Stripes (1981)
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88% of critics liked it
(33 reviews) -
77% of users liked it
(51,097 ratings)
Bill Murray decides to be all that he can be -- and it ain't pretty -- in this hit comedy. John Winger (Murray) is a quick-witted but unambitious loser who comes home after getting fired to discover that his car has been repossessed and his girlfriend is leaving him. With no idea of what to do… More Bill Murray decides to be all that he can be -- and it ain't pretty -- in this hit comedy. John Winger (Murray) is a quick-witted but unambitious loser who comes home after getting fired to discover that his car has been repossessed and his girlfriend is leaving him. With no idea of what to do next, John and his best friend Russell Ziskey (Harold Ramis) impulsively join the Army, more as a practical joke than a career goal. John and Russell find themselves in basic training under the hard-nosed and impatient Sgt. Hulka (Warren Oates), who is stuck with an outfit of goofballs, including overweight Ox (John Candy), naive Cruiser (John Deihl), perpetually stoned Elmo (Judge Reinhold), and the appropriately-nicknamed Psycho (Conrad Dunn). The platoon succeeds in impressing the generals spite of themselves, and John and Russell even find time to romance two pretty female MPs, Stella (P.J. Soles) and Louise (Sean Young). However, when John and Russell commandeer a high-tech military vehicle for a European weekend getaway with the girls, they happen into Soviet territory and stumble into an international incident. Remarkably, Stripes was made with the full cooperation of the U.S. Army, despite its less-than-rosy view of the all-volunteer armed forces. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Directed By
- Ivan Reitman
- Written By
- Len Blum, Dan Goldberg, Harold Ramis
- Genres
- Comedy
- In Theaters
- Jan 1, 1981 Wide
- Studio
- Columbia Pictures
Critic Reviews
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, TIME Magazine
Stripes will keep potential felons off the streets for two hours. Few people seem to be asking, these days, that movies do more.
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Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader
The balance of the film consists of time-tested commercial material, most of which is still working fine.
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, Time Out
[Reitmam] manages a reasonable success rate at pulling off the numerous verbal and sight gags with which the script is peppered.
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Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
An anarchic slob movie, a celebration of all that is irreverent, reckless, foolhardy, undisciplined, and occasionally scatological. It's a lot of fun.
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Janet Maslin, New York Times
Mr. Murray hasn't yet reached the point at which his routines can be sustained for more than 10 minutes at a time. But he has achieved a sardonically exaggerated calm that can be very entertaining.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Bill Murray
as John Winger
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Harold Ramis
as Russell Ziskey
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Warren Oates
as Sgt. Hulka
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P.J. Soles
as Stella
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Sean Young
as Louise
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John Candy
as Dewey "Ox" Oxberger
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John Larroquette
as Capt. Stillman
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John Voldstad
as Stillman's Aide
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John Diehl
as Cruiser
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Lance Le Gault
as Col. Glass
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Roberla Leighton
as Anita
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Conrad Dunn
as Francis "Psycho" Soyer
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Judge Reinhold
as Elmo
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Antone Pagan
as Hector
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Glenn-Michael Jones
as Leon
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Bill [William] Lucking
as Recruiter
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Fran Ryan
as Dowager in Cab
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Lois Areno
as Stillman's Girlfriend
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Timothy Busfield
as Mortar Soldier
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Joe Flaherty
as Sgt. Crocker
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Susan Mechsner
as Mud Wrestler
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Bill Paxton
as Soldier
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Gene Scherer
as Russian Officer
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Robert J. Wilke
as Gen. Barnicke
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Michael Flynn
as Soldier
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Dave Thomas
as Emcee
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Sue Bowser
as Mud Wrestler
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Robin Klein
as Cheerleader
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Craig Schaefer
as Soldier Outside Motor Pool
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Pamela Bowman
as Cruiser's Girl
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Nancy Brock
as Actor
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Gino Gottarelli
as Russian Officer
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Nick Toth
as Border Guard
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Samuel Briggs
as Corporal
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Hershel B. Harlson
as Shoeshine Man
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Solomon Schmidt
as Store Owner
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Dawn Clark
as Mud Wrestler
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Juanita Merritt
as Mud Wrestler
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Linda Dupree
as Mud Wrestler
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Leslie Henderson
as Mud Wrestler
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Arkady Rakhman
as Immigrant
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Gerald J. Counts
as Russian Soldier
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Yetim Buntsis
as Russian Soldier
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Semyon Veyts
as Russian Soldier
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Larry Gillette
as Russian Soldier
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Glen Leigh Marshall
as Russian Soldier
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Dale Prince
as Russian Soldier
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Larry Odell Lane
as Soldier
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Joyce D. Helmus
as Soldier
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David A. Mullins
as Soldier
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Bruce E. Ellis
as Soldier
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David D. Platko
as Soldier
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Philip A. Urbansky
as Soldier
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William R. Sykes
as Soldier
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J.A. Crawford
as Soldier
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Norman Mont-Eton
as Policeman
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Mark S. Markowicz
as Policeman
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Jeff Viola
as Policeman
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Robert Du Laine
as Policeman

