Review of Ruthless People (1986) by Danny R — 15 Nov 2011

A wonderfully hilarious mid 80s caper comedy that became a monster box-office hit from the creators of "Airplane," it concerns a loathsome millionaire named Sam Stone, played by Danny DeVito in a comic tour-de-force performance who is planning to murder his spoilled ever richer wife Barbara, played to the hilt by Bette Milder who an absolute laugh riot, so he can take up with his mistress Carol, well played by sexy Anita Morris, but before Sam can kill Barbara, he comes home to find that she has been abducted by two hapless kidnapers Ken & Sandy Kessler, marvelously played by Judge Reinhold and Helen Slater, who bring a sweet endearing quality to their characterizations of the impoverished couple that are trying to get back at Sam for stealing Sandy's design for spandex miniskirts that made him a millionaire, Ken calls Sam and demands $500,000 for the return of his wife or she will be killed, Sam who hates his wife was passion refuses to pay for her release, in the hopes that the kidnappers will kill her and save him the trouble of doing it himself, Sam keeps refusing to pay, as Ken repeatedly calls him again and again, in the meantime Barbara has made Ken & Sandy's life a living hell with her repeated escape attempts and her none stop bitching & whining.

Splendid supporting performances by Art Evans, J.E. Freeman, William G. Schilling, and Bill Pullman in his film-debut is very funny as Anita Morris's dim-witted boy-toy lover, the terrific co-direction by Jim Abrahams, David Zucker and Jerry Zucker is inspired, and they give this film twists and triple-twists that not only surprising but keep us laughing throughout the hold movie.

A side-splitting farce that is a true crowd pleaser. Highly Recommended.