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Used Cars

  • 1980
  • R
  • 1h 53m
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
18K
YOUR RATING
Used Cars (1980)
Official Trailer
Play trailer1:51
1 Video
99+ Photos
Dark ComedySatireComedy

When the old owner of a dilapidated used car lot dies due to foul play, his young and ambitious hot-shot salesman and colleagues vow to save the property from falling into the hands of the o... Read allWhen the old owner of a dilapidated used car lot dies due to foul play, his young and ambitious hot-shot salesman and colleagues vow to save the property from falling into the hands of the owner's treacherous brother and used-car rival.When the old owner of a dilapidated used car lot dies due to foul play, his young and ambitious hot-shot salesman and colleagues vow to save the property from falling into the hands of the owner's treacherous brother and used-car rival.

  • Director
    • Robert Zemeckis
  • Writers
    • Robert Zemeckis
    • Bob Gale
  • Stars
    • Kurt Russell
    • Jack Warden
    • Gerrit Graham
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.7/10
    18K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Robert Zemeckis
    • Writers
      • Robert Zemeckis
      • Bob Gale
    • Stars
      • Kurt Russell
      • Jack Warden
      • Gerrit Graham
    • 130User reviews
    • 62Critic reviews
    • 68Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination total

    Videos1

    Used Cars
    Trailer 1:51
    Used Cars

    Photos156

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    Top cast62

    Edit
    Kurt Russell
    Kurt Russell
    • Rudy Russo
    Jack Warden
    Jack Warden
    • Roy L. Fuchs…
    Gerrit Graham
    Gerrit Graham
    • Jeff
    Frank McRae
    Frank McRae
    • Jim the Mechanic
    Deborah Harmon
    Deborah Harmon
    • Barbara Fuchs
    Joe Flaherty
    Joe Flaherty
    • Sam Slaton
    • (as Joseph P. Flaherty)
    David L. Lander
    David L. Lander
    • Freddie Paris
    Michael McKean
    Michael McKean
    • Eddie Winslow
    Michael Talbott
    Michael Talbott
    • Mickey
    Harry Northup
    Harry Northup
    • Carmine
    Alfonso Arau
    Alfonso Arau
    • Manuel
    Al Lewis
    Al Lewis
    • Judge Harrison
    Woodrow Parfrey
    Woodrow Parfrey
    • Mr. Ghertner
    Andrew Duncan
    Andrew Duncan
    • Charlie
    Dub Taylor
    Dub Taylor
    • Tucker
    Claude Earl Jones
    Claude Earl Jones
    • Al
    Beans Morocco
    • Stanley Dewoski
    • (as Dan Barrows)
    Cheryl Rixon
    • Margaret
    • Director
      • Robert Zemeckis
    • Writers
      • Robert Zemeckis
      • Bob Gale
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews130

    6.718K
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    Featured reviews

    george.schmidt

    Entertaining comic farce; Russell seems to be having a ball

    USED CARS (1980) *** Kurt Russell, Jack Warden, Gerrit Graham, Michael McKean, David L. Lander, Deborah Harmon, Frank McRae, Al Lewis. Very funny farce with Russell as a used car salesman facing opposition from Warden (in dual roles as twin brothers) in an all out war with some nice moments here and there. Look sharp for Betty Thomas during one of Russell's tv ads. Written by Bob Gale and directed by Bob Zemeckis.
    ljuddpro

    A comedy classic

    It is absolutely absurd that this flick was left off "AFI's Top 100 Funniest Movies of All Time." While it loses some steam (and irreverence} in the last twenty minutes,the first two thirds of the movie is consistently hilarious. The omission may have occurred because female members of the voting panel found the movie offensive. Indeed, the main male characters manipulate and exploit women throughout. In truth, the used car salesmen manipulate all the men they encounter too (although they don't use their tits to sell cars).

    I encourage you men to view this gem with your female significant other even though it's not a "chick flick" like "When Harry Met Sally." If she hates it, dump her for a woman with a sense of humor.
    lmercadostarsun-1

    simply put. funniest movie ever...bar none.

    first of all when this movie came out, in 1980, (when first i saw it) was way before cell phones, personal computers, and the saturation of mtv, which all have jaded our youth of today. this was a comedy years ahead of it's time..that said. kurt russell's character assassination of a used car salesman is a direct hit. gerrit graham's performance is extremely brilliant as a superstitious-gambling fanatic, really the whole cast is incredibly funny. but it's the dual performance of jack warden playing twin bothers, with good and evil inclinations, that probably should of won him a golden globe (on that performance alone) he's that good...simply put, this movie is laughs,laughs, split your pants laughs, and more laughs. a must watch comedy. and after you've seen it you'll want to add it to your movie library. but if you somehow don't find this movie funny, then maybe you need to check your sense of humor at the door...
    firehouse44

    "Hey, Fifty Dollars never killed anybody...."

    Entirely zany early work from talented director Robert Zemeckis about two car yards in direct competition with one another. Superb character actor Jack Warden plays dual roles as the owner of each business. The less glamorous yard is run by kindly Luke Fuchs, and the glitzy dealership is owned by his arrogant, loud mouth brother Roy L. Fuchs ! A youthful Kurt Russell & Gerritt Graham are the two fast talking, womanising car salesmen in the employ of Luke Fuchs, and there is nothing they won't do to increase business including cutting into football games & Presidential broadcasts with their own crazy ads !! Russell gets the bug to get into the big league by becoming a US senator and that's where the fun really starts...his mad schemes are aided by electronic experts Freddie & Eddie ( David L. Lander & Michael McKean aka Lenny and Squiggy from "Laverne & Shirley" )....and also by their foul mouthed mechanic, Jim (Frank McRae). The script is well paced, the actors very capable and funny in their roles, and you can see why talented director Robert Zemeckis went on to bigger and better projects such as Back to the Future, Who Framed Roger Rabbit & Forest Gump. This isn't high brow humour, but most anyone will be able to relate to this very funny swipe at the stereotypical image of the shady used car salesman.
    djeld13

    Trust Me!

    By far one of my favorite movies ever, and not just because of the seamless inclusion of Michael McKean and David L. Lander (although that helps quite a good deal when you're me!). There's little to say that hasn't been said, but my two cents worth: Used Cars combines excellent acting, a terrific crew, and a plot that had not before and has not since been tackled with such style, wit, and cinematic energy. Huge in it's simplicity, and simple in it's hugeness. Now go and watch it so that you have the slightest idea what I mean!

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    Related interests

    Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Sian Clifford in Fleabag (2016)
    Dark Comedy
    Peter Sellers in Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
    Satire
    Will Ferrell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Comedy

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      In the scene where Roy L. Fuchs (Jack Warden) walks up to Rudy Russo (Kurt Russell) and Jeff (Gerrit Graham) as they are finishing shoveling dirt over the spot where they buried Luke, Graham didn't have any lines and kept pestering Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale for lines. Finally, he just decides to repeat whatever Russell said to Warden. Apparently, Warden was unaware of what Graham was doing, thus his line "What're you? A fuckin' parrot?" It was Warden's genuine annoyance at Graham, which worked so well in the scene that it was included in the final cut.
    • Goofs
      When Barbara is in court defending the "mile of cars" accusation, Sam (the "Prosecutor") points out that she already has 25 cars on her lot "according to witnesses". If one mile of cars is 250 cars, and Rudy has "exactly 250 drivers" to drive back the 250 cars he bought from the Mexican, then they are well over the mark with one mile + 25 cars. They didn't have a "one car safety margin," they had a 25-car safety margin.
    • Quotes

      [President Carter on television]

      President Carter: -high inflation. What is the solution?

      [Television cuts to the commercial for Luke's yard taking place in Roy's yard]

      Jeff: You want the solution to inflation? Hi, friends. Marshall Lucky here for New Deal Used Cars, where we're lowering inflation not only by fighting high prices, not only by murdering high prices, but by blowing the living shit out of high prices. Yes sir. Here's an example. It's a 1972 Cadillac Coupe DeVille, for sixty-two ninety-nine. That price is too high.

      [shoots the car]

      Jeff: Yes sir. Here's another one. It's a Lincoln Continental, Mark IV, 1973. It's loaded. It's got air conditioning. It's got a stereo. It's got white-wall radial tires. It's got power steering, power brakes, power seats, power windows. And a price that is just too high.

      [shoots the car]

      Jeff: Yes sir.

      [Jim appears on the car behind him in costume]

      Jim the Mechanic: YAAAAAAHHHH.

      Freddie Paris: [on microphone] Look out, Marshall Lucky. It's High Prices.

      Jeff: Take this, you dirty ol' High Prices.

      [shoots Jim, who puts on a very convincing act]

      Jim the Mechanic: AHHHH. Ya got me Marshall. Ahhhhh...

      Jeff: [shocked] Jesus Christ.

      [winks at the screen]

      Jeff: Yes sir, that's New Deal Used Cars... Now wait just a Goddamn minute. What the hell is this? Is this a 1974 Mercedes 450SL for *twenty-four thousand dollars*? That's too fucking high.

      [blows up the car with dynamite. Roy watches at home]

      Roy L. Fuchs: You son of a bitch.

      Jeff: [laughs] Yes sir. We blew the shit out of that over-priced motherfucker just the way we blow the shit out of *all* high prices, down here at New Deal Used Cars. So y'all come on down. Did you hear what I said? New Deal Used Cars. So y'all come on down. Did you hear what I said?

      [Television cuts back to the President]

      President Carter: I have heard you, with unmistakable clarity...

      Roy L. Fuchs: You son of a bitch.

      [kicks the televison and electrocutes himself]

    • Alternate versions
      CBS edited 7 minutes from this film for its 1985 network television premiere.
    • Connections
      Featured in Biography: Al Lewis: Forever Grandpa (2000)
    • Soundtracks
      Used Cars
      Lyrics by Norman Gimbel

      Music by Patrick Williams

      Performed by Bobby Bare

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    FAQ19

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 11, 1980 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Sony Movie Channel (United States)
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Carros usados
    • Filming locations
      • Berge Ford - 310 E Main Street, Mesa, Arizona, USA
    • Production companies
      • Columbia Pictures
      • A-Team
      • Amblin Entertainment
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $8,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $11,715,321
    • Gross worldwide
      • $11,715,321
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 53m(113 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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