bjdogg

This movie has everything - terrific cast who appeared to have great chemistry, sets, story, direction - but no sequel? Or sequels? I've watched this movie many times and the only thing bad is that it ended and there is no sequel to continue all the great fun and entertainment value.

I saw this film in the theatre when it was released in 1986. I have been to a lot of movies, and this is the only one that I HAD to see again--just to hear the lines that had been drowned out by the audience's laughter!

Often a movie's previews will give away all the funny lines of a movie, and I remember that the previews for "Ruthless People" gave away the classic "I've been kidnapped by KMart" line. But for once, there were so many hysterically funny moments in this movie that it didn't matter. It's just that funny.

So if you haven't seen it, you really are missing something. Rent it and be prepared to hurt your sides laughing.

This is one of my favorite movies, one I can watch and enjoy on repeated viewing. All the actors really bought into the tone of the movie, which tells me that the director had a clear vision and was able to communicate it to the cast. Brando is brilliant, as usual, and I find his performance to be highly entertaining in that he spoofed his Godfather persona so effectively. I always enjoy seeing (and hearing--love his voice) Bruno Kirby, and I especially like that he was cast in a movie about the Godfather, given the fact that he had played the young Clemenza in the Godfather II. Penelope Miller also played her part well--I especially liked her character's behavior toward Matthew Broderick's character as she assumed he was going to marry her and be part of the family. Her exasperation with Broderick ("This isn't the Clark I know") was great.

Then there's Matthew Broderick. This is the last movie he made that I truly enjoyed. He is absolutely perfect in this part. His part calls for him to portray his earnest and trusting personality, his loyalty to Brando's character and to the job he agreed to perform, his growing fondness and respect for Brando's character, and his confusion about perhaps having given his respect to such a disreputable character. Broderick carries off all these aspects of his role, yet shows the strength of character to be able to help solve all his problems by the movie's end.

Or, he could have ended up as Rodolfo Lasparri of Palermo, Sicily.

This movie really captures one of Charles Grodin's best performances. He can be as deadpan as anyone, and he is the perfect foil for Goldie Hawn's outlandishness. Whenever I happen upon this movie on TV I end up watching it again. Some of the scenes are priceless--especially Goldie Hawn's nervous breakdown (and Grodin's behavior), the dinner scene (with Chester, Chevy Chase, and the Governor), etc. I always crack up when I hear Aurora explain why she can't cook dinner that evening--she has to have her feet "e-scraped." The movie is very funny and completely lighthearted, full of the usual Neil Simon clever dialogue.