All The Tropes

Ruthless People: Difference between revisions

Page Discussion

Ruthless People (view source)

Revision as of 01:39, 10 November 2020

63 bytes removed ,  3 years ago
m
no edit summary
VisualWikitext
m (Mass update links)
mNo edit summary
 
(5 intermediate revisions by 4 users not shown)
Line 2:
[[File:ruthless_cover_4819.jpg|frame]]
 
{{quote| '''Sam Stone:''' ''[to the kidnappers]'' What do I have to do? Put a gun in your hand, aim and pull your finger down, you spineless wimp?! ''{{<nowiki>[</nowiki>[[Crowning Moment of Funny]] |cue Ken sagging in defeat}}]]]'' I dare you to kill her! ''[hangs up]'' Now ''that'' oughta do it!}}
 
A modern update of [[O. Henry]]'s ''[[The Ransom Ofof Red Chief]]'', and'''''Ruthless People''''' was the first traditional, non-[[Rapid-Fire Comedy]] by Zucker Abrahams Zucker. Businessman Sam Stone ([[Danny DeVito]]) and his wife Barbara ([[Bette Midler]]) are married, but he hates her, having married her only for her money. In fact, Sam has decided to murder Barbara for her inheritance. But before he can kill her, she gets kidnapped by a nice young married couple, Sandy and Ken Kessler ([[Helen Slater]] and [[Judge Reinhold]]), who are trying to recoup the money Sam made off of an idea he stole from them. Unfortunately, they're not very good at the kidnapping thing, and fail to be the [[Title Drop|ruthless people]] they should be. Sam does everything they tell him not to (like calling the cops), so they will kill Barbara like they threatened to. She ends up being "marked down" several times, but he refuses to pay. Meanwhile Sam's mistress, Carol Dodsworth ([[Anita Morris]]), and her other boyfriend, Earl Mott ([[Bill Pullman]]), try to blackmail Sam for the murder of Barbara, which hasn't even happened... yet...
 
Confused yet? Well don't worry, it all [[It Makes Sense in Context|makes sense when you see it]]. The "drama" is all [[Played for Laughs]] to make for a very funny movie which features attack dogs, an accidental extortion of the area police chief, a seemingly-unrelated [[Serial Killer]], and quite possibly the stupidest person on the face of the earth (Bill Pullman, in his hilarious first movie role).
 
----
{{tropelist}}
=== Tropes: ===
* [[Animated Credits Opening]]: The opening credits are a clever series of ruthless acts, like stabbing, poisoning, arson, etc.
* [[Auto Erotica]]: Chief Benton has wild sex with a prostitute at night in his car while Earl Mott is filming both of them in an attempt to prove Sam Stone murdered his wife.
* [[Bee-Bee Gun]]: At one point, after learning of Sam's infidelity and his refusal to pay the ransom, Barbara fantasizes punishing him by covering with honey and taking him to a bee farm.
* [[Bill, Bill, Junk, Bill]]: Sam does almost exactly this when he returns home.
{{quote| '''Sam:''' "Junk, garbage, garbage, junk..."}}
* [[Compensating for Something]]: Strongly hinted by Ken by anyone who wants the massive Dominator speakers.
{{quote| '''Male buyer:''' Yeah, uh, what do you think of this one? ''(winks at girlfriend)''<br />
'''Ken:''' The Dominator X? The Dominator's a good ''marketing'' idea, but it's really not a good speaker. ''(half-whispers)'' We give it a 50% markup, so we sell it at 30% off, give the customer the illusion he's getting a deal, and we still make a bundle.<br />
'''Girlfriend:''' But it's so big and impressive!<br />
'''Ken:''' Size means very little. Bigger is not necessarily better. ''([[Beat]])'' [[Lampshade Hanging|I sound like Dr. Ruth.]]<br />
'''Girlfriend:''' You mean the Dominator's like a, uh--<br />
''(at this point, the Male Buyer is looking VERY sheepish and embarrassed)''<br />
'''Ken:''' Well, the Dominators are very popular with men who like to have bigger... uh...<br />
'''Girlfriend:''' Equipment?<br />
'''Ken:''' Exactly!<br />
''(the Male Buyer looks like he'd rather be anywhere but here now)'' }}
* [[The Ditz]] / [[Dumb Blonde]]: Earl.
* [[The Eighties]]: Dear Lord, yes. Especially the fashions.
{{quote| '''Earl:''' ''(seeing his fish)'' [[Miami Vice|Crockett and Tubbs]]... they're floatin'! }}
* [[Et Tu, Brute?]]: "My tux. My silk tux. Et tu, Adolf? Et tu?"
* [[Evil Redhead]]: Carol plans to blackmail Sam, although she's otherwise not that villainous.
* [[Fat Suit]]: Bette Midler wears one for pre-captured Barbara.
* [[Flaw Exploitation]]: Barbara, and ''how''! For example, she frightens Sandy with state execution talk.
{{quote| '''Barbara:''' It could mean the difference between life, and the chair! ''(pretends to be electrocuted violently)'' Or the gas chamber. ''(makes hissing and gasping sounds)'' You know, sometimes, the firing squad? They miss all the major arteries! BANG! ''(slumps as if shot)'' And you don't die right away, you kinda just... hang on... bleeding... BLEEDING... <br />
''(Sandy screams and runs away.)'' }}
** To Ken, who doesn't scare as easily:
{{quote| '''Barbara:''' ''(whistles)'' Nice butt. That's what they'll say. <br />
'''Ken:''' I beg your pardon? <br />
'''Barbara:''' Nice butt. That's what they'll say on your first day, in the men's club. <br />
'''Ken:''' The men's club? <br />
'''Barbara:''' Mmm. The San Quentin Country Club. With a cute little rear end like that, you'll be the belle of the ball. [[Prison Rape|Your dance card'll be filled every day.]] You'll be so popular, making all kinds of new, close friends. Big, ugly, hairy friends! Not that you'll ever see what they look like, 'cause you'll be facing the other way. <br />
'''Ken:''' [[Shut UP, Hannibal|You're very good at this.]] [[Deadpan Snarker|You should write children's books.]] }}
* [[For the Evulz]]: Sam loves wrong phone numbers.
{{quote| '''Sam:''' Hello? Debbie? Yeah, Debbie's here, who's this? Well, Ralph, uh, Debbie can't talk right now, my dick's in her mouth. How about if I have her call you back later when I'm done? ''(hangs up)'' I love wrong numbers.}}
* [[Funny Background Event]]: Two detectives walk along the boardwalk discussing how great it is that Barbara and Sam have been reunited. Meanwhile, Barbara is kicking Sam's ass behind them.
* [[Gambit Pileup]]:
Line 49:
** Carol is pretending to have the hots for Sam so she can blackmail him for the murder.
* [[Gilligan Cut]]: When Barbara arrives at her kidnappers' home.
{{quote| '''Barbara''': MY HUSBAND WORSHIPS THE GROUND I WALK ON! WHEN HE FINDS OUT ABOUT THIS, HE WILL EXPLODE!!<br />
*cut to Sam, popping open a champagne bottle*<br />
'''Sam''': [cackles, pours] Bye bye, Barbara! }}
** And the first ransom phonecall, where the kidnappers tell Sam not to contact the police or the media or his wife will die. Cut to a huge slew of TV vans and police cruisers around his house.
* [[Gold Digger]]: Sam on Barbara, Carol on Sam.
* [[Groin Attack]]: Barbara fantasizes about this.
{{quote| '''Barbara:''' Castrate him! I wanna castrate him! ''[demonstrates]''}}
** She also does it once or twice to Ken when trying to escape.
* [[Heel Face Turn]]: Of a sort; Barbara isn't exactly a villain, but she is a pretty horrible person at the beginning of the movie. Spending time with the Kesslers, however, and losing weight has an improving effect on her personality and she gradually becomes a much nicer person.
Line 62:
* [[Home Porn Movie]]: This is what the "evidence tape" turns out to be.
* [[The Immodest Orgasm]]: The prostitute having sex with Chief Benton:
{{quote| '''Chief Benton''': I like a woman who makes a lot of sound.<br />
'''Prostitute''': Uh-huh. Well, I'll scream my head off if you want to, honey. It's your money.<br />
'''Chief Benton''': Yeah, my wife just lays there like a gunnysack. }}
** Then when they proceed to 'get it on', her screams are so loud that Earl thinks the murder that's supposed to happen is especially brutal.
Line 74:
* [[The Mistress]]: Carol
* [[Mood Whiplash]]: Deliberately by Barbara, who is supposed to pretend to be a helpless kidnappee who needs Sam, but is so vengeful she ''needs'' to insult him.
{{quote| '''Barbara:''' ''(on phone with Sam)'' Do you have it all? 2.2 million dollars in unmarked, non-sequential bills? '''''YOU MISERABLE SCUM-SUCKING PIG!''''' Oh, I'm sorry, honey. [[Suspiciously Specific Denial|They]] ''[[Suspiciously Specific Denial|made me]]'' [[Suspiciously Specific Denial|say that.]] <br />
'''Sam:''' Yeah, it's all here. <br />
'''Barbara:''' And you have it all in a briefcase? '''''YOU SCUMBAG, YOU LOWLIFE MOTHERFUCKER!''''' I'm sorry. They made me say that ''too''! ''(she grins and sips some wine)'' }}
** What really makes the scene is the unabashed, avid grin on Barbara's face during the scene.
Line 99:
* [[Threat Backfire]]: The whole movie revolves around this.
* [[Too Dumb to Live]]: Earl Mott, who among other things inserts himself into a hostage/robbery scenario ''after'' the police have already surrounded the scene.
{{quote| '''Lt. Bender''': ''[in megaphone]'' This is the Los Angeles Police Department.<br />
'''Earl''': ''[calling]'' Really?<br />
'''Lt. Bender''': ''[in megaphone]'' [[Sarcasm Mode|...no! We're the National Rifle Association!]] ''[cue row of officers aiming guns at Earl, who drops his in shock]'' }}
** Also [[Lampshaded]] by Carol, when confused by the Police Chief's reaction to the "evidence" tape. When she says, "Either the chief is a complete moron and complete morons are ''rare''... ", [[Crowning Moment of Funny|her eyes fix for a second on Earl]].
Line 109:
[[Category:Films of the 1980s]]
[[Category:Ruthless People]]
[[Category:Film]]
Retrieved from "https://allthetropes.org/wiki/Special:MobileDiff/915723...1844719"