Ishtar (1987)

User Rating:

3.6/10   

Director:

Elaine May

Writer:

Elaine May (written by)

Release Date:

15 May 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Adventure | Musical

Plot:

Two terrible lounge singers get booked to play a gig in a Moroccan hotel but somehow become pawns in an international power play between the CIA...

Plot Keywords:

CIA | Ishtar | Hotel | Emir | Amateur Musician

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Warren Beatty	...	Lyle Rogers
Dustin Hoffman	...	Chuck Clarke
Isabelle Adjani	...	Shirra Assel
Charles Grodin	...	Jim Harrison
Jack Weston	...	Marty Freed
Tess Harper	...	Willa
Carol Kane	...	Carol
Aharon Ipalé	...	Emir Yousef
Fijad Hageb	...	Abdul (as Fuad Hageb)
David Margulies	...	Mr. Clarke
Rose Arrick	...	Mrs.Clarke
Julie Garfield	...	Dorothy
Cristine Rose	...	Siri Darma (as Christine Rose)
Robert V. Girolami	...	Bartender (as Bob Girolami)
Abe Kroll	...	Mr. Thomopoulos

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | UK:15 (uncut DVD version) (2004) | UK:PG (theatrical release, cut) (1987) | Sweden:11 | Australia:PG | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Astoria Studios, Astoria, Queens, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Despite the film's reputation as one of the biggest box office failures of all time, Ishtar did, in fact, hold the #1 box office position in its first week of release. However, in its second week, with the release of Beverly Hills Cop II (1987), the film quickly dropped to fourth place.

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: By the chandelier when Jim talks to the Emir.

Quotes:

Lyle Rogers: [to Chuck] It takes a lot of nerve to have nothing at your age, don't you understand that? Most guys'd be ashamed, but you've got the guts to just say 'to hell with it'. You say that you'd rather have nothing than settle for less, understand?

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 50 Worst Movies Ever Made (2004) (V)

Soundtrack:

HAVE NOT BLUES

The Truth About Ishtar!

This is actually a brilliant comedy that utilizes the subtle jab to the funny bone rather than the thundering blow. Unfortunately, this type of humor died out sometime in the middle of the television show NEWHART's run. Why? Read The Wasteland! I don't know! Ishtar works in the same vein as Billy Wilder and Preston Sturges. No, the jokes do not come out and slap you in the face... You have to look for them to find them. Needless to say, do not rent this if you want a cathartic, mindless jolt. However, do not slam this movie just because it isn't slaptick or screwball. (Which are the only kind of comedies made anymore!) Elaine May comes from the comedy team of Nichols and May (Yes, Mike Nichols! [In fact one could argue that the comedy in The Graduate is bad for the same reasons as the comedy in Ishtar is supposedly bad.]). This duo practically perfected the witty, acerbic brand of humor which is now completely missed and misunderstood but was used masterfully in this film. In the age of Saturday Night Live and Ace Ventura, a comedy of this sort most assuredly would bomb and continue bombing. Nevertheless, if you are sick and tired of being force-fed ridiculously bad, hackneyed comedy then I suggest renting Ishtar (then buying some Nichols and May albums and watching the Bob Newhart reruns on Nick at Nite). Oh... Carter was President when I was born by the way... This is not nostalgia!