IMDb RATING
4.6/10
4.4K
YOUR RATING
A small-time arms dealer in South America to sell weapons to the revolutionaries winds up negotiating the sale of an experimental plane to the nation's dictator.A small-time arms dealer in South America to sell weapons to the revolutionaries winds up negotiating the sale of an experimental plane to the nation's dictator.A small-time arms dealer in South America to sell weapons to the revolutionaries winds up negotiating the sale of an experimental plane to the nation's dictator.
Carmencristina Moreno
- Woman Singer
- (as Carmen Moreno)
Wilfredo Hernández
- Rojas
- (as Wilfredo Hernandez)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaOne of only two films director William Friedkin wrote nothing about, positive or negative, in his memoir The Friedkin Connection (see also The Guardian (1990)).
- GoofsAt the Peacemaker roll-out. Stryker as well as the technicians commented on the hot weather. Yet, you can see Stryker's breath at the podium (indicating cold weather) just before the Peacemaker attacks.
- Quotes
General Huddleston: [watching the Peacemaker malfunction] This is a great day for the Air Force, Senator.
Sen. Bryce: Why is that, General?
General Huddleston: Because the Navy ordered twenty of those disasters.
Navy Officers: Son of a bitch!
- Alternate versionsCBS edited 5 minutes from this film for its 1988 network television premiere.
- SoundtracksSomeone To Watch Over Me
Music by George Gershwin and lyrics by Ira Gershwin
Sung by Nikka Costa
Courtesy of Renquet Records
Featured review
brave satire
I loved this movie when it came out, and I still think it's one of Friedkin's most under- rated efforts. Where it lost a lot of the audience was in its requirement that they actually think about what was being presented to them. The jokes are not the usual Chevvy Chase, fall on his ass kind of thing, but for the most part have an actual point behind them. Where the film failed, I think, is culturally; audiences at the multiplex tend not to like to have to think about the entertainments they consume, so the movie got lukewarm reviews, and poor audiences. Look at the scene for example, where Gregory Hines' character is accosted by a mugger, and the way in which the scene escalates, for a perfect mini-allegory of the cold war, and the simplicity of its essential "strategies."
In truth, the movie falls between two stools, in terms of the audience it was aiming at. It's too much a Hollywood production to play on the art-house circuit; but its ethos is too "political" to play well in the major exhibition houses, ie, suburban multiplexes. It might be the case too, that because its satirical target is the military, some thought it as somehow "anti-American" and stayed away for that reason. But it's a fine film, well-structured and well scripted (in my opinion), having as its core the moral redemption of an immoral man. It also features a rarity for American commercial movies a black man in a major, well-thought out role who's not just a comedy sidekick for the hero. Give this one a chance, and it will reward multiple viewings.
In truth, the movie falls between two stools, in terms of the audience it was aiming at. It's too much a Hollywood production to play on the art-house circuit; but its ethos is too "political" to play well in the major exhibition houses, ie, suburban multiplexes. It might be the case too, that because its satirical target is the military, some thought it as somehow "anti-American" and stayed away for that reason. But it's a fine film, well-structured and well scripted (in my opinion), having as its core the moral redemption of an immoral man. It also features a rarity for American commercial movies a black man in a major, well-thought out role who's not just a comedy sidekick for the hero. Give this one a chance, and it will reward multiple viewings.
helpful•355
- macduff50
- Nov 27, 2004
- How long is Deal of the Century?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Das Bombengeschäft
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $10,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $10,369,581
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $3,520,605
- Nov 6, 1983
- Gross worldwide
- $10,369,581
- Runtime1 hour 39 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content