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ERA
Did you know
42 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
Best Defense
"Unfortunately, they're both on our side."
1984 1h 34m EN
💀
4.3
SKIP
★4.3TMDB · 131
ComedyWar
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
An engineer fails to get the bugs out of a tank before an Army officer has to use it in Kuwait.
“Unfortunately, they're both on our side.”
Cast
Dudley Moore
Wylie
Eddie Murphy
Landry
Kate Capshaw
Laura
George Dzundza
Loparino
Helen Shaver
Claire
Mark Arnott
Brank
Peter Michael Goetz
Joyner
Tom Noonan
Holtzman
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- Willard Huyck
- Writers
- Gloria Katz, Willard Huyck
- Languages
- English
- Countries
- United States of America
Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.
Did you know?
Fun facts 🍿
2 / 7
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Directed by Willard Huyck, shot by Donald Peterman. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr · trivia#02
3 / 7
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Original score by Patrick Williams. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
MoodPlayr · trivia#03
4 / 7
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Editor Sidney Wolinsky shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 7
CAST
Did you know
Dudley Moore and Eddie Murphy and Kate Capshaw carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr · trivia#05
6 / 7
FACT
Did you know
Marketing tagline: "Unfortunately, they're both on our side.".
MoodPlayr · trivia#06
7 / 7
WILD
Did you know
IMDB entry: tt0086955 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
MoodPlayr · trivia#07
Cinephile deep dive
The take
Willard Huyck directs. Donald Peterman behind the camera. Patrick Williams scores. Sidney Wolinsky cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Profitable at the box office. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 142 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
- 2Directed by Willard Huyck, shot by Donald Peterman. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 3Original score by Patrick Williams. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 4Editor Sidney Wolinsky shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
- 5Dudley Moore and Eddie Murphy and Kate Capshaw carry the top of the cast.
- 6Marketing tagline: "Unfortunately, they're both on our side.".
- 7IMDB entry: tt0086955 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
The technical file
- Cinematography
- Donald Peterman
- Original score
- Patrick Williams
- Editing
- Sidney Wolinsky
- Production design
- Peter Jamison
- Costume design
- Kristi Zea
- Sound
- Gregg Landaker
- Stunt coordinator
- Everett Creach
- Runtime
- 94 min · 1h 34m
- Aspect ratio (typical)
- 1.37:1 (Academy)
- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $18,000,000
- Box office
- $19,265,302
- Return
- 107% of budget
- Original language
- EN
- Certification (US)
- R
Also by
Willard Huyck
Stills · wallpapers
Selected frames
Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.
Trailers & featurettes
Watch the pieces
Production companies
Who made it
Paramount Pictures
US
- CI
Cinema Group Ventures
US
- ED
Eddie Murphy Productions
US
Key crew
- ProducerGloria Katz
- NovelRobert Grossbach
- EditorSidney Wolinsky
- Costume DesignKristi Zea
- Supervising Sound EditorFrank E. Warner
- Unit Production ManagerRobert Latham Brown
- Stunt CoordinatorEverett Creach
- Production DesignPeter Jamison
- Sound Effects EditorGary S. Gerlich
- Still PhotographerElliott Marks
- Set DecorationR. Chris Westlund
- Music EditorRichard Stone
- Art DirectionBo Welch
- Unit Production ManagerAusten Jewell
- Sound Re-Recording MixerGregg Landaker
- Sound Effects EditorVictoria Martin
- Sound Re-Recording MixerDonald O. Mitchell
- Sound Re-Recording MixerRick Kline
- Script SupervisorLouise Jaffe
- CastingDianne Crittenden
- Boom OperatorPat Suraci
- First Assistant EditorMartin Cohen
- Special EffectsRichard Johnson
- Executive ProducerEddie Murphy
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- army
- middle east
- armor
- kgb
- engineer
- error
Release history · US
When it landed
- Theatrical1984-07-20R
Also known as
International titles
- Best DefenceGR
- To didymo tis symforasGR
