Ruthless People (1986)
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- R
- 1h 33min
- Comedy, Crime
- 27 Jun 1986 (USA)
- Movie
- 1 win & 3 nominations.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Cast verified as complete
Danny DeVito | ... |
Sam Stone
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Bette Midler | ... |
Barbara Stone
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Judge Reinhold | ... |
Ken Kessler
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Helen Slater | ... |
Sandy Kessler
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Anita Morris | ... |
Carol
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Bill Pullman | ... |
Earl
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William G. Schilling | ... |
Police Commissioner
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Art Evans | ... |
Lt. Bender
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Clarence Felder | ... |
Lt. Walters
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J.E. Freeman | ... |
Bedroom Killer
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Gary Riley | ... |
Heavy Metal Kid
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Phyllis Applegate | ... |
Loan Officer
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Jeannine Bisignano | ... |
Hooker in Car
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J.P. Bumstead | ... |
Technician
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Jon Cutler | ... |
Stereo Store Customer
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Susan Marie Snyder | ... |
Stereo Store Customer
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Jim Doughan | ... |
Cop at Sam's House
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Christopher J. Keene | ... |
Cop at Jail
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Henry Noguchi | ... |
Coroner
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Frank Sivero | ... |
The Mugger
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Arnold F. Turner | ... |
Cop with Killer Picture
(as Arnold Turner)
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Bob Tzudiker | ... |
Sam's Attorney
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Charles A. Vanegas | ... |
Arresting Cop
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Louise Yaffe | ... |
Social Worker
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Janet Rotblatt | ... |
Secretary to Chief of Police
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Charlotte Zucker | ... |
Judge
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Art Bonilla | ... |
Waiter
(as Arturo Bonilla)
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Rick DeReyes | ... |
Newscaster
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Mie Hunt | ... |
Newscaster
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Ron Tank | ... |
Newscaster
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Hanala Sagal | ... |
Aerobic Instructor
(as Susan Stadner)
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Beth R. Johnson | ... |
Aerobic Instructor
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Richard Wilson | ... |
Aerobic Instructor
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Twyla Littleton | ... |
Model
(as Twyla S. Littleton)
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Mary Elizabeth Thompson | ... |
Elderly Woman
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Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
Binnie | ... |
Poodle (uncredited)
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Shirley Blackwell | ... |
Woman with Newspaper (uncredited)
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Chris Bosley | ... |
Bailiff (uncredited)
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Marilyn Brandt | ... |
Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
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Susan Breslau | ... |
Woman Passing Phonebooth (uncredited)
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Kelly Burris | ... |
SWAT Officer (uncredited)
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John Demy | ... |
SWAT Officer (uncredited)
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Dennis Dodge | ... |
Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
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John Forker | ... |
Concerned Onlooker (uncredited)
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Dennis Freeman | ... |
Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
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Phil Hartman | ... |
Newsreader (uncredited) (voice)
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Gil Janklowicz | ... |
Fitness Instructor (uncredited)
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Kathryn Janssen | ... |
Onlooking Neighbor (uncredited)
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Michael Francis Kelly | ... |
Detective (uncredited)
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Erin Lyerla | ... |
Video Store Patron (uncredited)
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Farrell Mayer | ... |
Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
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Vince McMahon | ... |
Wrestling Anouncer on TV (uncredited) (voice)
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Stephen Saracco | ... |
Man in Crowd (uncredited)
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Lisa Smith | ... |
Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
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Walter Spear | ... |
Onlooking Neighbor (uncredited)
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George 'The Animal' Steele | ... |
Wrestler on TV (uncredited)
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Kenny Studer | ... |
Detective (uncredited)
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Martin Valinsky | ... |
Police Officer (uncredited)
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William Winckler | ... |
Paper Boy (uncredited)
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Directed by
Jim Abrahams | ||
David Zucker | ||
Jerry Zucker |
Written by
Dale Launer | ... | (written by) |
O. Henry | ... | (story "The Ransom of Red Chief") (uncredited) |
Produced by
Joanna Lancaster | ... | executive producer |
Michael Peyser | ... | producer (produced by) |
Richard Wagner | ... | executive producer |
Walter Yetnikoff | ... | executive producer |
Music by
Michel Colombier | ... | (original score by) |
Cinematography by
Jan de Bont | ... | director of photography |
Editing by
Gib Jaffe | ... | film editor |
Arthur Schmidt | ... | (edited by) |
Editorial Department
Jeffrey James Bell | ... | second assistant editor |
Gary Burritt | ... | negative cutter |
Neil Kirk | ... | apprentice film editor |
Peter Lonsdale | ... | first assistant editor |
Lynne Bailey Smith | ... | apprentice film editor |
Casting By
Ellen Chenoweth | ... | (casting by) |
Art Direction by
Donald B. Woodruff | ... | (as Donald Woodruff) |
Set Decoration by
Anne D. McCulley |
Costume Design by
Rosanna Norton |
Makeup Department
Barbara Lorenz | ... | hair stylist |
Brad Wilder | ... | makeup artist |
Production Management
Jeffrey Chernov | ... | unit production manager |
David Hoberman | ... | executive in charge of production: Walt Disney Studios (uncredited) |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William S. Beasley | ... | first assistant director (as Bill Beasley) |
Bruce Humphrey | ... | second assistant director |
Dannielle J. Weiss | ... | second second assistant director |
Joel Chernoff | ... | second unit director (uncredited) |
Art Department
Barbara Adamski | ... | property master |
Rubin Andreatta | ... | greensman |
Walt Hadfield | ... | construction coordinator (as Walton D. Hadfield) |
Mark Hite | ... | lead man |
Jon Hutman | ... | visual consultant |
Lilly Kilvert | ... | visual consultant |
Tony Leonardi | ... | stand-by painter (as Anthony Leonardi) |
David P. Newell | ... | assistant property master |
William James Teegarden | ... | set designer (as William Teegarden) |
John Tyrrell | ... | painter |
James F. Walker | ... | construction foreman |
Victor M. Shannon | ... | plasterer (uncredited) |
Sound Department
Joseph F. Brennan | ... | boom operator |
Charles L. Campbell | ... | supervising sound editor |
Larry Carow | ... | sound editor |
Thomas Causey | ... | sound mixer |
Craig Clark | ... | assistant sound editor |
Samuel C. Crutcher | ... | sound editor |
Mike Dobie | ... | sound editor |
Louis L. Edemann | ... | supervising sound editor |
David W. Gray | ... | stereo sound consultant: Dolby |
Rick Kline | ... | re-recording mixer |
Donald O. Mitchell | ... | re-recording mixer |
Chuck Neely | ... | sound editor |
Alan L. Nineberg | ... | adr editor |
Kim Nolan | ... | apprentice sound editor |
Kevin O'Connell | ... | re-recording mixer |
Rod Rogers | ... | assistant adr editor |
Larry Singer | ... | supervising adr editor |
Darcy Vebber | ... | utility sound |
Greg Orloff | ... | foley mixer (uncredited) |
John Roesch | ... | foley artist (uncredited) |
David A. Whittaker | ... | sound editor (uncredited) |
Special Effects by
John Frazier | ... | special effects coordinator |
Rocky Gehr | ... | special effects |
Scott Forbes | ... | special effects foreman (uncredited) |
Visual Effects by
Don Waller | ... | animator (uncredited) |
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 Sr. | ... | stunts (as Wayne A. King) |
Max Kleven | ... | stunts |
Faith Minton | ... | stunts |
Carol Neilson | ... | stunts |
Kathleen O'Haco | ... | stunts |
Carol Rees | ... | stunts |
Pat Romano | ... | stunts (as Patrick Romano) |
Ben Scott | ... | stunts (as Ben R. Scott) |
John-Clay Scott | ... | stunts |
Walter Scott | ... | stunt coordinator / stunts |
Brian Smrz | ... | stunts |
Mike Watson | ... | stunts |
Ted White | ... | stunts |
Vince Deadrick Jr. | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
Carey Loftin | ... | truck stunts (uncredited) |
C. Ransom Walrod | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
Camera and Electrical Department
Ed Ayer | ... | gaffer (as Edward A. Ayer) |
William Coss | ... | second assistant camera |
Bill Decker | ... | key grip |
William Kenney | ... | dolly grip |
Laurel Moore | ... | still photographer (as Laurel Davis Moore) |
Robert O. Moore | ... | best boy grip |
Víctor Pérez | ... | best boy |
Michael Scott | ... | camera operator |
William Waldman | ... | first assistant camera |
Wayne Baker | ... | steadycam assistant (uncredited) |
Moose Enright | ... | electrician (uncredited) |
Monte Swann | ... | video playback operator (uncredited) |
Animation Department
Sally Cruikshank | ... | animation sequence |
Casting Department
Lisa Clarkson | ... | casting assistant |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Bella Brookalyna | ... | wardrobe |
Eric H. Sandberg | ... | costume supervisor |
Fran Vega-Buck | ... | costumer (as Frances Vega) |
Location Management
Richard Davis Jr. | ... | location manager (as Richard Davis) |
Music Department
David Moritz | ... | assistant music editor |
Tommy Mottola | ... | music supervisor |
Michael Tronick | ... | music editor |
Frank Wolf | ... | music mixer |
Steve Forman | ... | musician: percussion (uncredited) |
Robin Garb | ... | executive music producer (uncredited) |
Edie Lehmann Boddicker | ... | singer (uncredited) |
Script and Continuity Department
Doris Grau | ... | script supervisor |
Transportation Department
Steve Hellerstein | ... | transportation captain |
James R. White | ... | transportation coordinator |
Randy White | ... | transportation coordinator (uncredited) |
Additional Crew
Caroline Blair | ... | production assistant |
Joni Chadkin | ... | production assistant |
Dwight Gooden | ... | pitcher |
Don Levy | ... | unit publicist (as Donald Levy) |
Rodney Liber | ... | production assistant |
Félix Mantilla | ... | utility infielder |
Rich Markey | ... | fairway |
Carl Mazzocone | ... | special projects |
Karen Penhale | ... | production coordinator |
Louis Phillips | ... | production assistant |
Heidi Schulte | ... | production assistant |
Paul 'Numbers' Steinke | ... | production auditor (as Paul Steinke) |
Jill Vandermeer | ... | production assistant |
Eugenia Weston | ... | assistant: Mrs. Midler |
Sig Frohlich | ... | stand-in: Danny DeVito (uncredited) |
Erin Lyerla | ... | stand-in (uncredited) |
Jeri McBride | ... | stand-in (uncredited) |
Danny Nero | ... | photo double: Judge Reinhold (uncredited) / stand-in: Judge Reinhold (uncredited) |
Michael Parkhurst | ... | marketing consultant (uncredited) / technical advisor (uncredited) |
Paul Rahmes | ... | personal assistant to director (uncredited) |
Thanks
Joseph Abrahams | ... | thanks |
Nancy Abrahams | ... | thanks |
Susan Breslau | ... | thanks |
Production Companies
- Touchstone Films
- Silver Screen Partners II (in association with)
- Zucker Brothers Productions
Distributors
- Buena Vista Distribution Company (1986) (United States) (theatrical) (as Buena Vista Distribution Co., Inc.)
- Buena Vista Pictures Distribution (1986) (Canada) (theatrical)
- Greater Union Organisation (GUO) (1986) (Australia) (theatrical)
- Sociedade Importadora de Filmes (SIF) (1986) (Portugal) (theatrical)
- Toho-Towa (1986) (Japan) (theatrical) (subtitled)
- United International Pictures (UIP) (1986) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
- Kommunenes Filmcentral (KF) (1986) (Norway) (theatrical)
- Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (1986) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- Buena Vista International (1987) (India) (theatrical) (Bombay)
- Filmayer (1987) (Spain) (theatrical)
- United International Pictures (1987) (Brazil) (theatrical)
- Filmayer Vídeo (1987) (Spain) (VHS)
- Roadshow Home Video (1987) (Australia) (VHS) (through)
- Showtime Networks (1987) (United States) (tv) (broadcast premiere)
- Touchstone Home Video (1987) (West Germany) (VHS)
- Touchstone Home Video (1987) (Australia) (VHS)
- American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1989) (United States) (tv)
- FilmNet (1989) (Netherlands) (tv) (limited)
- M6 (1990) (France) (tv) (dubbed version)
- Gativideo (Argentina) (VHS)
- TNT (2000) (United States) (tv)
- Touchstone Home Entertainment (2002) (United States) (DVD)
- Buena Vista International (2003) (Germany) (DVD)
- ZEE Entertainment Enterprises (2013) (India) (tv) (Mumbai)
- Divisa Home Video (2015) (Spain) (DVD)
- Abril Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- BT Industrial Supply (expendables)
- Birds & Animals Unlimited (animals provided by)
- Central Casting (extra casting)
- Champion Entertainment Organization Inc. (music supervision)
- Epic Records (soundtrack)
- Modern Film Effects (end titles)
- Modern Film Effects (opticals)
- Private Island Audio (post-production services)
- Studio Sea (marine coordination)
Storyline
Plot Summary |
Sam Stone (Danny DeVito) is a clothing manufacturer who married his wife Barbara (Bette Midler) for the money that she was supposed to inherit from her dying father, but her father didn't die for another 15 years. He is now planning to kill her and he tells his girlfriend Carol Dodsworth (Anita Morris) what he intends to do. He then goes home to do just that, but when he gets there, she's not there. He soon receives a call from someone claiming to have kidnapped Barbara and threatening to kill her if he informs the police--which he does, hoping that they do. What Stone doesn't know is that the kidnappers, Ken (Judge Reinhold) and Sandy (Helen Slater) Kessler are a couple whose idea for a garment he stole and made a fortune with, are not that lethal' actually, Barbara is more lethal. Stone also doesn't know that Carol has another boyfriend, Earl Mott (Bill Pullman), and they plan to blackmail Sam by videotaping him disposing of Barbara's body. When Earl goes there to do that, the person who goes there is not Sam but a man with a hooker (Jeannine Bisignano), and he instructs the hooker to scream her head off. Earl mistakenly believes that Barbara's not dead and that Sam is killing her there; he's so freaked out that he doesn't think to make sure it's actually Sam. Carol tries to activate her plan by sending Sam a copy of the tape; Sam thinks that it's for something kinky that Carol wants and when Sam tells her that he'll do to her what was done on the tape and she assumes that he will kill her, so she sends another copy of the tape to the Chief of Police (William G. Schilling), and tells him that she wants him to arrest Sam for murdering Barbara, and the Chief is happy to oblige--because he is the man on the tape. The Chief manages to find the instruments that Sam intended to use to kill Barbara and arrests him. Now Sam must get Barbara back, alive, so he can prove he didn't kill her. Meanwhile, Barbara starts to bond with Sandy.
Written by |
Plot Keywords | |
Taglines | Barbara Stone has just been kidnapped by K-Mart, and what she doesn't know won't hurt her. See more » |
Genres | |
Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
Certification |
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Additional Details
Also Known As |
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Filming Locations |
Box Office
Budget | $13,000,000 (estimated) |
Opening Weekend United States | $5,274,306, 29 Jun 1986 |
Did You Know?
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. See more » |
Goofs | When Carol and Earl arrive to video store to watch the tape, Carol inserts it into the VCR, and Police Chief Benton's antics appear on all the screens in store. But the VCR's back is facing the camera, and all the output jacks are empty, meaning the VCR isn't connected to anything but the power outlet. See more » |
Movie Connections | Edited into Fifty Shades of DeVito (2018). See more » |
Soundtracks | Ruthless People Theme See more » |
Crazy Credits | Near the end of the credits is the line "I Love Wrong Numbers", referring to a scene earlier in the movie where Sam Stone gets a wrong number on the phone and does a vulgar prank to it. See more » |
Quotes |
Barbara:
So, when do I get out of here? Sandy: As soon as Mr. Stone pays the ransom. Barbara: Well what's the problem? What is the ransom? Sandy: It... it was $500,000. Barbara: That shouldn't be a problem. Sandy: He complained Barbara: He complained? Sandy: And then we dropped our price to $50,000. Barbara: Yeah? Sandy: He didn't pay. Barbara: He didn't pay? So now what? Sandy: So now we're dropping our price again to $10,000. Barbara: Do I understand this correctly? I'm being *marked down*? What is this? The Bargain Basement? [Starts crying] Barbara: I've been kidnapped by Kmart! See more » |