Fun with Dick and Jane (1977 film)

Fun with Dick and Jane is a 1977 American comedy film starring George Segal and Jane Fonda. Directed by Ted Kotcheff, the film is caustically critical of the "anarchy" of the American way of life.
The character names come from the Dick and Jane series of children's educational books, and the title is taken from the title of one of the books in the series.
==Plot==
Dick Harper is a successful aerospace engineer in Los Angeles, where he and wife Jane have a lovely house, with a swimming pool and new lawn under way. Jane (Jane Fonda) takes care of their son, Billy.
Due to financial reversals at the business, however, Dick's boss, Charlie Blanchard, suddenly fires him. Dick and Jane owe more than $70,000 and abruptly find themselves with no income. Their attempts to find other gainful employment fail. Jane lands a fashion modeling appearance at a restaurant that becomes a fiasco. Dick ends up applying for unemployment and food stamps, while Jane's wealthy parents, rather than helping, advise them to use this experience positively as a life lesson.
Unable to come up with any other solution to their problems, Dick and Jane turn to a life of crime. None of them is able to realise the tons of dollars they havd in a bag, after the first stealing. None of them realise how Jane took a pee on the toilet in the middle of the schock. They make an effort to select their victims judiciously – robbing the telephone company, for example, which makes the customers in line cheer. In time, Dick and Jane weigh their guilty consciences against their needs, trying to get back their old lives and stay out of jail. They make the decision to "retire" from robbery. However, almost immediately they see Charlie Blanchard on television, testifying in front of a Congressional committee. After realizing that Charlie keeps two hundred thousand dollars in his in his office as a slush fund (used to pay off lawmakers), Dick and Jane decide to rob Charlie. At a gala at Dick's old firm, Dick and Jane are able to successfully break into Charlie's office, crack the safe, and steal the money. They are able to leave his office and make it to the main floor of the building, but the building's security guards are able to alert Charlie before the couple can leave. They are seen guarding all the exits. Dick admits to Charlie that he and Jane have stolen his money. However, they also explain that Jane has called the police about the theft. Knowing that the $200,000 would possibly be confiscated by the authorities and may lead to further unwanted investigations, Charlie tells the arriving police that no crime is committed and he walks the couple safely out of the building.
The movie ends with a press release that states Dick has been hired to be the president of the firm after Charlie has resigned.
==Cast==
* George Segal as Dick Harper
* Jane Fonda as Jane Harper
* Ed McMahon as Charlie Blanchard
* Dick Gautier as Dr. Will
* Allan Miller as Loan company manager
* Hank Garcia as Raoul Esteban
* John Dehner as Jane's father
* Mary Jackson as Jane's mother
* Walter Brooke as Mr. Weeks
* Sean Frye as Billy
* Fred Willard as Bob
* Thayer David as Deacon
* Burke Byrnes as Roger
* Dewayne Jesse as Robber
* Anne Ramsey as Employment applicant
* Jon Christian Erickson as Transsexual
* Jay Leno (uncredited) as Carpenter
==Reception==
Fun with Dick and Jane received mixed reviews from critics. The film currently holds a 50% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 14 reviews.
The film was Columbia's third highest-grossing film in the US in 1977 with rentals returned from the United States and Canada of $13.6 million.
==Remake==
The film was remade in 2005 with the same title, starring Jim Carrey and Téa Leoni.
==References==
=== Bibliography ===
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==External links==
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Category:1977 films
Category:1970s crime comedy films
Category:American satirical films
Category:American crime comedy films
Category:American heist films
Category:American films
Category:English-language films
Category:Films directed by Ted Kotcheff
Category:Mordecai Richler
Category:Termination of employment in popular culture
Category:Films scored by Ernest Gold
Category:Films with screenplays by Jerry Belson
Category:1970s heist films
Category:Columbia Pictures films
Category:1977 comedy films