Film Details

Dustin Hoffman, Warren Beatty, Isabelle Adjani, and Charles Grodin in a $51 million comedy written and directed by Elaine May and shot by the great Vittorio Storaro—what could possibly go wrong? Plenty, if you believe the film critics of 1987. Beatty and Hoffman play untalented, unsuccessful lounge singers who accept a gig in Morocco. Soon they find themselves involved with CIA political intrigue—and even regime change!—in the neighboring (fictional) republic of Ishtar. Despite its reputation, this folly and flop has many ardent admirers—among them Quentin Tarantino, Lena Dunham, and Martin Scorsese. Cleveland natives Jack Weston and Carol Kane co-star. “If all of the people who hate Ishtar had seen it, I would be a rich woman today.” –Elaine May. DCP. 105 min.