The executive of the clothing industry Sam Stone (Danny DeVito) tells his mistress Carol Dodsworth (Anita Morris) that he can not bear his wealthy wife Barbara (Bette Midler) anymore and that he is going to kill her. When Sam arrives at his mansion in Bel-Air with chloroform, he does not finds Barbara; sooner he receives a phone call telling that Barbara has been kidnapped and asking a five hundred thousand dollar ransom. Further, he is warned that he should not call the press or the police, otherwise Barbara would be murdered. However, forty-five minutes later, his house is surrounded by the police and the press and Sam is celebrating the abduction in his room, without any intention of paying the ransom and expecting that the kidnappers kill Barbara for him. Meanwhile, the clumsy and inexperienced kidnappers Ken Kessler (Judge Reinhold) and his wife and stylist Sandy (Helen Slater) have been lured in a business with Sam in the past, when he stole a design of Sandy an raised a fortune, and they are actually seeking a financial compensation for their loss; however they are having difficulties to handle with Barbara in the basement of their lower medium-class house. When Carol asks her stupid lover Earl Mott (Bill Pullman) to make a videotape of Sam killing Barbara, Earl commits a mistake and records the Chief of Police Henry Benton (William G. Schilling) having kinky and noise sex with a prostitute in his car instead. Carol decides to blackmail Sam with the tape believing he killed Barbara, and she sends a copy to Benton to press him to arrest Sam. Ken reduces the ransom to ten thousand dollars, but Sam refuses to pay while Barbara loses twenty pounds working out while imprisoned and befriends Sandy. When Barbara discovers the intentions of Sam, she decides to help the young couple to take Sam's money.
"Ruthless People" is one of the funniest comedies of errors I have ever seen and re-seen. The plot is excellent, supported by a magnificent screenplay and wonderful performances highlighting Bette Midler and Danny DeVito). Bill Pullman in the beginning of his career is recognizable performing a tacky and stupid character. My vote is eight.
Title (Brazil): "Por Favor Matem a Minha Mulher" ("Please Kill My Wife")
"Ruthless People" is one of the funniest comedies of errors I have ever seen and re-seen. The plot is excellent, supported by a magnificent screenplay and wonderful performances highlighting Bette Midler and Danny DeVito). Bill Pullman in the beginning of his career is recognizable performing a tacky and stupid character. My vote is eight.
Title (Brazil): "Por Favor Matem a Minha Mulher" ("Please Kill My Wife")