It stars Danny DeVito, Bette Midler, Judge Reinhold, Anita Morris, and Helen Slater, with Bill Pullman in a supporting role in his film debut.
Beverly Hills fashion tycoon Sam Stone despises his wife, Barbara, having married her for her family wealth, and plans to murder her so he can inherit her $15 million[a] fortune and retire with his mistress Carol.
Without watching the tape, Carol forwards a copy to Sam who assumes it is a seductive birthday present, and she interprets his lewd response as a threat, causing her and Earl to go into hiding.
She is eventually overjoyed to realize she has lost 20 pounds (9 kg) and bonds with Sandy after being impressed by her fashion ideas and dress designs, into which she now can fit.
Realizing that Sam wanted her dead and having learned of his affair, Barbara collaborates with Ken and Sandy to take revenge by blackmailing him for his entire personal fortune worth over $2.2 million.
[b] After being bailed out of jail, Sam reluctantly collects the ransom in a briefcase, desperate to prove his innocence in Barbara's disappearance.
The police recover the body of the Bedroom Killer, disguised as Ken, from the car but are unable to locate the ransom money.
It also contributed to their eventual split in the 90s with Jerry Zucker stating “it became evident that if we were going to do (scripts written by other people), we’d have to direct separately.”[5] "This film takes a good, simple idea — the kidnapping of a nagging wife whose husband doesn't want her back — and adds some charismatic casting: Danny DeVito and Bette Midler.
The website's critical consensus reads, "It's sometimes crude and tasteless, but Ruthless People wrings acid-soaked laughs out of its dark premise and gleefully misanthropic characters.
[10] Roger Ebert said that the film "is made out of good performances, a script of diabolical ingenuity, and a whole lot of silliness.
"[11] Leonard Maltin agreed that this "clever farce" has "lots of laughs, bright performances, but turns sour: these really are unpleasant people!