Discover
Ruthless People is a 1986 black comedy film written by Dale Launer, directed by David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker, and starring Danny DeVito, Bette Midler, Judge Reinhold, Anita Morris, and Helen Slater, with Bill Pullman in a supporting role in his film debut. The film is the story of a couple who kidnap their ex-boss's wife to get revenge and extort money from him. They soon realize he does not want her back and was planning to kill her himself. Meanwhile the boss's mistress plans a blackmail attempt on him which also does not go as planned. Although it has been perceived that Ruthless People was influenced by O. Henry's story The Ransom of Red Chief, writer Dale Launer claims that it was inspired by the kidnapping of Patricia Hearst and that the similarities between the film and the earlier story was a coincidence.
Original Release
06/27/1986
US Release
06/27/1986
Links
Cast
Name | Character |
---|
Danny DeVito | Sam Stone |
Bette Midler | Barbara Stone |
Judge Reinhold | Ken Kessler |
Helen Slater | Sandy Kessler |
Anita Morris | Carol / Carol Dodsworth |
Bill Pullman | Earl / Earl James Mott |
William G. Schilling | Police Commissioner / Chief Henry Benton |
Art Evans | Lt. Bender |
Clarence Felder | Lt. Walters |
J.E. Freeman | Bedroom Killer |
Directors
Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker
Writers
Cast
Name | Character |
---|
Danny DeVito | Sam Stone |
Bette Midler | Barbara Stone |
Judge Reinhold | Ken Kessler |
Helen Slater | Sandy Kessler |
Anita Morris | Carol / Carol Dodsworth |
Bill Pullman | Earl / Earl James Mott |
William G. Schilling | Police Commissioner / Chief Henry Benton |
Art Evans | Lt. Bender |
Clarence Felder | Lt. Walters |
J.E. Freeman | Bedroom Killer |
Gary Riley | Heavy Metal Kid |
Phyllis Applegate | Loan Officer |
Jeannine Bisignano | Hooker in Car |
J.P. Bumstead | Technician |
Jon Cutler | Stereo Store Customer |
Susan Marie Snyder | Stereo Store Customer |
Jim Doughan | Cop at Sam's House |
Christopher J. Keene | Cop at Jail |
Henry Noguchi | Coroner |
Frank Sivero | The Mugger |
Producers
Name | Role |
---|
Joanna Lancaster | Executive Producer |
Richard Wagner | Executive Producer |
Walter Yetnikoff | Executive Producer |
Michael Peyser | Producer |
Editors
Year | Type | Category | Won |
---|
1987 | Golden Globe | Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical | Nominated |