Taglines: All the action. All the women. Half the intelligence.
Spy Hard movie storyline. Secret agent WD-40 Dick Steele (Leslie Nielsen) has his work cut out for him. Along with the mysterious and lovely Veronique Ukrinsky, Agent 3.14 (Nicollette Sheridan), he must rescue the kidnapped Barbara Dahl and stop the evil genius, a General named Rancor (Andy Griffith), from seizing control of the entire world.
Rancor was wounded in an earlier encounter and no longer has arms. However, he can “arm” himself by attaching robotic limbs with various weapons attached. Steele is talked out of retirement by an old friend, agent Steven Bishop (Robert Guillaume), and given his new assignment by The Director (Charles Durning), who also is testing out a variety of elaborate disguises. At headquarters, Steele encounters an old agency nemesis, Norm Coleman (Barry Bostwick), and flirts with the Director’s adoring secretary, referred to as Miss Cheevus (Marcia Gay Harden).
On the job, Steele is assisted by an agent named Kabul (John Ales), who gives him rides in a never-ending variety of specially designed cars. They seek help from McLuckey (Mason Gamble), a blond child, Home Alone, who is very good at fending off intruders. Steele resists the temptations of a dangerous woman (Talisa Soto) he finds waiting for him in bed. But he does work very closely with Agent 3.14, whose father, Professor Ukrinsky (Elya Baskin), is also being held captive by Rancor.
Spy Hard is a 1996 American spy comedy film parody starring Leslie Nielsen and Nicollette Sheridan, parodying James Bond films and other action films. The introduction to the movie is sung by comedy artist “Weird Al” Yankovic. It is the first film to be written by Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer. The film’s title is a pun of Die Hard. The film is directed by Rick Friedberg and produced by Doug Draizin and Jeffery Knovitz.
The film was released by Buena Vista Pictures on May 24, 1996, receiving generally negative reviews from critics. While many praised Nielsen’s acting and its humor, most found the script, story and its direction lame. The film eventually grossed $26 million against a production budget of $18 million, making it a relative success.
The film opened at #3 with $10,448,420 behind Mission: Impossible’s opening weekend and Twister’s third. It eventually grossed $26,960,191 at the box office.
Spy Hard (1996)
Directed by: Rick Friedberg
Starring: Leslie Nielsen, Nicollette Sheridan, Charles Durning, Marcia Gay Harden, Barry Bostwick, Andy Griffith, Mason Gamble, Stephanie Romanov, Joyce Brothers
Screenplay by: Rick Friedberg, Dick Chudnow, Jason Friedberg, Aaron Seltzer
Production Design by: William J. Creber
Cinematography by: John R. Leonetti
Film Editing by: Eric Sears
Costume Design by: Tom Bronson
Set Decoration by: Ernie Bishop
Art Direction by: William J. Durrell Jr.
Music by: Bill Conti
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for crude humor and sexual innuendo.
Distributed by: Buena Vista Pictures
Release Date: May 24, 1996
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