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Used Cars (1980) 6.8
When the owner of a struggling used car lot is killed, it's up to the lot's hot-shot salesman to save the property from falling into the hands of the owner's ruthless brother and used-car rival. Director:Robert Zemeckis |
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Title: Used Cars (1980)
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Kurt Russell | ... | ||
| Jack Warden | ... | ||
| Gerrit Graham | ... | ||
| Frank McRae | ... | ||
 |
Deborah Harmon | ... | |
| Joe Flaherty | ... |
Sam Slaton
(as Joseph P. Flaherty)
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| David L. Lander | ... | ||
| Michael McKean | ... | ||
| Michael Talbott | ... | ||
| Harry Northup | ... | ||
| Alfonso Arau | ... |
Manuel
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| Al Lewis | ... | ||
| Woodrow Parfrey | ... | ||
|
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Andrew Duncan | ... | |
| Dub Taylor | ... |
Tucker
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Plot Summary
|
Plot Synopsis
Storyline
Used car salesman Rudy Russo needs money to run for State Senate, so he approaches his boss Luke. Luke agrees to front him the $10,000 he needs, but then encounters an "accident" orchestrated by his brother Roy, who runs the car lot across the street. Roy is hoping to claim title to his brother's property because Roy's paying off the mayor to put the new interstate through the area. After Luke disappears, it's all out war between the competing car shops, and no nasty trick is off limits as Rudy and his gang fight to keep Roy from taking Luke's property. Then Luke's daughter shows up. Written by Ed Sutton <esutton@mindspring.com>
Taglines:
Like new, great looking and fully loaded with laughs. See more »Genres:
ComedyParents Guide:
View content advisory »
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Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
11 July 1980 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Autohuijarit See more »Box Office
Budget:
$8,000,000 (estimated)Company Credits
Show detailed
company contact information
on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
| (Ontario)Sound Mix:
MonoColor:
Color (Metrocolor)Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
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Charlie: Fifty bucks never killed anybody.
Rudy: [pressing] You're not going to find another deal like this anywhere in town.
Charlie: Fifty bucks never killed anybody.
Rudy: [pleading] We shook hands on this... a deal's a deal.
Charlie: Fifty bucks never...
Rudy: [throws up his hands in mock disgust] Okay Charlie, you got it, you win - I'll see what I can do... But I'm telling ya, my boss sees these figures, he's going to have a stroke.
[exits]
Charlie: [scoffs] What's he trying to pull?...
[...]
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
The reason Used Cars was made at Columbia Pictures was that Universal Pictures passed on it, and since the head of Columbia had once sold cars, he understood it right away. See more »Goofs
In the tracking shot that opens the film, the reflection of a crewman holding the boom mic can be seen in the car's side-view mirror. See more »Quotes
Rudy: Charlie, I broke my back getting you this deal. You know that...Charlie: Fifty bucks never killed anybody.
Rudy: [pressing] You're not going to find another deal like this anywhere in town.
Charlie: Fifty bucks never killed anybody.
Rudy: [pleading] We shook hands on this... a deal's a deal.
Charlie: Fifty bucks never...
Rudy: [throws up his hands in mock disgust] Okay Charlie, you got it, you win - I'll see what I can do... But I'm telling ya, my boss sees these figures, he's going to have a stroke.
[exits]
Charlie: [scoffs] What's he trying to pull?...
[...]
See more »
******************SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!******************************
There are not many American films made any more which are as inherently cynical and as satirical as this. I know Rudy gives up his chance of becoming Senator to help Barbara but the last image we see is him giving the spiel to an old woman. The makers knew they wouldn't be able to get away with making a film which didn't have some sort of phoney closure so they stuck in the big finale, but they mean for us to be aware of Rudy's true identity; once a hustler, always a hustler.
It is also incredibly funny, packed with incidental pleasures as well as the foregrounded plot. In many ways the film could have been improved if they had just concentrated on the machinations of the rival dealerships but I think the film did need something more concrete to hang the narrative on. The last half an hour is a little disappointing but given that the preceding hour and a bit was so good, one can forgive them this.
There are so many things to mention I think I'll just list a few: Toby the dog, the two guerilla broadcasters, Rudy's first commercial, Jeff conning a customer into thinking he has killed the dog. There are so many great moments I can't think why this film isn't better known than it is.