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Ruthless People

1986·Movie·R·94 min·6.6(446)

Sam Stone's wife has just been kidnapped... And he doesn't want her back!

Sam Stone hates his wife Barbara so much that he wants her dead. He's ecstatic when she's taken by a duo of kidnappers who want $500,000 ransom in exchange for her life. Fully intending to ignore every one of the kidnappers' demands in the hopes that they do him a favor and murder her for him, the two confused kidnappers have to figure out how they're going get their money, and what they're going to do with the overbearing Barbara.

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Where to watch Ruthless People in United States

Click a service to open Ruthless People there. Availability last verified on June 20, 2026.

Where is Ruthless People streaming around the world?

CountryStreaming onRent / Buy
United StatesAmazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with AdsAmazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies
IndiaGoogle Play Movies, YouTube
United KingdomApple TV Store, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies
CanadaDisney PlusApple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
AustraliaApple TV Store, Amazon Video
GermanyJoyn Plus, Kabel Eins Classics Amazon Channel, Seven Entertainment Amazon Channel, Magenta TV+Apple TV Store, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies
FranceGoogle Play Movies, YouTube, Amazon Video
BrazilDisney Plus
JapanFOD

About Ruthless People

Ruthless People is a 1986 English-language comedy film directed by David Zucker and Jerry Zucker. The cast is led by Danny DeVito, Bette Midler, Judge Reinhold. It has a runtime of 1h 34m. Viewers rate it 6.6/10 across 400 ratings. In United States, it is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.

Ruthless People was produced by Touchstone Pictures and Silver Screen Partners II and made in United States of America. It was released on June 26, 1986, and carries a R certification. Made on a budget of about $11 million, it went on to gross $72 million worldwide.

Director
David Zucker, Jerry Zucker
Writers
Dale Launer
Release date
June 26, 1986
Original language
English
Age rating
R
Status
Released
Country
United States of America
Budget
$11 million
Box office
$72 million
Production
Touchstone Pictures, Silver Screen Partners II
#businessman#ransom#kidnapping#female lover#dark comedy#santa monica, california

Ruthless People cast & crew

Ruthless People was directed by David Zucker and Jerry Zucker and written by Dale Launer.

The cast features Danny DeVito as Sam Stone, Bette Midler as Barbara Stone, Judge Reinhold as Ken Kessler, Helen Slater as Sandy Kessler, Anita Morris as Carol Dodsworth, and Bill Pullman as Earl James Mott.

Behind the camera, the score was composed by Michel Colombier, cinematography is by Jan de Bont, and it was produced by Walter Yetnikoff and Michael Peyser.

Is Ruthless People worth watching?

Ruthless People holds an audience score of 6.6/10 from 446 ratings, a solidly received comedy films.

At 1h 34m, it's an easy, time-light watch.

If you enjoy comedy, Ruthless People is worth a place on your watchlist.

How and where to watch Ruthless People

In United States, you can stream Ruthless People on Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Prime Video with Ads, or rent and buy it on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, and YouTube. Click any service above to open it directly.

Streaming rights change country by country and month by month, so the options above reflect United States today — switch your country at the top of the where-to-watch section to see availability elsewhere.

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Cast of Ruthless People

Danny DeVito

Danny DeVito

Sam Stone

Bette Midler

Bette Midler

Barbara Stone

Judge Reinhold

Judge Reinhold

Ken Kessler

Helen Slater

Helen Slater

Sandy Kessler

Anita Morris

Anita Morris

Carol Dodsworth

Bill Pullman

Bill Pullman

Earl James Mott

William G. Schilling

William G. Schilling

Chief Henry Benton

Art Evans

Art Evans

Lt. Bender

No photo

Clarence Felder

Lt. Walters

J.E. Freeman

J.E. Freeman

Bedroom Killer

Gary Riley

Gary Riley

Heavy Metal Kid

Frank Sivero

Frank Sivero

The Mugger

Ruthless People — FAQs

Where can I watch Ruthless People in United States?

Ruthless People is streaming on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads in United States.

Is Ruthless People on Amazon Prime Video?

Yes — Ruthless People is currently available on Amazon Prime Video in United States.

What language is Ruthless People in?

Ruthless People is originally in English. Subtitle and dub options vary by streaming service.

How long is Ruthless People?

Ruthless People runs 1 hours 34 minutes (94 minutes).

What is Ruthless People rated?

Ruthless People is rated R. It holds a 6.6/10 audience score from 446 ratings.

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Ruthless People (1986) — where to watch online · SearchOTT