom Walrod
Stunts
(uncredited)
Santa Monica Pier
Itself