Ishtar

Plot synopsis:
Chuck Clarke (Hoffman) and Lyle Rogers (Beatty) are inept songwriters who are down on their luck, but dream of becoming a popular singing duo in the mold of Simon and Garfunkel. Though they are poorly received at a local open mic night, agent Marty Freed (Weston) offers to book them as lounge singers in a hotel in Marrakesh, Morocco, explaining that the last act quit due to political unrest in the area. Nearly broke, both single and without any better options, Lyle and Chuck decide to take the gig.
When they arrive in the fictional neighboring country of Ishtar, Chuck agrees to give his passport to a mysterious woman who claims her life is in danger. She promises to meet him in Marrakesh. Unfortunately, Chuck learns at the U.S. Embassy that it will take longer than expected to get a new passport. Lyle goes to Morocco in a bid to save their booking while Chuck stays behind.
While alone in Ishtar, Chuck meets CIA agent Jim Harrison. Chuck agrees to be a mole for the CIA and, in return, Harrison uses his pull to get Chuck to Morocco by the next evening.
Now together again, Chuck and Lyle unwittingly become involved in a plot to overthrow the Emir of Ishtar. The mysterious woman, named Shirra, has a map that she needs to get to the leftist guerrillas opposing the government of Ishtar. Harrison gets involved when Shirra contacts Lyle and Chuck.
Both Shirra and the CIA attempt to use Lyle and Chuck to further their own agendas, resulting in Lyle and Chuck getting lost in the desert, and unwittingly exposing the CIA's top secret operation in Ishtar. To keep the situation quiet, the CIA ends up having to back an album written by Rogers and Clarke with a tour kicking off in Morocco. At the kickoff show, Shirra is in the audience and tears up in appreciation. Meanwhile, a military officer orders the rest of the men in uniform that make up the audience to "APPLAUD!" when songs are finished.

Tags: cult, avant garde, satire, humor

Review:
I am just old enough to remember the two movies of the same approximate era (1980s, anyway) that became synonymous with big-budget box office bombs: "Ishtar" and "Heaven's Gate." At the time, "Ishtar" was considered so bad as to be unwatchable.
Few--including me--ever had the nerve to rent the movie.It wasn't until roughly 10 years after its release that my in-laws introduced me to the comedic greatness that is "Ishtar." To this day when I tell friends and family that I love Ishtar, it is somewhat like saying, enthusiastically, "Hey, I just contracted leprosy!" Such is the stigma that still lingers with this film.To the credit of critics, this is by no means a work of pure comedic genius.The movie has essentially one theme that works--the effortless cluelessness of Lyle and Chuck as the world's worst songwriters--and this is exhausted almost completely within the first 30 minutes.
We kind of want Warren and Dustin to just shut up by then.This second act suffers from a kind of Hope-Crosby wannabee syndrome, and the writing isn't up to the slapstick pedigree the movie had begun revealing quite hilariously in the first act.
Considering this film came from the pen of Elaine May--of "Nichols and May" comedy duet fame--I would have expected more, but perhaps this movie spiraled out of her hands because of the oft-misunderstood first act.
Nevertheless, if you are sick and tired of being force-fed ridiculously bad, hackneyed comedy then I suggest renting Ishtar (then buying some Nichols and May albums and watching the Bob Newhart reruns on Nick at Nite).
"Ishtar was great," I think defiantly every time by some off chance someone I come in contact with who has actually seen it cites it was the worst movie ever.
Their naivete (and sometimes outright stupidity) is a character unto itself, and plays brilliantly throughout the ridiculous adventure that they experience.I've seen Hoffman and Beatty in interviews joking about how they knew the movie was so bad that, instead of quitting, they simply got into the spirit by over-acting at parts.
If ISHTAR had starred Steve Martin and Chevy Chase, been directed by John Landis and shot for $10 million on a Hollywood sound stage, I think people would have enjoyed it for what it is, a sophomoric, silly road movie.However, it stars Warren Beatty and Dustin Hoffman, and was directed by Elaine May, a trio of actors and filmmakers who were known for comedy classics as HEAVEN CAN WAIT, THE HEARTBREAK KID and TOOTSIE.
Therefore, people expecting to see the most brilliant American comedy of all time were shocked and appalled when, instead, they got a glorified Cheech and Chong movie.Is this fair?
People who criticize the quality of the songs or Beatty and Hoffman's vocal talent are obviously missing the joke, as both are SUPPOSED to be bad.A pre-obnoxiously conservative Charles Grodin adds plenty of laughs as a CIA agent, while Isabelle Adjani does well in a deceptively complex role, which requires her to play it totally straight while engaged in completely ludicrous scenes with Beatty and Hoffman.Beatty and Hoffman's interaction while trapped in the desert is classic.
Hoffman asks, "Is the wind blowing?" Beatty answers, "This must be one of those once in a lifetime things, like the glaciers melting." If you don't find that funny, you'll hate this movie.But if dry, silly humor is your cup of tea, and you can view a movie without being overly distracted by it's star power, then you just might enjoy ISHTAR.
Add two of the greatest actors of our day, Dustin Hoffman and Warren Beatty, (both of whom are playing characters that could not be farther from the traditional roles that these actors have played, which was, I'm sure, a challenge in and of itself) and throw in a blind camel for good measure, and you have the recipe for a cinema classic.
The tortured lyrics these guys come up with must be heard to be believed, and the scenes showing them working on their songs or presenting their act to audiences are some of the most screamingly funny ever committed to film.
If for no other reason than to see these scenes, you should rent the movie.Perhaps the film might have been funnier (and better accepted by critics) if it had focused exclusively on the show business dreams of its stars.
However, early on the two get a booking to play an extended gig in Morocco (that alone should tell you how bad they are); they get waylaid in the fictional Middle Eastern country of Ishtar where they become inadvertently roped into a shady CIA dominated plot having something to do with rebellions, arm shipments and military coups.
No matter how crazy the plot may get, Hoffman and Beatty are never less than a delight as they hold down the center of the film.Oh yeah, and if that weren't enough, there's also the treat of the wonderfully droll and deadpan Charles Grodin as the CIA operative in Ishtar.
The scene towards the beginning with Hoffman and Beatty writing *really* bad songs, and the ones later in the film with a very cantankerous camel had me laughing so hard tears were coming out of my eyes.
Maybe they were expecting another "Reds" or "Little Big Man" or something, instead of a higher-class "Spies Like Us."Everyone I know thinks "Ishtar" is a very funny movie.
I think the thing that really stuck with me about this movie was the fact that Hoffman and Beatty really seemed to be having a good time making it and it shows.
They love it too.If you're a fan of the old Hope & Crosby road movies, you should enjoy Ishtar.
It drives me nuts when people use Ishtar as a short hand for "bad movie".
Paul Williams wrote the songs with the help of director Elaine May and they provide hilarity throughout the film.According to Leonard Maltin, the movie is structured like a Hope-Crosby outing with "shades of 'Road to Morocco'." I have never seen a film in the 'Road to...' series so I have to take Maltin's word for it.Beatty and Hoffman play songwriters who meet one day and find they have the same dream.
The trouble is that their songs are so bad, the lyrics so painful, that their agent (the late Jack Weston) can only get them booked in Morocco, bordering the fictional country of Ishtar.The story opens with a sampling of songs written by Lyle Rogers (Beatty) and Chuck Clarke (Hoffman).
There are constant left turns with riotous results.After an attempt to get some drinking water from a band of desert gunrunners (there is a hilarious scene with Hoffman pretending to speak several North African dialects as an arms auctioneer), the film ends with a shoot-out between our heroes and the CIA hit men who want these two 'messengers of God' out of the picture.
Most folks don't realize that most critics actually liked this movie upon its release.If this movie had avoided all of the bad publicity from the "outrageous" cost of production, it would have been released to audiences eager to embrace the combination of broad and dark comedy in which the film indulges.I saw it during it's original theatrical release and the audience gave it a standing ovation.The songs are precious and hilarious.
Yes, that's right, NOW.It's a touching and heartfelt tale of two friends trying to make it in the cold, harsh, cutthroat world of music and entertainment, with only each other to depend on.Accompanied by the genius acting skills of Warren Beatty and Dustin Hoffman, this tragic story will make you laugh, cry, and love every minute of it.Telling the truth is a dangerous business, honest and popular don't go hand in hand.
With Dustin Hoffman and Warren Beatty trying to take the place of Crosby and Hope, they might have better cast Arthur Shields and Barry Fitzgerald as Frenchmen.About the only thing that rings true is having Hoffman and Beatty as a pair of fourth rate entertainers, guys so bad that their agent gets them a booking in North Africa where the local populace will accept anything in the way.
Then again, I do not need to have a lobotomy to know it is a bad idea and I do not wish to lose any more time to this abysmal movie.I was only motivated to post after reading the inordinate number of glowing reviews about this drek.
It isn't completely laughter-free though, thank goodness, the business with the vultures and Charles Grodin's bungling CIA agent have their moments, but everything else is just sorry and redundant and that is including poor Isabelle Adjani.Warren Beatty and Dustin Hoffman are both fine actors, but as the tone-deaf songwriters, they can't do anything with their characters or dialogue and their chemistry together is oddball and not in a good way.
And the singing sequences, which had me in stitches, just bounced off the audience (which expected the lead characters to be very good but unappreciated, as they again couldn't fathom a movie without a hero.)The second thing that killed it was the bad press it got.
In fact, most have had to admit what a truly funny movie this is, and what amazing acting Warren Beatty and Dustin Hoffman have achieved (and how much fun it must have been for them to play the roles of Chuck "the Hawk" and Lyle).
If you liked Blazing Saddles, High Anxiety, Superbad, Knocked Up, Shedevil (another underrated great movie), you'll probably enjoy Ishtar, if you let yourself..
Dustin Hoffman and Warren Beatty star as Chuck "Hawk" Clarke and Lyle Rogers, two terrible lounge singers who get involved in international espionage.
I've watched a few of his more recent movies where he played a comedic role, such as "Meet The Fockers" in which I would rate his performance as substandard to poor.The general plot of this movie has potential, but neither Warren Beatty nor Hoffman could deliver.I would recommend watching "Ishtar" only if you are stuck inside your house (alone) on a rainy night and you have nothing else to watch and not a book in the house..
Many people believe that Ishtar was a horrible film and that it was a complete waste of time.
Many call Ishtar the worst movie of all time.
Not forgetting Charles Grodin whose deadpan performances are always good for a laugh.'Ishtar' a bad movie?
Ishtar was never considered to be a bad film - the point was it went over budget thanks to the costly desert shoots (having to move sand back to how it looked the previous day) and therefore never made nearly enough money to cover the costs.
Who'd have thought two great actors like Beatty and Hoffman would make a comedy duo.
At the time of its release, it became fun to make fun of Ishtar, which has become it's undeserved legacy.Actually, Dustin Hoffman and Warren Beatty are brilliant actors, and their performance as bungling and untalented show business performers really carries this film.
With 2 of the most talented actors in Hollywood History *rash generalization* starring in this (I cannot say f!lm) ...I had to cast my vote based on the total lack of not only humor, but acting, as well as, writing.I am pretty sure there have been (and will be) movies that sucked worse than Ishtar, but I guess my vote is 'weighted' based on the talents of those that starred, wrote, directed this utter failure (in all aspects).Unfortunately, I had to watch this in the theater -- so I could NOT just stop the movie and smash the VHS tape or DVD disc and light the crap on fire.To Columbia Pictures Corporation: of all the horrible movies you release, you WON.
What Dustin Hoffman and Warren Beatty were doing in a movie as bad as this is anybody's guess.
In contrast, Ishtar could happen in real life - almost word for word.As someone else wrote on this page, if you don't laugh your head off at the opening scene, you're probably not the intended audience for this movie.
she managed to produce some passable screenplays after Ishtar, 'Primary Colors' based on the bestselling novel (and nothing new in the political arena except they could point a finger at a current candidate) and 'Birdcage', but frankly they are just passable, not even approaching great in any way, and are a cookie-cutter selection from the Hollywood EZ-Bake script-idea oven (substitute a gay couple for an awful new in-laws meeting in 'Birdcage' and let Robin Williams do his VERY tiresome prancing gay 'send-up' which, also frankly, after 40 years of his doing this in every 'improv' or 'stand-up' routine we see of his, it has become more like trying to say 'it's OK to do black-face, minstrel send-ups as long as it's in the name of comedy' than it is any kind of comedic routine ...
cute and a good 'date movie' i suppose but anyone who believes that some out of shape middle-aged rich guy who never played a sport in his life can turn his physical body into an NFL top-caliber quarterback body just because the 'spirit' of an NFL top-caliber quarterback body just happens to be IN his body, is dosed on the same tainted-mescaline that inspired 'Ishtar' ...
Just went to the movie site Crackle to watch this big comedy flop that starred Warren Beatty and Dustin Hoffman and was written and directed by Elaine May. While what I watched was indeed a convoluted mess, there were many moments that I highly enjoyed liked many of the intentionally badly written songs provided by Paul Williams, Ms. May, and Beatty & Hoffman, respectively.
I watched this movie because of many of the comments on this film and I thought 'Well, if they think that, than how bad could this be?' Since I liked all the principals involved, I felt why not give it a try.No two ways about it, it's really bad.
The first act of the movie is sheer genius and for that alone Elaine May should get some sort of award and be permitted to make as many movies as she wants no matter how much they go over budget.Dustin Hoffman and Warren Beatty as too sweet schlubs; who else really has a chance at the intrigue of post World War II Middle East politics, certainly not some polished super spy.The song lyrics by Paul Williams are completely unique and poignant and not only missed getting a soundtrack recording but I don't remember them at that year's Academy Awards.
If you admit that you can play the accordion, No one'll hire you in a rock 'n' roll band." That philosophy about silly creativity being connected to the truth and perhaps being the only way to solve truly unfathomable problems like the Middle East and being unappreciated, pretty much sums up why the ratings for this film and the box office influenced and murdered by film critics and media journalists and gossips was so low.But if you are brave enough to pick up an accordion yourself, you will run out to buy a copy of this completely underrated movie.
Dustin Hoffman is really good in this movie, and probably more believable than Warren Beatty.
Like many others who've posted reviews, I too feel that this film does not deserve the reputation that it seems to have acquired.I think that many people (even those who like it) have missed one of the brilliant subtleties of this film.Warren Beatty (who at the time that this film was made was considered a major sex symbol) is cast as an oaf who is completely void of sex appeal and awkward with women.Dustin Hoffman (who has never been known as a sexy leading man) is cast as a cool ladies man.It is a complete role reversal for the two actors and within the world established by the film it is completely believable.
I'm sorry this review has been so unforgiving, but at least I'm relieved that Dustin Hoffman (one of my favorite actors) has been able to recover from this embarrassment (notice that this movie is never verbally acknowledged in his film making past, in award shows...) and move on to much bigger and better things, thank goodness..
My favorite Beatty film is "Shampoo".When I saw "Ishtar", I thought I was being punished for liking them.
The film begins with struggling unpublished songwriters Lyle Rogers (Warren Beatty) and Chuck Clarke (Dustin Hoffman) trying to put together the lyrics and music to an original song.
There is also a blind camel, heroes stranded in the desert with too little water, and everyone trying to kill the heroes.One of the silent jokes in the film is that Dustin Hoffman, whose previous roles included Ratso Rizzo in "Midnight Cowboy," plays a man women find interesting, while Warren Beatty, who has the reputation of a womanizer, plays a dork who's shy around women..
That said, Ishtar at its heart is a funny well acted movie with enjoyable quirky performances by Hoffman, Beaty and Charles Grodin.
I was alone in my enjoyment, let me say, and my wife has brought it up many times over the years to embarrass me "Oh, James liked Ishtar; you can't go by his opinion." Well, I saw it again recently and it is just as funny to me.
Warren Beatty and Dustin Hoffman as the worst songwriting duo in history is one of the funniest things I have ever seen on screen.
The film, "Ishtar" is a great comedy that was directed by Elaine May. Her casting is perfect.
Watch it just so that when people are talking about the worst movies of all time, you can have something to contribute.
Don't take it so seriously...anyone who thinks Ishtar is an action movie, a thriller, or a musical (the point of it all is that the main characters cannot write music...the songs are supposed to be lame!) is off the mark.
Both Dustin Hoffman and Warren Beatty sing terribly bad, making this the worst motion picture soundtrack I've heard in my life.