8.4 /10 1 Votes
90% Rotten Tomatoes Directed by Arthur Hiller Starring Peter Falk
Alan Arkin Cinematography David M. Walsh Director Arthur Hiller Box office 38.2 million USD | 7.4/10 IMDb 4.5/5 Amazon Written by Andrew Bergman Music by John Morris Initial release 15 June 1979 Screenplay Andrew Bergman Budget 9 million USD | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Produced by Arthur Hiller
William Sackheim Cast Peter Falk, Alan Arkin, Richard Libertini, Nancy Dussault, Penny Peyser Similar Alan Arkin movies, Movies about the CIA, Comedies | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The In-Laws is a 1979 American action-comedy film starring Alan Arkin and Peter Falk, written by Andrew Bergman and directed by Arthur Hiller on various locations, including Mexico, which served as the film's representation of the fictional Central American setting. The 2003 remake stars Michael Douglas, Albert Brooks and Candice Bergen.
Contents
Plot
The daughter of mild-mannered Manhattan dentist Sheldon "Shelly" Kornpett and the son of businessman Vince Ricardo are engaged to be married. At an introductory dinner in which Shelly meets his new in-law Vince, he finds Vince suspicious; during the dinner, Vince tells a crazy story of a nine-month "consulting" trip to 1954 Guatemala. Vince's son and wife seem oblivious. Shelly pleads with his daughter not to marry into the Ricardo clan, since he mistrusts Vince. Shelly agrees to give Vince a chance.
The following day Vince appears at Sheldon's office, claiming that he wanted to say hello. He asks Shelly for help with a five-minute errand: breaking into Vince's office safe. Shelly reluctantly agrees. After retrieving a mysterious black bag from Vince's cramped office in an old Herald Square office building, two armed hit men surprise Sheldon. After a chase and shootout, Vince explains to the frightened Shelly he has worked for the CIA since the Eisenhower administration and robbed the United States Mint of engraving plates to crack a worldwide inflation plot hatched in Central America. He mentions he robbed the U.S. Mint on his own; the CIA had turned him down, deeming the caper too risky. Vince claims that Sheldon is not involved; however, if Vince is caught he will be jailed for 20 years and fired from the CIA. Vince further upsets Sheldon by mentioning he left an engraving plate in the basement of Sheldon's house the previous night.
During the wedding preparations, Mrs. Kornpett discovers the engraving and brings it to her local bank, where she is informed by the U.S. Treasury Department that it was stolen. Sheldon arrives home to find Treasury officials there and speeds out of the driveway, leading to a car chase through suburban New Jersey. Sheldon calls Vince and explains what happened; Vince tells Sheldon he wants him to accompany him to Scranton, Pennsylvania, and the whole ordeal will be cleared up by the time they return. At a small airport near Lodi, New Jersey, Vince and Sheldon board a jet.
To Shelly's consternation, during the flight he notices they are flying over the Atlantic Ocean. Vince assures Sheldon they are still going to Scranton, but they need to make a brief stop along the way at a small island south of Honduras. When they arrive, Vince is supposed to meet a corrupt member of the small country's legislature, General Jesus Braunschweiger. When they land, Jesus is shot and killed before he can greet and debrief the two. Vince and Sheldon fall under sniper fire and, using the General's car, escape and drive into town. At their hotel, Vince contacts the mastermind of the inflation plot, General Garcia.
Sheldon, tired of the ordeal, refuses to be shot at any more; unknown to Vince, he calls the United States Embassy and is told by the CIA agent-in-charge that Vince is a madman who was mentally discharged from the agency. Sheldon tells this to Vince, who prevents him from escaping, assuring Sheldon that the embassy told him that to get Shelly off the trail. Sheldon is still reluctant.
Leaving the hotel, Vince hails a taxi driven by one of the airport snipers. Sheldon chases, leaping onto the roof of the car. Vince takes control of the car, crashing into a fruit market. Grateful to Sheldon for saving him (and after another shootout and car chase), Vince and Shelly reach the General's estate. The insane general gives them $20 million for the plates, awards them medals, and marches them in front of a firing squad. Vince stalls for time until hundreds of CIA agents, led by Barry Lutz, overwhelm the army and take Garcia into custody. Lutz reveals that Vince was telling the truth the entire time; however, Vince retires, as he has had enough. He gives Lutz the $10 million he had agreed to deliver from the general. Vince and Sheldon take off with five million dollars each, giving their children a wedding gift of a million dollars to each.
Cast
Reception
New York Times film critic Janet Maslin wrote, "Andrew Bergman has written one of those rare comedy scripts that escalates steadily and hilariously, without faltering or even having to strain for an ending. As for Mr. Arkin and Mr. Falk, it is theirs, and not their children's, match that has been made in heaven. The teaming of their characters—milquetoast meets entrepreneur—is reminiscent of 'The Producers'". Rotten Tomatoes has given the film an 88% approval rating from critics.