Ruthless People (1986)

I've been kidnapped by Kmart.

Not forgotten by this queen. I love that trashy movie.

YOU MISERABLE SCUM-SUCKING PIG!!!!

Love it.

My perfect Bette Midler movie marathon is Ruthless People, Outrageous Fortune, and Big Business.

[quote]He said I looked like his mother. He hates his mother. So, if I look like his mother and you look like his father... this is what our son would look like. Pretty strong argument for birth control.

Bette's film career was on a roll in the '80s. Though JINXED (1982) bombed big time early in the decade, after a few years, she had a string of back-to-back hits: DOWN AND OUT IN BEVERLY HILLS (1986), RUTHLESS PEOPLE (1986), OUTRAGEOUS FORTUNE (1987), BIG BUSINESS (1988), OLIVER & COMPATNY (1988), BEACHES (1988).

RUTHLESS PEOPLE was even among the Top 10 grossers of '86, and BEACHES spawned her a #1 hit single that won two Grammys.

Then in the '90s, she made stupid decisions like remaking STELLA DALLAS (1990), which flopped, and turning down SISTER ACT (#8 of '92). She surprisingly received an Oscar nomination and won the Golden Globe for FOR THE BOYS (1991), but that film was both a critical and commercial failure.

She did HOCUS POCUS (1993) because she kicked herself for having turned down SISTER ACT, but that film was a box office dud, too, though overtime it became a cult classic. It was idiotic to release the movie in theaters in mid-July.

She briefly rebounded with THE FIRST WIVES CLUB (1996), but that was her only hit of the decade.

Her workout sequences in the basement in Ruthless People are comic gold. Doesn't a Billy Joel song play? "Modern Woman?"

Allegedly, Suzanne Somers was asked to do Outrageous Fortune (according to her).

This is my favorite Bette movie and one of my favorite movies ever. What a cast! DeVito, Midler and of course the legendary Anita Morris.

It’s never not funny. It’s one of the most twisted, surprising and darkest comedies of the 80s.

Also it’s a showcase of Memphis Design and tacky 80s pop art.

I loved all of the Memphis furniture. I would watch it again just for that.

Here you go, r9.

I watched it last week and it's great, but could never be made now.

A remake of Outrageous Fortune would work. Emma Stone and Margot Robbie.

Classic ‘80s comedy. Everyone in it is great, and the soundtrack is killer.

A very funny comedy. I loved seeing 𝖡𝗂𝗅𝗅 Pullman as the dopey crook. His hair was a laugh, but he was still hot eye candy.

10 fun facts about Ruthless People. Number 7 surprised.

I saw this every time this movie is mentioned but it needs to be released on Blu-Ray as does Outrageous Fortune.

I watched this during lockdown and it's still as funny as ever. What I realized about the movie is that I liked every character, even the despicable ones. And every actor is fantastic and looks like they're having a ball.

As for Bette, if there was any film where she deserved an Oscar nomination, it's this one. The film is only better because of her presence. She is so funny in this and also so lovable. BTW, r5 summarized Bette's film career perfectly.

Bill Pullman was so funny and sexy in this.

And Danny DeVito was part of some of the best dark comedies of the '80s - Ruthless People, Throw Momma from the Train and War of the Roses.

R16 he directed two of them! He has a great, sick sense of humor.

"Muffy, meet Adolf.

Adolf, eat Muffy!"

One line I remember the kidnapper saying "I'm not a criminal. I can't even sell retail."

Judge was cute too.

I like the soundtrack

Ignore the shortness and bald head, Danny DeVito is a handsome man.

Movies rarely come as tight as this. Plus, it's insanely 80s.

LOVE this move. I laugh my ass off every time I see it. The scenes with Anita Morris are hysterical. My favorite, among many in this mve, is when she thinks Danny Devito wants her to fuck a dog,

Cried laughing at the scene of Anita Morris in the car and Bill Pullman looking on in horror thinking she was being murdered while she was having sex

That wasn't Anita Morris in the car, that was some random ho.

That wasnt Anita Morris, that was a prostitute, but yes, it was funny as hell.

Despite the myth that SUPERGIRL (1984) ended her film career, Helen Slater followed that turkey with a supporting role in RUTHLESS PEOPLE (#9 of 1986) and the female lead in THE SECRET OF MY SUCCESS (#7 of 1987).

Rather, it was Faye Dunaway who SUPERGIRL did no favors.

I even loved Helen in the Supergirl follow up The Legend of Billie Jean, which was also a bomb but has since become a cult classic.

It wasn't a hit but I like the theme song for this movie.

How did they get Mick jagger? Someone had connections.

R30, I don't know if Bette and Mick were or are friends/buddies/long term acquaintances, but they do look chummy and friendly and playful in this whacked out video from 1983... anyone else think there was a lot of cocaine on the set?

The Head of the Class guy going, "Moar! Moar!! MOOOOOOARRRRR"

Then they play the video in a Sears or something and you hear some woman blurt out, "Oh God, that's my husband!"

As a kid, I actually believed that Bette was really big and had lost all that weight exercising in the basement.

Wasn't Madonna originally supposed to be in this? Can you imagine the stench she would have left???

The film is perfectly cast. Everybody in this film is terrific.

R34, check out R15.

“ GIVE THE BAG TO BOZO, DROP THE GUN, AND PUT YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR.”

[quote]This could very well be the stupidest person on the face of the earth. Perhaps we should shoot him.

Look at the Bette Midler-ologist at r5

One of the few modern day screwball comedies Hollywood attempted after What's Up, Doc? Broadway Danny Rose was another one. I respect Ruthless People A LOT. Structurally, it does everything right for a screwball comedy. It's one big flaw: it ain't that funny joke-wise and the performances were a little too over-the-top (I'm looking at you Danny DeVito -- and you, too, Bette).

Just watched it again for the first time since it came out thanks to this thread. Very enjoyable, but my favorite part was Judge Reinhold's ass! I wish those type of 80s jeans were still popular.

Touchstone Pictures = Disney's excuse to use swear words

Would Walt approve...???

God, I love this movie.

R5 is a great post. I hate the heavy handed red lining around here. So McCarthy.

Even the opening credits were great.

Where is it streaming?

My favourite comedy of all time. Great cast, great ploy, funny as he'll with lots of big belly laughs. I often compare recent comedy's to Ruthless people, in terms of, Why isn't this funny..and name the last comedy that made u belly laugh...for me it was Borat 2..but I can't think of a comedy since Bridesmaids that made me lol. Is it PC maybe?

R45 nowhere free but Prime and other pay streaming has it to rent or own

R46 absolutely too PC now. “Comedies” now are usually just riffing on the straight white male patriarchy and making a bunch of women with horrendous behavior out to be heroes. Funny thing is men are being dumbed down in media and irl like crazy. Most straight men are pussywhipped losers, and most gay men are too, they just haven’t realized that the femme court jester act that women require them to play is their own shackles.

So many quotable lines, like: "I hate the way she licks stamps!"

I'm surprised that the writer and directors are straight men, because the whole movie feels like something a straight woman or gay male would cook up.

Anyway, great, underrated comedy. Somewhat big in its time, but unfortunately overshadowed by other 80s comedies

Apparently, the writer envisioned this as closer to "Fargo" than a goofball farce and was really disappointed at the final product. Normally, I would agree, but the bright colors, energize and performances elevate the airtight plot.

This was the only time in her career where Bette Midler stopped trying to be likable and just let her inner raging cunt fly. She was hysterical.

The whole movie a dark, twisted gem of a comedy and SO 80s with all the Memphis furniture and Helen Slater's 80s fashion designs.

Are there any RuthFUL people?

YOU'VE FUCKED WITH THE WRONG PERSON! My husband does business with the Mafia! When they track you down, you, your entire family, everyone you ever KNEW will all get chainsaw enemas!

God this movie is hysterical. The prostitute scene had me on the ground crying.

Even the ending is hysterical when the cops are walking away saying how in love Bette and Danny are. Meanwhile, she's kicking the shit out of him in the background.

Bette should have gotten an Oscar nomination playing a cold hearted, mean spirited bitch whom no one likes.

R16, there was talk at the time of a Best Supporting Actress nomination - not HUGE talk but she was included in what, back then, was an “end of year” conversation (instead of the 9 month conversation awards season has stretched itself to these days). It was similar for Down and Out in Beverly Hills. Bette was always the standout in these films.

But Ruthless People was when Touchstone/Disney realised she was a huge asset, a star, once again, in her own right.