Ruthless People
Ruthless People DVD cover
Directed by	Jim Abrahams David Zucker Jerry Zucker
Produced by	Michael Peyser
Written by	Dale Launer O. Henry (story The Ransom of Red Chief)
Starring	Danny DeVito Bette Midler Judge Reinhold Helen Slater
Music by	Michel Colombier
Distributed by	Buena Vista Pictures
Release date(s)	June 27, 1986 (USA)
Running time	93 min.
Language	English
IMDb profile

The 1986 movie Ruthless People is a black comedy that starred Danny DeVito, Bette Midler, Judge Reinhold and Helen Slater. It was directed by Jim Abrahams, David Zucker and Jerry Zucker. Image File history File links Ruthless_People_Poster. ... Jim Abrahams (born 10 May 1944 in Shorewood, Wisconsin) is an American movie director and writer. ... David Zucker (born October 16, 1947 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is an American film director. ... Jerry Zucker (born March 11, 1950 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is an American movie director best known for his role in directing comedy spoof films. ... Dale Launer is an American comedy screenwriter. ... William Sydney Porter in his thirties O. Henry was the pen name of American writer William Sydney Porter (September 11, 1862–June 5, 1910), whose clever use of twist endings in his stories popularized the term O. Henry Ending. His middle name at birth was Sidney; he later changed the... Daniel Michael DeVito (born November 17, 1944) is an Emmy Award-winning American actor, director, and an Oscar-nominated producer, who first gained prominence for his portrayal of Louie De Palma on the popular ABC and NBC TV series, Taxi (1978–1983). ... Bette Davis Midler (born December 1, 1945) is an American singer, actress, and comedian, also known to her fans and especially in gay culture, as The Divine Miss M. She is named after the actress Bette Davis although Davis pronounced her name in two syllables, and Midler uses one. ... Judge Reinhold Judge Reinhold is the stage name of Edward Ernest Reinhold, Jr. ... Helen Slater Helen Rachel Slater (neé Schlachter, born December 15, 1963 in Massapequa, New York) is an American film actress and singer-songwriter of Jewish descent. ... Michel Colombier (May 23, 1939 — November 14, 2004), was a French composer, songwriter, arranger, and conductor. ... The Buena Vista Motion Pictures Group is a collection of affiliated motion picture studios, all subsidaries of The Walt Disney Company. ... June 27 is the 178th day of the year (179th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 187 days remaining. ... 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Daniel Michael DeVito (born November 17, 1944) is an Emmy Award-winning American actor, director, and an Oscar-nominated producer, who first gained prominence for his portrayal of Louie De Palma on the popular ABC and NBC TV series, Taxi (1978–1983). ... Bette Davis Midler (born December 1, 1945) is an American singer, actress, and comedian, also known to her fans and especially in gay culture, as The Divine Miss M. She is named after the actress Bette Davis although Davis pronounced her name in two syllables, and Midler uses one. ... Judge Reinhold Judge Reinhold is the stage name of Edward Ernest Reinhold, Jr. ... Helen Slater Helen Rachel Slater (neé Schlachter, born December 15, 1963 in Massapequa, New York) is an American film actress and singer-songwriter of Jewish descent. ... Jim Abrahams (born 10 May 1944 in Shorewood, Wisconsin) is an American movie director and writer. ... David Zucker (born October 16, 1947 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is an American film director. ... Jerry Zucker (born March 11, 1950 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is an American movie director best known for his role in directing comedy spoof films. ...

Plot description

When Ken (Reinhold) and Sandy Kessler (Slater) find themselves in an untenable financial position, they hatch a desperate scheme to get rich by kidnapping Barbara Stone (Midler), the overweight loud-mouthed wife of ruthless businessman Sam Stone (DeVito). This scheme is motivated in no small part by the fact that Sam has stolen successful fashion designs from the couple and is thus largely responsible for their woes. They plan to demand a large ransom from Stone. The term ransom refers to the practice of holding a prisoner to extort money or property extorted to secure their release, or to the sum of money involved. ...

Things go astray, however, when it becomes obvious that Sam is not only sick of his wife, but is actually overjoyed to find that he doesn't have to go through the trouble of murdering her - all he needs to do is not pay the ransom, and the kidnappers will do his dirty work for him. Unfortunately for him, the Kesslers, while desperate, are not about to murder anyone.

Sandy and Ken discover that Barbara is not keen to return to Sam, either, and the three hatch a plot to get back at him.

Trivia

"Weird Al" Yankovic recorded a parody of the movie's theme song. The parody, "Toothless People" was released on Weird Al's fourth album Polka Party! in December 1986. He originally requested permission from Mick Jagger for the parody before the movie came out, assuming the song would be a hit. When it failed to crack the Top 40, Yankovic decided not to go ahead with the parody. However, when Jagger cleared the song for a parody, Yankovic felt that turning it down later would be an insult to the artist and recorded it. Ironically, Polka Party! also failed and became Al's worst-selling album. Alfred Matthew Weird Al Yankovic (IPA pronunciation: ; born October 23, 1959) is an American musician, satirist, parodist, accordionist, and television producer. ... Parody of Back to the Future In contemporary usage, a parody is a work that imitates another work in order to ridicule, ironically comment on, or poke some affectionate fun at the work itself, the subject of the work, the author or fictional voice of the parody, or another subject. ... Polka Party! is the fourth album by song parodist Weird Al Yankovic, released in 1986. ... 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Polka Party! is the fourth album by song parodist Weird Al Yankovic, released in 1986. ...

The movie is currently being adapted to the stage as a musical comedy by the original writer Dale Launer. The music is being written by Jeff Barry and Jed Leiber.

Quote

"I've been kidnapped by Kmart!" - Barbara Stone, on learning that Sam has beaten down the price that Ken has demanded as a ransom. Kmart is a chain of department stores in the United States. ...

External links

Ruthless People at the Internet Movie Database The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) is an online database of information about actors, films, television shows, television stars, video games and production crew personnel. ...