Ishtar (1987)
- Starring:
- Warren Beatty, Dustin Hoffman, (more)
- Director(s):
- Elaine May
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- PG13
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Considered one of the great box-office turkeys of its decade, Ishtar was an attempt by writer/director Elaine May and stars Dustin Hoffman and Warren Beatty to do a modern-day road picture in the style of the much-loved Bob Hope and Bing Crosby comedy classics. Beatty is Lyle Rogers, a dimwitted songwriter who befriends and partners with Chuck Clarke (Hoffman), who is only slightly more intelligent but every bit as untalented. Together the duo dreams of becoming a big-time lounge act, but their songs, with titles like "That a Lawnmower Can Do All That," are unintentionally hilarious. Chuck becomes suicidal, but just when it seems they'll never strike it rich, the boys are offered a shady gig at a North African hotel, entertaining U.S. troops stationed in the tiny nation of Ishtar. On their way to accept the job, Lyle, Chuck, and their blind camel are sidetracked by a mysterious woman (Isabelle Adjani) and a scheming CIA agent (Charles Grodin), who are involved in a rebellion against the country's emir. The memorable songs crafted by Chuck and Lyle were written by actor and composer Paul Williams. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
Complete Cast:
- Warren Beatty - Lyle Rogers
- Isabelle Adjani - Shirra Assel
- Jack Weston - Marty Freed, Talent Agent
- Carol Kane - Carol
- Mark Ryan - Screamin' Honker
- Edgar Smith - Professor Barnes
- Neil Zevnik - CIA Agent
- Rose Arrick - Mrs. Clarke
- Ron Berglas - CIA Agent
- Arthur Brauss - German Gunrunner
- Matt Frewer - CIA Agent
- Bob Girolami - Bartender
- Stefan Gryff - KGB Agent
- Jon Paul Morgan - Djellabah Seller
- Bouhaddane Larbi - Taxi Driver
- Ian Gray - Manager of Chez Casablanca
- Aziz Ben Driss - Waiter at Chez Casablanca
- Stuart M. Abramson - Screamin' Honkers
- Nadim Sawalha - Rag Shop Owner
- Bill Moor - U.S. Consul
- David Margulies - Mr. Clarke
- Kamarr - Maitre 'd at Chez Casablanca
- Alex Hyde-White - CIA Agent
- Fijad Hageb - Abdul
- Dustin Hoffman - Chuck Clarke
- Charles Grodin - Jim Harrison
- Tess Harper - Willa
- Aharon Ipalé - Emir Yousef
- Phillip Schopper - Waiter
- Maati Zaari - Porter
- Howard Feuer
- Bill Bailey - Gen. Westlake
- Haluk Bilginer - Guerilla Leader
- Warren Clarke - English Gunrunner
- Julie Garfield - Dorothy
- Bruce Gordon - Screamin' Honker
- Eddy Nedari - Mohamed, The Camel Seller
- George Masri - Mohamed, The Camel Seller
- Sumar Khan - Ishtari,Gunrunner
- John Freudenheim - Screamin Honker
- J.C. Cutler - Omar
- Herb Gardner - Rabbi Pierce
- Christine Rose - Siri Darma
- Fred Melamed - Caid of Assari
- Abe Kroll - Mr. Thomopoulos
- Alexei Jawdokimov - KGB Agent
- Adam Hussein - Mohamed, The Camel Seller
- Director(s):
- Elaine May
- Writer(s):
- Elaine May
- Producer(s):
- Warren Beatty
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- PG13(Adult Situations, Adult Language, Brief Nudity, Questionable for Children)
- Closed Captioning:
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- Subtitles:
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