Barnes & Noble

The divinely distinct comic personae of Chevy Chase, Steve Martin, and Martin Short -- each arguably in his movie prime at the time of this 1986 romp -- make Three Amigos the sort of cable perennial that improves with each viewing. Lines such as "Would you say I have a plethora of piñatas?" have a way of growing on you, even more so if you first discovered the meaning of the word "plethora" by watching this south-of-the-border farce. Veteran comedy director John Landis (Animal House, Trading Places) takes full advantage of a star-studded cast to blaze a trail of pure silliness while sending up the singing cowboys of early Hollywood. Martin, coming off more sentimental roles in The Lonely Guy and Pennies from Heaven, gets back in touch with his inner Jerk to portray Lucky Day, the leader of the aging silent film stars the Three Amigos. The trio, suddenly bounced from Hollywood, respond to a summons from the small town of Santo Poco, Mexico, where they’ve agreed to "put on a show" with El Guapo, a legendary local actor. But El Guapo is no actor, the banditos are not extras, and those bullets are...real! Playing sidekicks Dusty Bottoms and Ned Nederlander, Chase (Caddyshack) and Short (Innerspace) are perfect comic foils to Martin’s improvisational lead. The trio are complemented by a stellar supporting cast that includes Phil Hartman, Jon Lovitz, and Joe Mantegna, who team up to create some of the snappiest one-liners this side of the Wild West. With a lethal mixture of wit, deception, and corny humor, the Three Amigos somehow manage to defeat the outlaws, win the hearts of the locals, and provide a plethora of laughs along the way. It may not be The Magnificent Seven, but magnifico, si! Andy Sullivan

All Movie Guide

This slapstick farce features Dusty Bottoms (Chevy Chase), Lucky Day (Steve Martin), and Ned Nederlander (Martin Short), as three silent movie cowboy stars who get the axe from their Hollywood studio. Just at that opportune moment, a woman named Carmen (Patrice Martinez) asks them to come to her forgotten little town south of the border and do some work for her, for a tidy sum. The three "stooges" agree, thinking they are going to perform their singing cowboy routine, but instead Carmen wants them to get rid of the nasty El Guapo (Alfonso Arau) who is running roughshod over the good citizens of the town. Not the kind of heroes they appear to be in the movies, they have a difficult time helping out the distressed townsfolk. Eleanor Mannikka

Product Details

• UPC: 883929065950
• Source: HBO HOME VIDEO
• Presentation: Wide Screen
• Editions: Repackaged
• Time: 1:55:00
• Sales Rank: 1,641