Under the Rainbow

PG

Released Jul 31, 1981

1 hr. 38 min.

Comedy

List

0%

6 Reviews

Tomatometer

48%

250+ Ratings

Audience Score

Japanese photographers and the "Wizard of Oz" munchkins confuse a hotel rendezvous of German and Japanese spies.

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Audience Member

Having a professional actress like Carrie Fisher does nothing for the movie when the story was already bad.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

01/26/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Hilarious movie w a lot of tom foolery!!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/06/20

Full Review

Audience Member

Pretty funny and dumb.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/19/23

Full Review

filip c

You won't find any gold at the end of this rainbow. The plot is dull and none of the gags work

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

where can I buy this movie?

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/07/23

Full Review

Audience Member

After the success of The Buddy Holly Story (1978), director Steve Rash and producer Fred Bauer reunited for this comedic caper which Bauer had come up with the idea for and worked on with a few different writers. The final result was a comedy that went well over-budget, and it's absolutely insane and the sort of film you'd never get away with now, however it's not as bad as what it's made out to be. In 1938, a bunch of guests descend on the Culver Hotel in California, including FBI agent Bruce Thorpe (Chevy Chase) who is assigned to protect an Austrian royal duke (Joseph Maher) and his Duchess wife (Eve Arden). Meanwhile, there's studio casting associate Annie Clark (Carrie Fisher) who has been assigned to look after 150 midget actors who are to play the Munchkins in The Wizard of Oz. However, midget Nazi agent Otto Kriegling (Billy Barty) is sent to assassinate the Duke, but he ends up getting caught up with the antics of the midgets. Plus a group of Japanese tourists and Kansas midget Rollo Sweet (Cork Hubbert) get caught up in it all too. The film has been called everything from "a complete failure" to "one of the worst films ever", and that was just from it's cast. It is a one of a kind film, and you can see why it flopped as it has no heart, it's just set-up after set-up with the midgets behaving badly. Producer Bauer never worked again, Rash however was more lucky.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/05/23

Full Review

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Steve Rash

Director

Chevy Chase

Bruce Thorpe

Carrie Fisher

Annie Clark

Eve Arden

The Duchess

Billy Barty

Otto Kriegling

Joseph Maher

The Duke

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TIME Magazine

This movie is in desperate need of an ace farceur like Preston Sturges.

Oct 30, 2007

Full Review

Janet Maslin

New York Times

Mr. Rash has earnestness and a touch of eccentricity, but he doesn't have the lighthearted wit to keep this kind of comedy working.

Rated: 2/5

Oct 30, 2007

Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

Before the success of Princess Leia in her metal bikini, here Fisher is stripped down to her underwear - one of the only notable elements of this highly forgettable film.

Rated: 4/10

Sep 8, 2020

Full Review

Mike McGranaghan

Aisle Seat

I maintain that, while it may be a failure, it's an ambitious failure.

Rated: 2.5/4

Mar 23, 2012

Full Review

Film4 Staff

Film4

A peculiar career choice for Fisher.

Oct 30, 2007

Full Review

TV Guide

Whose idea was this anyway?

Rated: 0/4

Oct 30, 2007

Full Review

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Synopsis

Japanese photographers and the "Wizard of Oz" munchkins confuse a hotel rendezvous of German and Japanese spies.

Director: Steve Rash
Production Co: Orion Productions, Warner Brothers/Seven Arts
Rating: PG
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 31, 1981, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 31, 2010

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