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Crime comedy

How to Beat the High Cost of Living (1980): Cast & Ratings

How to Beat the High Cost of Living (1980) movie poster

How to Beat the High Cost of Living is a 1980 crime comedy directed by Robert Scheerer, starring Eddie Albert, Fred Willard and Dabney Coleman. It runs 1 hour 45 minutes and earned $7.5 million worldwide. Critics gave it 30 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.0/10.

IMDb rating
6.0/10
worldwide gross
$7.5M
Metascore
30
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How to Beat the High Cost of Living (1980) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 45m (105 min)
Director
Robert Scheerer
Genres
Comedy , Crime
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is How to Beat the High Cost of Living About?

The premise of How to Beat the High Cost of Living without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

Jane, Elaine, and Louise, three friends struggling with the pressures of suburban life and financial hardship, find themselves at a breaking point. Jane faces an unexpected pregnancy with a partner who lacks resources, Elaine is navigating a difficult divorce, and Louise is desperately trying to keep her business afloat. Feeling trapped and seeking a way out, they devise a risky plan to steal from a local mall, hoping for a temporary escape from their overwhelming circumstances and a chance to reclaim control of their lives.

How to Beat the High Cost of Living Themes & Keywords

· 18 tags
  • striptease
  • daylight robbery
  • female topless nudity
  • car
  • u.s. car
  • ford
  • ford motor vehicle
  • ford car
  • ford country squire
  • oldsmobile
  • oldsmobile motor vehicle
  • oldsmobile cutlass supreme
+6 more
  • pontiac
  • pontiac motor vehicle
  • pontiac car
  • pontiac lemans
  • high cost of living
  • shopping mall
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Cast & crew

How to Beat the High Cost of Living Cast

Eddie Albert leads the cast, with Fred Willard and Dabney Coleman. Directed by Robert Scheerer; 10 actors are credited in all.

From the director

More from Robert Scheerer

More films directed by Robert Scheerer: The Absent-Minded Professor, It Happened at Lakewood Manor, Poor Devil and The World’s Greatest Athlete.

Full filmography
Ratings

How to Beat the High Cost of Living Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave How to Beat the High Cost of Living 30 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.0/10.

Plot

How to Beat the High Cost of Living Plot Summary

What happens in How to Beat the High Cost of Living from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

In the quiet suburb of Eugene, Oregon, three lifelong friends—Jane](/actor/jane-curtin), Elaine, and Louise—are grappling with the challenging realities brought on by economic struggles and personal upheaval. Still reeling from her recent divorce, Jane finds herself navigating a tangled web of relationships, including her would-be love interest, Robert, her newly single father, and her young children, who are in urgent need of dental care. The unexpected news of her pregnancy further complicates her financial situation, leaving Robert deeply distressed.

Full summary

The whole story of How to Beat the High Cost of Living, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

How to Beat the High Cost of Living Box Office

How to Beat the High Cost of Living grossed $7.5 million worldwide.

1980 box office

Worldwide gross

$7.5M

US & Canada
$7.5M
Videos

How to Beat the High Cost of Living Trailers & Videos

The trailer of How to Beat the High Cost of Living.

How to Beat the High Cost of Living Official Trailer #1 - Eddie Albert Movie (1980) HD
Quiz

How Well Do You Know How to Beat the High Cost of Living?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What major life event is Jane coping with at the beginning of the movie?

Cars

Cars in How to Beat the High Cost of Living

21 cars on screen, including the 1967 Ford Country Squire and the 1979 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme.

All 21 cars
  • 1967 Ford Country Squire in How to Beat the High Cost of Living 1967 Ford Country Squire Main role
  • 1979 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme in How to Beat the High Cost of Living 1979 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Main role
  • 1977 Pontiac LeMans in How to Beat the High Cost of Living 1977 Pontiac LeMans Important role
  • 1970 Datsun 510 Wagon in How to Beat the High Cost of Living 1970 Datsun 510 Wagon Minor role
Details

How to Beat the High Cost of Living Also Known As

10 alternative titles, including “Zahltag im Supermarkt” and “Cómo superar el alto coste de la vida”.

Also known as
  • Zahltag im Supermarkt
  • Cómo superar el alto coste de la vida
  • Как победить дороговизну жизни
  • Как да се пребориш с високата цена на живота
  • Jak vyzrát na vysoké životní náklady
  • Cash Machine
  • A Ocasião Faz o Ladrão
  • 千方百计为什么
  • Les nanas jouent et gagnent
  • Ladre e contente

Seen How to Beat the High Cost of Living?

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Movies Like How to Beat the High Cost of Living

Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Living the Dream, Fun with Dick and Jane and High Heels and Low Lifes.

FAQ

How to Beat the High Cost of Living FAQ: Cast & Box Office

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings and post-credit scenes of How to Beat the High Cost of Living, each answered in a sentence.

How long is How to Beat the High Cost of Living?

How to Beat the High Cost of Living runs 1 hour 45 minutes (105 minutes).

When was How to Beat the High Cost of Living released?

How to Beat the High Cost of Living was released on July 11, 1980.

Who directed How to Beat the High Cost of Living?

How to Beat the High Cost of Living was directed by Robert Scheerer.

More films by Robert Scheerer

Who is in the cast of How to Beat the High Cost of Living?

How to Beat the High Cost of Living stars Eddie Albert, Fred Willard and Dabney Coleman, among 10 credited actors.

How much did How to Beat the High Cost of Living make at the box office?

How to Beat the High Cost of Living grossed $7.5 million worldwide.

How is How to Beat the High Cost of Living rated?

How to Beat the High Cost of Living has 6.0/10 on IMDb, 30 on Metacritic and 51% on TMDB.

Does How to Beat the High Cost of Living have a post-credit scene?

No. How to Beat the High Cost of Living has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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