La Grosse Magouille

Original title: Used Cars

IMDb RATING

6.7/10

18K

YOUR RATING

Play trailer1:51

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Dark Comedy Satire Comedy

When the old owner of a dilapidated used car lot dies due to foul play, his young and ambitious hot-shot salesman and colleagues vow to save the property from falling into the hands of the o... Read allWhen the old owner of a dilapidated used car lot dies due to foul play, his young and ambitious hot-shot salesman and colleagues vow to save the property from falling into the hands of the owner's treacherous brother and used-car rival.When the old owner of a dilapidated used car lot dies due to foul play, his young and ambitious hot-shot salesman and colleagues vow to save the property from falling into the hands of the owner's treacherous brother and used-car rival.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.7/10

18K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 nomination total

Videos1

Trailer 1:51

Used Cars

Photos156

+ 149

User reviews130

6.717.9K

Featured reviews

7lee_eisenberg

mile of cars...

Following "I Wanna Hold Your Hand", Robert Zemeckis directed the equally silly "Used Cars", about the antagonistic high jinx between two used car salesmen (Kurt Russell and Jack Warden). This isn't the sort of movie that you watch to change your life or pick up on double meanings or anything like that; you watch it to have fun. And indeed you will! Whether it's the R-rated commercials, or anything else, the movie's a hoot the whole way through. Like "Big Trouble in Little China" and "Overboard", it shows that Kurt Russell really works best in comedy. Just great.

A mile of cars. Imagine that...

Blueghost

Comedy Classic

I distinctly remember this movie because in the summer of 1980 I was travelling across the United States, and only had time to see one movie of the three big budgeted comedies that hit the theatres that year.

The comedies that year were; 1) "Airplane," 2) "Used Cars" and 3) "How to beat the High Cost of Living." I went and saw film 3, and have regretted not seeing "Used Cars" in the theatre to this day. Some four or five years later when it hit Home Box Office (HBO) I thought I'd die laughing, and was kicking myself even harder for not seeing Robert Zemeckis' film in the theatre some five years before!

"Airplane" took the box office that summer with all of its cheap gags, and "How to Beat the High Cost of Living" spawned the popular "Kate and Ally" TV series. Unfortunately "Used Cars" faded into the background, but saw a well earned and much deserved revival courtesy an HBO airing and home video sales.

"Used Cars" is the comedy those two other films wanted to be, but couldn't. "Used Cars" is a better film with funnier material, better story, more action, and more heart, and will always be remembered as the quintessential 1980's comedy.

You must see "Used Cars," but be cautioned, it's NOT a family comedy. There's lots of swearing, a few strippers, and other "adult" references. Even so, in my personal opinion, it is the funniest film made to date. ENJOY! :-)

george.schmidt

Entertaining comic farce; Russell seems to be having a ball

USED CARS (1980) *** Kurt Russell, Jack Warden, Gerrit Graham, Michael McKean, David L. Lander, Deborah Harmon, Frank McRae, Al Lewis. Very funny farce with Russell as a used car salesman facing opposition from Warden (in dual roles as twin brothers) in an all out war with some nice moments here and there. Look sharp for Betty Thomas during one of Russell's tv ads. Written by Bob Gale and directed by Bob Zemeckis.

firehouse44

"Hey, Fifty Dollars never killed anybody...."

Entirely zany early work from talented director Robert Zemeckis about two car yards in direct competition with one another. Superb character actor Jack Warden plays dual roles as the owner of each business. The less glamorous yard is run by kindly Luke Fuchs, and the glitzy dealership is owned by his arrogant, loud mouth brother Roy L. Fuchs ! A youthful Kurt Russell & Gerritt Graham are the two fast talking, womanising car salesmen in the employ of Luke Fuchs, and there is nothing they won't do to increase business including cutting into football games & Presidential broadcasts with their own crazy ads !! Russell gets the bug to get into the big league by becoming a US senator and that's where the fun really starts...his mad schemes are aided by electronic experts Freddie & Eddie ( David L. Lander & Michael McKean aka Lenny and Squiggy from "Laverne & Shirley" )....and also by their foul mouthed mechanic, Jim (Frank McRae). The script is well paced, the actors very capable and funny in their roles, and you can see why talented director Robert Zemeckis went on to bigger and better projects such as Back to the Future, Who Framed Roger Rabbit & Forest Gump. This isn't high brow humour, but most anyone will be able to relate to this very funny swipe at the stereotypical image of the shady used car salesman.

djeld13

Trust Me!

By far one of my favorite movies ever, and not just because of the seamless inclusion of Michael McKean and David L. Lander (although that helps quite a good deal when you're me!). There's little to say that hasn't been said, but my two cents worth: Used Cars combines excellent acting, a terrific crew, and a plot that had not before and has not since been tackled with such style, wit, and cinematic energy. Huge in it's simplicity, and simple in it's hugeness. Now go and watch it so that you have the slightest idea what I mean!

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
In the scene where Roy L. Fuchs (Jack Warden) walks up to Rudy Russo (Kurt Russell) and Jeff (Gerrit Graham) as they are finishing shoveling dirt over the spot where they buried Luke, Graham didn't have any lines and kept pestering Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale for lines. Finally, he just decides to repeat whatever Russell said to Warden. Apparently, Warden was unaware of what Graham was doing, thus his line "What're you? A fuckin' parrot?" It was Warden's genuine annoyance at Graham, which worked so well in the scene that it was included in the final cut.

Goofs
When Barbara is in court defending the "mile of cars" accusation, Sam (the "Prosecutor") points out that she already has 25 cars on her lot "according to witnesses". If one mile of cars is 250 cars, and Rudy has "exactly 250 drivers" to drive back the 250 cars he bought from the Mexican, then they are well over the mark with one mile + 25 cars. They didn't have a "one car safety margin," they had a 25-car safety margin.

Quotes
[President Carter on television]
President Carter: -high inflation. What is the solution?
[Television cuts to the commercial for Luke's yard taking place in Roy's yard]
Jeff: You want the solution to inflation? Hi, friends. Marshall Lucky here for New Deal Used Cars, where we're lowering inflation not only by fighting high prices, not only by murdering high prices, but by blowing the living shit out of high prices. Yes sir. Here's an example. It's a 1972 Cadillac Coupe DeVille, for sixty-two ninety-nine. That price is too high.
[shoots the car]
Jeff: Yes sir. Here's another one. It's a Lincoln Continental, Mark IV, 1973. It's loaded. It's got air conditioning. It's got a stereo. It's got white-wall radial tires. It's got power steering, power brakes, power seats, power windows. And a price that is just too high.
[shoots the car]
Jeff: Yes sir.
[Jim appears on the car behind him in costume]
Jim the Mechanic: YAAAAAAHHHH.
Freddie Paris: [on microphone] Look out, Marshall Lucky. It's High Prices.
Jeff: Take this, you dirty ol' High Prices.
[shoots Jim, who puts on a very convincing act]
Jim the Mechanic: AHHHH. Ya got me Marshall. Ahhhhh...
Jeff: [shocked] Jesus Christ.
[winks at the screen]
Jeff: Yes sir, that's New Deal Used Cars... Now wait just a Goddamn minute. What the hell is this? Is this a 1974 Mercedes 450SL for *twenty-four thousand dollars*? That's too fucking high.
[blows up the car with dynamite. Roy watches at home]
Roy L. Fuchs: You son of a bitch.
Jeff: [laughs] Yes sir. We blew the shit out of that over-priced motherfucker just the way we blow the shit out of *all* high prices, down here at New Deal Used Cars. So y'all come on down. Did you hear what I said? New Deal Used Cars. So y'all come on down. Did you hear what I said?
[Television cuts back to the President]
President Carter: I have heard you, with unmistakable clarity...
Roy L. Fuchs: You son of a bitch.
[kicks the televison and electrocutes himself]