Armed and Dangerous (1986) is a movie
starring John Candy as Frank Dooley, Eugene Levy as
Norman Kane, Robert Loggia as Michael Carlino and Meg
Ryan as Maggie Cavanaugh. The plot involves Dooley, a police officer and Kane, a criminal defense attorney, recently
drummed out of their respective professions. Frank Dooley loses his job as a police officer after he catches two corrupt officers
stealing a television set. He refuses to join in with them, so they overpower him and fabricate a story which gets Dooley fired.
Kane seeks new employment after unsuccessfully defending a Charles Manson-like character,
inspiring the presiding judge to pronounce him the worst lawyer he has ever seen after lamely claiming that his obviously insane
client "didn't mean" to commit his various crimes.
The film's premise involves the pair uncovering a scheme formulated by the security guard union's leaders (who collect $15
from each worker's weekly paycheck) to embezzle the money for their own personal gain. The pair are assigned to guard a toxic
waste site as punishment after clashing with the union leaders, who refuse to answer questions about the status of the pension's
fund.
The main source of the film's comedy comes from the interactions between Dooley and Kane, and the various mishaps and
close-calls that befall the pair on their journey. There is also a romantic interest between Kane and Cavanaugh, although there
does not seem to be much on-screen chemistry between the two.
The film was released in the United States on August
15 of 1986, and is set in Los Angeles,
California during the 1980s.
Tagline: Undercover. Overdressed. And keeping you safe from the scum of the earth.
Quote on Promotional Posters: A comedy about security guards with the safety off
Cast
- John Candy ... Frank Dooley
- Eugene Levy ... Norman Kane
- Robert Loggia ... Michael Carlino
- Kenneth McMillan ... Captain Clarence O'Connell
- Meg Ryan ... Maggie Cavanaugh
- Brion James ... Anthony Lazarus
- Jonathan Banks ... Clyde Klepper
- Don Stroud ... Sergeant Rizzo
- Larry Hankin ... Kokolovitch
- Steve Railsback ... The Cowboy
- Robert Burgos ... Mel Nedler
- Tony Burton ... Cappy
- Robert Gray ... Butcher
- Larry Flash Jenkins ... Raisin
- Stacy Keach Sr. ... Judge
- Teagan Clive ... Russian Exercise Woman
Quotes
The Cowboy: "Slim, I ain't never seen a handgun that big before!"
Frank Dooley: "It's a fifty caliber. They used to use this to hunt buffalo with... up close. It's only legal in two states... and
this isn't one of 'em."
Norman Kane (defending a client, speaking to the judge): "I sincerely feel that the facts are completely irrelevant in this
case."
Applicant: Where it says police record, does that mean felonies or misdemeanors? Clarence Cavanaugh: Both. Applicant: Oh...can
I write on the back here? I'm not gonna have enough room. Clarence Cavanaugh: We've got lots of extra papers if you need 'em.
Clarence Cavanaugh: The world is a shithole. Full of shitty little scumbags who are scared shitless.
Frank Dooley: (looks at other applicant) Do you think he's a little anal? Applicant: (dryly) I think he's
right.
Captain O'Connell: "You work ten hours, you make forty-six dollars." Dooley: "Now... let me get this straight. If I worked
say, three billion hours, I could pull in over twelve billion dollars, roughly?" (quickly adding) "I mean, if I was eager enough
and I put the time in."
Judge: Mr. Kane, you are without a doubt, one of the worst lawyers I've ever seen. Norman Kane: Oh, well then, I move for a
mistrial. Judge: SHUT UP! Norman Kane: Yessir.
Frank Dooley: Oh, don't be such a wussy. Toughen up, will you? A little toxic waste isn't going to kill you.
Clarence Cavanaugh: I don't suppose you can identify any of them? Frank Dooley: Well yeah, sure. They looked like they were on
the U.S. Olympic Downhill team. I told you, they were wearing ski-masks. Clarence Cavanaugh (looks at Norman Kane): How
about you? Can you describe any of them? Norman Kane: Uh...yeah sure, except, well for their heads. Uhh, there was two guys. The
big guy was uhh....big. And the small guy was... Clarence Cavanaugh: Small? You're a regular Dick Tracy. Norman Kane: Well, I'm
sorry sir, I was scared! When people are chasing you with guns, you don't stop and ask them how much they weigh!
Tanning Salon Woman: "Gosh, I didn't realize it was going to be this formal. If I had known it was going to be this kind of
party, I would have worn underwear."
Maggie Cavanaugh (instructing the security guard trainees on firearm usage): "Just remember that when you pull the trigger,
bullets are going to come out very, very fast. So make sure that you keep the gun pointed away from you. Now, thats about
it. You are now armed guards. God help us all."
Trivia
The film that Norman Kane is watching in the warehouse is The Caine
Mutiny.
The role of Norman Kane was originally written for Tom Hanks, but he chose not to do the
film. John Candy then suggested that his fellow Second City TV alum
Eugene Levy be cast as the character, which he was.
Eugene Levy's character Norman Kane defends a criminal early in the film which is an obvious parody of Charles Manson
Although rated PG, if one were to look closely as the stripper in the peep show, her right breast can be seen.
Goofs
50-caliber handguns are legal in all 50 states, despite what Frank Dooley says in the movie.
External links
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