Ruthless People (1986)
84%RT Audience Score: 72%
Awards & Nominations: 1 win & 3 nominations
It’s sometimes crude and tasteless, but Ruthless People wrings acid-soaked laughs out of its dark premise and gleefully misanthropic characters
Ruthless People” is a hilarious movie that will have you laughing from start to finish. The characters are so over-the-top and ridiculous that you can’t help but love them, especially Bette Midler’s character who is just the right amount of obnoxious. The plot is full of twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat, and the writing is clever and well-crafted. If you’re in the mood for a comedy that doesn’t take itself too seriously, “Ruthless People” is the perfect choice. Just be prepared for some raunchy jokes and a lot of human slime!
Production Company(ies)
Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney Animation Studios,
Distributor
Buena Vista Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
10690 Somma Way – Los Angeles, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
R
Year of Release
1986
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Stereo
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:1h 35m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jun 27, 1986 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 3, 2004
Genre(s)
Comedy
Keyword(s)
Ruthless People, Danny DeVito, Bette Midler, Judge Reinhold, Helen Slater, Anita Morris, Bill Pullman, Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker, Michael Peyser, O Henry, Dale Launer, Comedy, R, Box Office, $70.9M, reviewed by Ryan Murphy, Kathleen Carroll, Michael H Price, Catherine Rambeau, Joe Pollack, Michael Wilmington, Eddie Harrison, Michael Heaton, Hal Lipper, David Keyes, Candice Russell, Touchstone Pictures, Buena Vista Pictures, Surround, kidnapping, ransom, murder, dark comedy, acid-soaked laughs, misanthropic characters, misunderstandings, con comedy, Disney-funded, crude humor, strong profanity, lovably obnoxious mannerisms, sleazoid, vengeful husband, overbearing wife, confused kidnappers, twisted plot, dark premise, sophisticated handling of comedy
Worldwide gross: $71,624,879
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $198,450,210
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 695
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 21,641,244
US/Canada gross: $71,624,879
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $198,450,210
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 354
US/Canada opening weekend: $5,274,306
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $14,613,458
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 803
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $13,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $36,018,947
Production budget ranking: 1,038
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $19,396,203
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $143,035,060
ROI to date (est.): 258%
ROI ranking: 519
Bette Midler – Barbara Stone
Judge Reinhold – Ken Kessler
Helen Slater – Sandy Kessler
Anita Morris – Carol Dodsworth
Bill Pullman – Earl Mott
Self – O. Henry (Writer)
Self – Dale Launer (Writer)
Jim Abrahams – Director
David Zucker – Director
Jerry Zucker – Director
Michael Peyser – Producer
Director(s)
Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker
Writer(s)
O. Henry, Dale Launer
Producer(s)
Michael Peyser
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
1 win & 3 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (43) | Top Critics (14) | Fresh (40) | Rotten (3)
Screenwriter Dale Launer makes the film earn every laugh with well-crafted cleverly set-up situations. This sophisticated handling of the comedy is definitely Ruthless People’s strongest asset.
April 20, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
Ryan Murphy
Miami Herald
TOP CRITIC
One tires of the movie’s relentlessly shrill tone and its excessively raunchy jokes.
April 20, 2021 | Rating: 2.5/4
Kathleen Carroll
New York Daily News
TOP CRITIC
Bette Midler’s mastery of lovably obnoxious mannerisms has never had such deliciously wicked exposure, Danny De Vito brings his trademark sleazoid to full seriocomic flower, and Judge Reinhold and Helen Slater approach perfection…
April 20, 2021 | Rating: 7/10
Michael H. Price
Fort Worth Star-Telegram/DFW.com
TOP CRITIC
Directors Jim Abrahams, David Zucker and Jerry Zucker are the same guys who who gave us “Airplane!” six years ago and “Ruthless People” is a lot funnier and meaner.
April 20, 2021 | Rating: 7/10
Catherine Rambeau
Detroit Free Press
TOP CRITIC
There are both belly laughs and chuckles along the way, and comedy that shows the skill of writer, directors and actors, all put together for optimum results.
April 20, 2021
Joe Pollack
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
TOP CRITIC
The characters here aren’t just bad; most of them are truly vile — human slime. And the film makers chew them up (especially two nefarious bonbons played by Danny DeVito and Bette Midler) with the toothsome glee of jolly cannibals.
July 31, 2013
Michael Wilmington
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
…the narrative offers the kinds of twists and turns that wouldn’t disgrace a Coen brothers thriller…
December 5, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Eddie Harrison
film-authority.com
Like the Los Angeles freeway system, “Ruthless People” is full of twists, turns and nasty people. Unlike the LA. freeway, ‘Ruthless People” is a project that works.
April 20, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
Michael Heaton
San Francisco Examiner
This is Zucker, Zucker and Abraham’s best movie since Airplane! although there is enough crude humor and strong profanity for a half-dozen R ratings.
April 20, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
Hal Lipper
Tampa Bay Times
A great deal of bizarre circumstances occur in this very effective farce, and for any mind that is easily won over by the insistence of shocking humor, it continues to hold a bewildering power to inspire shock, awe and some unforgettable chuckles.
November 25, 2015 | Rating: 3.5/4
David Keyes
Cinemaphile.org
DeVito and Midler are superb in their roles as the greedy philanderer and his screaming, overbearing other half.
August 11, 2014 | Rating: 4/5
Jo Berry
Radio Times
Occasionally crude and tasteless, Ruthless People is a comedy with a vitriolic twist. It`s a comedy about people who love to hate, with actors who make it worth seeing.
July 31, 2013
Candice Russell
South Florida Sun-Sentinel…
Plot
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
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Danny DeVito’s performance as the loathsome and scheming Sam Stone is a standout in Ruthless People.
Jim-Abrahams.jpg
