Spies Like Us

"We need a plan."

"Let's play dead."

The U.S. government needs a diversion to allow their top operatives to complete a dangerous mission.  Agents Ruby (Davidson) and Keyes (Prince) are tasked with finding 2 GLG-20 agents to play the patsies.  They use the upcoming GLG-20 foreign operatives exam to make their selection and find Austin Millbarge (Aykroyd) and Emmett Fitz-Hume (Chase).  Millbarge is a skilled code-breaker who learns about the test hours before he is supposed to take it.  Fitz-Hume comes from a long line of foreign operatives and has failed the exam many times.  Their antics during the test, which include Fitz-Hume openly cheating, secure their role in the mission.

They are rushed through basic training and sent on a secret mission in Afghanistan.  They don't have any details about the mission, no weapons and no back-up.  They stumble onto a team of British doctors, led by Jerry Hadley (McKeown) and Karen Boyer (Dixon).  Fitz-Hume is instantly smitten with Boyer and their cover is quickly blown and they are back on the run.  Can they figure out the mission and save the day?


The film is inspired by the Bing Crosby and Bob Hope "Road to" movies (Road to Singapore, Road to Zanzibar, Road to Morocco, Road to Utopia, Road to Rio, Road to Bali, and The Road to Hong Kong).  To honor that, Bob Hope has a brief cameo in the film (which is also a call back to the 1980 Chevy Chase film Caddyshack).

The story was written by star Dan Aykroyd, Lowell Ganz, and Babaloo Mandel.  It was initially planned as a Aykroyd and John Belushi film, but was re-written for Chase after Belushi's death.  Chase and Aykroyd previously worked together on the first season of Saturday Night Live, and Aykroyd is married to co-star Donna Dixon (who plays Chase's love interest).

The film is funny, but dated.  At the time, it starred two of the biggest names in comedy and was a timely story.  The comedy is still fine, but otherwise it isn't as relevant now.  It has ardent fans and fun I didn't love it

Spies Like Us (1985) 102 minutes
Director: John Landis
Starring: Chevy Chase as Emmett Fitz-Hume
Dan Aykroyd as Austin Millbarge
Donna Dixon as Karen Boyer
Bruce Davidson as Ruby
William Prince as Keyes
Steve Forrest as General Sine
Tom Hatten as General Miegs
Bernie Casey as Colonel Rhumbus
Charles McKeown as Jerry Hadley