Ishtar (1987)
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Two talentless American songwriters find themselves entangled in a dangerous Cold War standoff while traveling to a gig in Morocco.
The story
Chuck Clarke and Lyle Rogers are inept songwriters who dream of becoming a popular singing duo. After being poorly received at a local open mic night, they are booked as lounge singers in a hotel in Marrakesh, Morocco. Upon arrival, Chuck agrees to give his passport to a mysterious woman who claims her life is in danger. While Chuck is left behind in the neighboring country of Ishtar, Lyle travels to Morocco to secure their booking. The duo eventually reunites, only to find themselves unwittingly caught in a complex plot involving the CIA and local leftist guerrillas.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Chuck Clarke and Lyle Rogers, inept songwriters, travel to Marrakesh, Morocco, for a lounge singing gig. In the neighboring country of Ishtar, Chuck gives his passport to a woman named Shirra Assel, who is seeking to smuggle items out of the country. Chuck meets CIA agent Jim Harrison and agrees to be a mole to get back to Morocco. The duo becomes entangled in a plot to overthrow the Emir of Ishtar. Shirra seeks an ancient map held by Chuck's jacket to command leftist guerrillas. Lyle mistakenly buys a blind camel while trying to follow Shirra's instructions. Both the CIA and the guerrillas send the duo into the desert with the intent of killing them. However, Shirra and a cab driver defend them from the CIA. Chuck and Lyle eventually mail the map to their agent, Marty Freed, who blackmails the CIA. The CIA then supports Shirra's social reforms and backs an album by the duo. The film ends with a show in Morocco where the audience is ordered to applaud.
- First release year
- 1987
- Runtime (minutes)
- 107
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Elaine May
- Writers
- Elaine May · writer
- Cast and characters
- Dustin Hoffman · Chuck Clarke; Warren Beatty · Lyle Rogers; Isabelle Adjani · Shirra Assel; Charles Grodin · Jim Harrison; Jack Weston · Marty Freed; Carol Kane · Carol; Tess Harper · Willa Rogers; Aharon Ipalé · Emir Yousef
- Genres
- adventure; comedy
- Themes
- failure; ambition; Cold War politics
- Tone and mood
- comedic; polarizing
- Premise and plot tags
- buddy comedy; road movie; political thriller
- Reception
- The film was a notorious box office failure and polarized critics upon release, though it has gained significant critical support and retrospective acclaim in recent years.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 51 · scale: 100 · review count: 16; CinemaScore · score: C+ · scale: A+ to F
- Awards and nominations
- Golden Raspberry Award · Worst Director · Win
- Production trivia
- The film was so expensive it led to Coca-Cola spinning off its entertainment holdings.; The director spent much of the shoot under a large parasol and wearing a white gauze veil, resembling a Star Wars stormtrooper.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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