Stripes (1981): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
Stripes is a 1981 war comedy directed by Ivan Reitman, starring Bill Murray and John Candy. It runs 1 hour 46 minutes and earned $85.3 million worldwide. Critics gave it 68 on Metacritic.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 46m (106 min)
- Director
- Ivan Reitman
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Columbia Pictures
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Stripes About?
The premise of Stripes without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
After losing his job and his girlfriend, directionless cab driver John Winger enlists in the Army with his friend Russell Ziskey. Their disastrous performance in basic training leads to the formation of a ragtag group of misfit soldiers. John's carefree attitude and antics unexpectedly escalate when he commandeers a military vehicle, putting him and his unit behind enemy lines and threatening to disrupt global stability.
Stripes Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- u.s. soldier
- u.s. army
- misfit
- incompetence
- female frontal nudity
- montage
- irreverence
- army
- soldier
- basic training
- drill sergeant
- boot camp
+38 more Show fewer
- rescue mission
- slacker
- u.s. military
- satire
- military enlistment
- friendship
- cold war
- joining the army
- american abroad
- border guard
- bunk bed
- acid trip
- parade
- explosion
- lust
- voyeur
- female nudity
- female full frontal nudity
- italy
- czechoslovakia
- military spoof
- absent without leave
- military police
- milan italy
- gay joke
- falling from height
- army training
- army life
- army base
- what happened to epilogue
- tank
- singing
- shootout
- quitting a job
- push ups
- obstacle course
- military officer
- general
Stripes Cast
Bill Murray leads the cast, with John Candy. Directed by Ivan Reitman.
-
Director Ivan Reitman
More from Ivan Reitman
More films directed by Ivan Reitman, best-rated first: Ghostbusters, Dave, Kindergarten Cop and Ghostbusters II.
Stripes Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Stripes 68 on Metacritic.
-
Metacritic 68 Metascore
User score 7.2
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 65% User score
See on TMDB
Stripes Plot Summary
What happens in Stripes from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
John Winger, played by Bill Murray, is a taxi driver navigating the bustling streets of Louisville, Kentucky. One fateful day, he encounters a stubborn passenger who refuses to pay and an overbearing woman laden with heavy luggage, demanding to be whisked away to the airport. Frustrated by her accusations that he’s a terrible cab driver, he abandons both the woman and his taxi on the George Rogers Clark Bridge. Upon returning to his apartment, his day takes a turn for the worse as he discovers his prized Mustang being repossessed and that his girlfriend, Anita, has left him, citing his lack of ambition as the reason for their breakup. To top it all off, he accidentally drops and ruins the pizza he had hoped would salvage his evening.
Full summary
The whole story of Stripes, scene by scene
Stripes Box Office
Stripes grossed $85.3 million worldwide.
Worldwide gross
$85.3M
- US & Canada
- $85.3M
Stripes Trailers & Videos
3 videos: 2 trailers and 1 featurette.
- Trailer Official Trailer
- Featurette STRIPES [1981] Vignette - Bill Murray and Ivan Reitman Talk Harold Ramis
How Well Do You Know Stripes?
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
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What does John Winger do for a living before joining the Army?
Cars in Stripes
37 cars on screen, including the 1976 GMC MotorHome Palm Beach and the AM General M-35.
-
1976 GMC MotorHome Palm Beach Main role -
AM General M-35 Important role -
1980 Chevrolet Impala Important role -
1964 Ford M151 A1 'MUTT' Important role
Stripes Also Known As
27 alternative titles, including “Recrutas da Pesada” and “Stripes - EC”.
- Also known as
-
- Recrutas da Pesada
- Stripes - EC
- Нашивки
- 괴짜들의 병영 일지
- Lampasy
- Ich glaub' mich knutscht ein Elch!
- Røven af 4. division
- Les Bleus
- Добровольцы поневоле
- El pelotón chiflado
- Stripes - Un plotone di svitati
- Lumparkompisar
+15 more Show fewer
- Bombázók a seregnek
- O Pelotão Chanfrado
- שים פס על הפס
- Δύο τρελοί... τρελοί κομάντος!
- Rütbesizler
- 烏龍大頭兵
- Това е армията
- Szarże
- 杂牌军东征
- Natsat
- パラダイス・アーミー
- Una legió de guillats
- สไตรปส์
- Vạch Quân Hàm
- Recruții
Seen Stripes?
Movies Like Stripes
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Tars and Stripes, Rookies Go to War and In the Army Now.
Stripes FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings and post-credit scenes of Stripes, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Stripes?
Stripes runs 1 hour 46 minutes (106 minutes).
When was Stripes released?
Stripes was released on June 26, 1981.
Who directed Stripes?
Stripes was directed by Ivan Reitman.
More films by Ivan Reitman Who is in the cast of Stripes?
Stripes stars Bill Murray and John Candy.
How much did Stripes make at the box office?
Stripes grossed $85.3 million worldwide.
How is Stripes rated?
Stripes has 68 on Metacritic and 65% on TMDB.
Does Stripes have a post-credit scene?
No. Stripes has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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