  city slickers is a 1991 american western comedy film directed by ron underwood and starring billy crystal, daniel stern, bruno kirby and jack palance, with supporting roles by patricia wettig, helen slater and noble willingham. the film's script was written by lowell ganz and babaloo mandel, and the film was shot in new york city; new mexico; durango, colorado; and in spain. the film's success spawned a sequel, city slickers ii: the legend of curly's gold, which was released in 1994. ==plot== new yorker mitch robbins (billy crystal) has just turned 39 years old, and is having a midlife crisis. his best friends are also having crises of their own: phil berquist (daniel stern) is stuck managing his father-in-law's grocery store, while trapped in a 12-year sexless marriage with his overbearing wife, arlene, and ed furillo (bruno kirby) is a successful sporting-goods salesman and playboy, having recently married an underwear model, but is struggling with the idea of monogamous marriage and the pressure to have kids. at mitch's birthday party, phil and ed present a joint gift: a two-week cattle drive in the southwestern us. mitch initially refuses, having promised to visit wife barbara's (patricia wettig) parents in florida. however, when a young check-out girl (yeardley smith) from phil's grocery store inadvertently reveals an affair they had, arlene files for divorce, and phil is fired from his job. barbara insists that mitch go along both to cheer up phil and to help himself find some purpose before he is tempted into adultery and/or suicide. in new mexico, they meet ranch owner clay stone (noble willingham) and others there for the cattle drive. as they "learn the ropes" of mo
1990s_Western_(genre)_films 1990s_comedy-drama_films 1991_films American_comedy-drama_films American_films Buddy_films Castle_Rock_Entertainment_films Columbia_Pictures_films English-language_films Films_directed_by_Ron_Underwood Films_featuring_a_Best_Supporting_Actor_Academy_Award_winning_performance Films_set_in_Colorado Films_set_in_New_Mexico Films_set_in_New_York_City Films_set_in_Spain Films_shot_in_New_Mexico Screenplays_by_Babaloo_Mandel Screenplays_by_Lowell_Ganz Western_(genre)_comedy_films